Secret brotherhoods (i.e. the Rosicrucians, Freemasons and Illuminati) maintained the democratic ideal alive through the Middle Ages and covertly organized its resurgence in the Western world.

"For more than three thousand years, secret societies have labored to create the background of knowledge necessary to the establishment of  an enlightened democracy among the nations of the world."
-Manly P. Hall, Secret Destiny of America

Sir Francis Bacon, a British philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and the first Grand Master of modern Freemasonry wrote in 1623 "The New Atlantis" where he envisions America as being a land organized and ruled by Rosicrucian philosophy. This prophetic book described a land where scientific and philosophic institutions reigned at the heart of the human Empire. 

In the form of an imaginary voyage, Bacon foreshadows America's institutions heavily influenced by occult philosophies.

Tributes to Francis Bacon and his famous saying "Knowledge is Power" can be found all over Washington DC, proving his importance in the eyes of the Founding Fathers.

The new American nation was also under the influence of the Illuminati, a European occult order who Winston Churchill considered to be the hidden force behind the French Revolution. George Washington discusses their influence in America a letter written in 1798.

Letter written by George Washington concerning secret soceities in America

Transcript:

Mount Vernon, October 24, 1798.

Revd Sir: I have your favor of the 17th. instant before me; and my only motive to trouble you with the receipt of this letter, is to explain, and correct a mistake which I perceive the hurry in which I am obliged, often, to write letters, have led you into.

It was not my intention to doubt that, the Doctrines of the Illuminati, and principles of Jacobinism had not spread in the United States. On the contrary, no one is more truly satisfied of this fact than I am.

The idea that I meant to convey, was, that I did not believe that the Lodges of Free Masons in this Country had, as Societies, endeavoured to propagate the diabolical tenets of the first, or pernicious principles of the latter (if they are susceptible of seperation). That Individuals of them may have done it, or that the founder, or instrument employed to found, the Democratic Societies in the United States, may have had these objects; and actually had a seperation of the People from their Government in view, is too evident to be questioned.

As we can see, George Washington acknowledged the covert influence of the Illuminati in the shaping of the United States and claimed that "no one is truly satisfied of this fact" than he is. This shouldn't be a surprise, considering the fact that Washington is considered one of the most important Freemason in American history.

^ "Washington as a Freemason" engraving

^ Another Masonic image. Notice the All-Seeing Eye of the "Great Architect"

Many other actors in the American revolution were Masons.

20 GREATEST NAMES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

• John Adams - Spoke favorably of Freemasonry - never joined
• Samuel Adams - (Close and principle associate of Hancock, Revere & other Masons
• Ethan Allen - Mason
• Edmund Burke - Mason
• John Claypoole - Mason
• William Daws - Mason
• Benjamin Franklin - Mason
• Nathan Hale - No evidence of Masonic connections
• John Hancock - Mason
• Benjamin Harrison - No evidence of Masonic connections
• Patrick Henry - No evidence of Masonic connections
• Thomas Jefferson - Deist with some evidence of Masonic connections
• John Paul Jones - Mason
• Francis Scott Key - No evidence of Masonic connections
• Robert Livingston - Mason
• James Madison - Some evidence of Masonic membership
• Thomas Paine - Humanist
• Paul Revere - Mason
• Colonel Benjamin Tupper - Mason
• George Washington - Mason
• Daniel Webster - Some evidence of Masonic connections

- Al Dager, A Masonic History of America

As you can see in the list above, Benjamin Franklin was also a notorious Mason. His influence in the development of America as we know it was colossal.

"Men bound by a secret oath to labor in the cause of world democracy decided that in the American colonies they would plant the roots of a new way of life. Brotherhoods were established to meet secretly, and they quietly and industriously conditioned America to its destiny for leadership in a free world...Benjamin Franklin exercised an enormous psychological influence in Colonial politics as the appointed spokesman of the unknown philosophers; he did not make laws, but his words became law."
-Manly P. Hall, Secret Destiny of America

By keeping those facts in mind, we can better understand the masonic origin of the Great Seal of the United States.

