title: Seal of Mississippi
text: The Mississippi State Seal was adopted in 1798, back when Mississippi was a U.S. territory, the Mississippi territory. When it became a state in 1817, it was declared the state seal.
  
  The central part of the seal has an eagle centered inside it. The wings of the eagle are spread out, and its head held high. Stars and stripes adorn its chest. The outer circle of this seal carries the words "The Great Seal of the State of Mississippi".
  
  This seal was adopted on 19 January 1818. In July 2014, the seal was slightly changed when the state government added the words "In God We Trust" to the bottom. The state government said that it did this to protect "religious freedom".
  
  United States state seals
  1798 establishments in the United States
  18th-century establishments in Mississippi Territory