The bald eagle was chosen June 20, 1782 as the emblem of the United States of America, because of its long life, great strength, and majestic looks, and also because it was then believed to exist only on this continent.

The bald eagle appears on most official seals of the United States, including the Seal of the President of the United States.

The bald eagle appears on most official seals of the United States, including the Seal of the President of the United States and its flag. The bald eagle is also depicted on many U.S. coins, including the one dollar coin (the “golden dollar”) and on two-dollar bills as well as other denominations in which an eagle symbol appears. It is also used as an insignia by the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marines.

The bald eagle is also featured prominently on many government buildings in Washington D.C., where it has been a symbol since 1782 when Congress passed a law prohibiting killing or capturing eagles within one mile of any city or town by anyone except authorized federal employees acting under colorable authority from their employers (such as postal inspectors).

Benjamin Franklin wanted the wild turkey to be America’s national bird.

One of the most famous Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, had a different idea for our national symbol—the wild turkey. Franklin thought that it was a more noble bird than the bald eagle and more appropriate because it was native to America. He even wrote about his choice in his 1784 essay titled “An Historical Review of the Constitution and Government of Pennsylvania”:

A Turkey is a much more respectable bird than a Bald Eagle. He does not get his Living by Snatching & Pouncing on smaller Birds; but lives well upon himself… I am sure no man will say there can be too many wild Turkeys or too few Bald Eagles in America …

The bald eagle has been a symbol of America for hundreds of years

The bald eagle has been a symbol of America for hundreds of years. The bird was made the national bird in 1782, and is depicted on our currency, flags and other official things.

In 1782, Pennsylvania used the bald eagle as a symbol on its seal. That same year, Benjamin Franklin printed an image of a bald eagle for “American Ornithology.” This was likely the first time that anyone had ever seen an image of this majestic creature!