"European mysticism was not dead at the time the United States of America was founded. The hand of the Mysteries controlled in the establishment of the new government, for the signature of the Mysteries may still be seen on the Great Seal of the United States of America. Careful analysis of the seal discloses a mass of occult and Masonic symbols."
-Manly P. Hall, Secret Teachings of All Ages

The Great Seal, a Masonic Signature

The design of the Great Seal went through three committees where numerous ideas were submitted. There seemed to be a consensus around the usage of a pyramid containing exactly thirteen steps and/or the representation of the "Eye of Providence". Here are the most important submissions.

^ Du Simitiere's proposal sketch submitted during the first committee featured "The Eye of Providence in a radiant Triangle whose Glory extends over the Shield and beyond the Figures"

^ Hopkinson's pyramid in 1778. "Perrennis" means "Through the ages"

^ William Barton's proposal - Third Committee

Elements chosen from the three committees were chosen and combined to create the official seal:

^ Official Rendering of the reverse of the Great Seal

The above three pyramids each contain exactly 13 steps. While they are said to represent America's original thirteen colonies, number 13 also bears an important esoteric signification: It is one of Freemasonry's sacred numbers and an important figure in occult numerology.

"The significance of the mystical number 13, which frequently appears upon the Great Seal of the United States, is not limited to the number of the original colonies. The sacred emblem of the ancient initiates, here composed of 13 stars, also appears above the head of the "eagle." The motto, E Pluribus Unum, contains 13 letters, as does also the inscription, Annuit Coeptis. The "eagle" clutches in its right talon a branch bearing 13 leaves and 13 berries and in its left a sheaf of 13 arrows. The face of the pyramid, exclusive of the panel containing the date, consists of 72 stones arranged in 13 rows."
-Hunt, History of the Seal of the United States

The All-Seeing Eye and pyramid are typical masonic symbols and can be found in numerous instances.

^ Masonic monument in Israel with All-Seeing Eye on top of pyramid

All-Seeing Eye inside a triangle

Two eyes inside two triangles in this ancient masonic symbol

Hundreds of other images can be displayed here. To claim that the reverse of the Great Seal has no connection with occult orders is simply inconceivable. Manly P. Hall, 33rd degree Mason and considered "the greatest masonic philosopher" wrote:

"If any one doubts the presence of Masonic and occult influences at the time the Great Seal was designed, he should give due consideration to the comments of Professor Charles Eliot Norton of Harvard, who wrote concerning the unfinished pyramid and the All-Seeing Eye which adorned the reverse of the seal, as follows: "The device adopted by Congress is practically incapable of effective treatment; it can hardly (however artistically treated by the designer) look otherwise than as a dull emblem of a Masonic fraternity."

He continues on the subject.

"Not only were many of the founders of the United States Government Masons, but they received aid from a secret and august body existing in Europe, which helped them to establish this country for a peculiar and particular purpose known only to the initiated few. The Great Seal is the signature of this exalted body-unseen and for the most part unknown-and the unfinished pyramid upon its reverse side
is a trestleboard setting forth symbolically the task to the accomplishment of which the United States Government was dedicated from the day of its inception."
-Manly P. Hall, Secret Teachings of All Ages

In his "Secret Destiny of America", M.P. Hall describes America's mystic role in History, as seen by occult orders. He states that America has been given the divine role of bringing forth a new political, philosophical, economical and religious era, where the "Illuminated" stood at the helm of the world's destiny. The saying "Novus Ordo Seclorum" (meaning  "New Order of the Ages"), refers to this age-old objective and can be associated with today's concept of "New World Order".

Occult Meaning of the Reverse of the Great Seal

Occult symbols often conceal numerous levels of interpretation and the Great Seal isn't an exception.

