Great Seal of the State of California

E4440

The Great Seal of the State of California is the official emblem of California’s government, symbolizing its history, sovereignty, and key ideals such as liberty, prosperity, and natural abundance.

Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
The Great Seal of the State of California 1

Statements (51)

Predicate Object
instanceOf official emblem
state seal
adoptedBy California constitutional convention of 1849 (as law‑making body for U.S. statehood)
surface form: California Constitutional Convention of 1849
appliesToJurisdiction California, United States
surface form: State of California
country United States of America
depicts California grizzly bear
Athena
surface form: Roman goddess Minerva

cluster of grapes
miner with a pick
mountains
rising sun
sailing ships
sheaf of grain
Eureka
surface form: the word "Eureka"

water body
designer Caleb Lyon
Robert S. Garnett
featuresText Great Seal of the State of California self-linksurface differs
surface form: The Great Seal of the State of California
governingLaw California Government Code
hasElement border of 31 stars
inner pictorial field
outer ring with inscription
inception 1849
languageOfMotto Ancient Greek
legalStatus protected emblem under California law
motto Eureka
mottoMeaning I have found it
mottoRefersTo discovery of gold in California
numberOfStars 31
starsSymbolize California as the 31st state of the Union
symbolizes California Gold Rush
California’s admission as a state without territorial status
California’s agricultural wealth
California’s maritime commerce
California’s natural resources
California’s rapid statehood
California’s republican government
history of California
liberty
natural abundance
prosperity
sovereignty of California
usedBy Government of California
usedOn California Governor's proclamations
California state bonds
California state buildings
California state certificates
California state flag in some variants
acts and resolutions of the California Legislature
commissions of state officers
official state documents

Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

California grizzly bear appearsOn Great Seal of the State of California
California State Senate coatOfArms Great Seal of the State of California
Caleb Lyon designed Great Seal of the State of California
Great Seal of the State of California featuresText Great Seal of the State of California self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: The Great Seal of the State of California
Caleb Lyon notableWork Great Seal of the State of California
Chief Justice of California symbolicRepresentation Great Seal of the State of California