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Great Seal Symbols
Bundle of Thirteen Arrows 
The Power of War
Arrows were first suggested by Francis Hopkinson, the consultant who did most of the work on the second Great Seal committee.
In his first design, one of the two figures supporting the shield was a "naked savage" holding a bow and arrow in his right hand, and carrying a quiver of arrows on his back. The other figure was a lady "representing Peace bearing an Olive Branch." Motto: "Bello vel Pace Paratus" – Prepared in War or in Peace.
Charles Thomson placed a "bundle of Arrows" in the eagle's left talon, and William Barton specified their number be thirteen. The final Great Seal design specifies:
The American bald Eagle holding in his right talon an Olive branch, and in his left a bundle of thirteen arrows... The Olive branch and arrows denote the power of peace & war which is exclusively vested in Congress.
In heraldry, the right side is superior to the left side.
NOTE: On the Seal of the President of the United States, the eagle used to face toward the arrows in its left talon, ever since 1877 when President Hayes started using a Presidential Seal. But on October 25, 1945, President Harry Truman signed Executive Order No. 9646, which specified the eagle must face the olive branch in its right talon.
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