The Great Seal features the Great pyramid of Gizeh, which was never finished due to its missing capstone. No capstone has ever been found near the its premises, which lead researchers to conclude that the Great Pyramid was meant to be unfinished. The builders might have wanted to signify that God alone is complete. In the Great Seal, the All-Seeing Eye of the Great Architect effectively completes the pyramid. The usage of pyramid alone is a significant nod to occult orders, who consider those monuments as the ultimate representation of the Mysteries.

The unfinished nature of the pyramid is an obvious reference to an unfinished project (the New Order of the Ages) which is being "supervised" and  by God. The pyramid will only be complete when the New Order will be established on Earth. The mysterious saying "Annuit Coeptis" roughly signifies that God approves the monumental project undertaken by America.

Translating ANNUIT COEPTIS

Annuit means to nod assent, to favor, to smile upon.
Coeptis means undertakings, endeavors, beginnings.

Annuit coeptis means "favors (lit., gives the nod to) undertakings." The subject must be supplied. Who favors? The Eye (Providence) does.

The verb annuit can be either present tense or perfect tense, therefore an accurate translation of the motto is: "Providence favors our undertakings" or "Providence has favored our undertakings." (The word "our" is supplied.)

(It has also been translated as: "He favors our undertakings" or "He has prospered our endeavors.")
Source:  http://www.greatseal.com/mottoes/coeptis.html

The representation of God as a single eye is distinctly occult in nature and takes its roots in Egyptian symbolism as the Eye of Horus.

^ In Ancient Egypt, the Eye of Horus also represented the Sun, the Supreme Deity

Some authors have argued that the All-Seeing Eye was also used on Christian monuments, hence disproving the fact that it was a Masonic symbol. They however omit the fact that the Freemasons have built numerous churches and Cathedrals ever since the Middle-Ages, incorporating their symbols  in subtle yet visible ways.

The Reverse of the Great Seal also represents Man - a combination of a physical body (the pyramid) and a divine soul (the floating capstone), which belongs in the spiritual world. To access divinity present in each human being, one has to achieve "illumination".

The same principle can be applied to the world as a whole. In this case, society is represented by the pyramid and the floating capstone represents the illuminated elite - who have reached virtual divinity - oversee the masses.

The date appearing at the bottom of the pyramid 1776 refers to the Declaration of Independence of the United States. Esoterically, May 1st 1776 is also the date of the foundation of the Bavarian Illuminati by Adam Weishaupt. Nowadays, the Illuminati is said the embody the "hidden degrees" of Masonry, reserved to those who have reached the honorary 33rd degree. The floating capstone might also refer to the members of those hidden degrees.

Use of the Great Seal in Corporate Logos

Many companies incorporate one or many symbols of the Great Seal within their corporate logo. Here are some examples:

^ Pyramid with separated/illuminated capstone

Eye within a triangle

Some sort of deathray coming out of the Eye of Providence. Probably the conspiracy theorist's worst nightmare

^ Eye within triangle + Masonic compass and square all in one logo

Big All-Seeing Eye

^ All-Seeing Eye and what looks like an All-Hearing ear

To Conclude

Is a conspiracy theory still a theory if the conspirators admit to the conspiracy? No, they become proven facts.  Proofs of the occult origins of the Great Seal can easily be found with a little research. Studying the hidden meaning of the Seal consequently leads to discovering America's secret task: to usher in a new era of civilization (to learn more about this subject, I highly suggest reading "Secret Destiny of America" by Manly P. Hall and watching "Riddles in Stones, both available in the Educate Yourself section).

In ancient times, the people of Egypt have been given idols to worship while the sages understood the unseen forces those idols represented.  In today's world, the people have been given a great American mythology, filled with trailblazers and patriots while the initiates understood America's esoteric history. The enigmatic symbol of the unfinished pyramid topped by an All-Seeing Eye sums up the origins of the American dream, the philosophical background of the Founding Fathers and the ultimate goal in History of the United States.  The eye of the Great Architect sees all "Annuit Coeptis" signifies that he gives a nod of approval to the Great Work. Question is: Who is this God?

Original source: http://vigilantcitizen.com/?p=1021