United States heraldry

E51901

cultural practice heraldic tradition

United States heraldry is the tradition and practice of designing, granting, and using coats of arms and other heraldic symbols within the United States, blending European heraldic customs with uniquely American historical and cultural elements.

Statements (48)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	cultural practice → heraldic tradition →
appliesTo	badges and distinctive unit insignia of the U.S. Army → coats of arms of U.S. municipalities → coats of arms of U.S. states → coats of arms of the United States federal government → emblems of the U.S. Air Force → emblems of the U.S. Coast Guard → emblems of the U.S. Marine Corps → military unit insignia of the United States → shields and crests of U.S. Navy ships →
characteristic	adaptation of Old World heraldic rules to New World context → frequent inclusion of motto scrolls → use of national symbols such as the bald eagle → use of seals alongside coats of arms → use of stars and stripes motifs →
country	United States →
distinctiveFeature	coexistence of heraldic arms and official seals → strong emphasis on national and state symbolism over hereditary nobility →
governingBody	United States Army Institute of Heraldry →
historicalDevelopment	adapted European heraldic customs to republican ideals → emerged after the American Revolution →
influencedBy	British heraldry → Dutch heraldry → European heraldry → French heraldry → German heraldry → Spanish heraldry →
legalStatus	federal heraldic regulation largely limited to government and military use → lacks a centralized national heraldic authority for civilians →
practice	designing coats of arms → granting coats of arms for government and military entities → recording and standardizing official insignia → using heraldic devices on seals and flags →
relatedTo	Great Seal of the United States → coat of arms of the United States → college and university arms in the United States → military heraldry of the United States → municipal seals in the United States → state seals of the United States →
usedBy	United States military services → corporations in the United States → educational institutions in the United States → families in the United States → federal government of the United States → fraternal organizations in the United States → municipal governments in the United States → state governments of the United States →

Referenced by (1)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
Coat of arms of the United States Virgin Islands →	associatedWith