On July 4th, 1776, right after signing the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were appointed to come up with a seal for the United States of America. Franklin harkened back to a much earlier story of when people confronted a tyrant to gain their freedom and offered the description of Moses crossing the Red Sea. Jefferson then edited Franklin’s description and submitted this version to Congress: “Pharaoh sitting in an open Chariot, a Crown on his head and a Sword in his hand, passing through the divided Waters of the Red Sea in Pursuit of the Israelites: Rays from a Pillar of Fire in the Cloud, expressive of the divine Presence and Command, beaming on Moses who stands on the shore and extending his hand over the Sea causes it to overwhelm Pharaoh. Motto: Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God.”

It took six more years and two other committees to get a seal approved by the Continental Congress. Although the original concept never made its way to the final seal, Jefferson did adopt the motto and used it on his personal seal.