Summary of Matthew Barzun's The Power of Giving Away

Excerpt From Summary of Matthew Barzun's The Power of Giving Away



#1



The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, but the Continental Congress failed to agree on a seal for the new nation. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams were tasked with creating one.



#2



The Great Seal, which would eventually become the US coat of arms, was created in 1782 and finalized in 1782. It initially featured a lion and an eagle, but was redesigned in 1782 to include 13 stars representing the 13 original states.