Great Seal of the State of New York Versions Coat of Arms of New York Details Armiger State of New York Adopted 1778 Supporters Liberty and Justice Motto Excelsior

The state seal of New York features the state arms (the coat of arms was officially adopted in 1778) surrounded by the words "The Great Seal of the State of New York." A banner below shows the New York State motto (Excelsior Latin for Ever Upward).

The center shield displays a masted ship and a sloop on the Hudson River river (symbols of inland and foreign commerce) bordered by a grassy shore and a mountain range in the background with the sun rising behind it.

Liberty and Justice support the shield and an American eagle spreads its wings above on a world globe. Liberty's left foot treads on a crown (a symbol of freedom from the Kingdom of Great Britain). Justice is blindfolded and holds a sword in one hand and a scale in the other symbolizing impartiality and fairness

A reproduction of the seal was the inspiration for the title of Longfellow's Excelsior. See also New York portal State of New York Symbols of the State of New York Flag of New York References External links The Great Seal of the State of New York v d eState seals of the United States States Alabama  Alaska  Arizona  Arkansas  California  Colorado  Connecticut  Delaware  Florida  Georgia  Hawaii  Idaho  Illinois  Indiana  Iowa  Kansas  Kentucky  Louisiana  Maine  Maryland  Massachusetts  Michigan  Minnesota  Mississippi  Missouri  Montana  Nebraska  Nevada  New Hampshire  New Jersey  New Mexico  New York  North Carolina  North Dakota  Ohio  Oklahoma  Oregon  Pennsylvania  Rhode Island  South Carolina  South Dakota  Tennessee  Texas  Utah  Vermont  Virginia  Washington  West Virginia  Wisconsin  Wyoming Great Seal of the United States Federal district Washington D.C. (District of Columbia) Insular areas American Samoa  Guam  Northern Mariana Islands  Puerto Rico   U.S. Virgin Islands v d e State of New York Albany (capital)  The Empire State Topics

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