•On June 20, 1782, Congress adopts the Great Seal of the United States after six years of discussion. The seal depicts a bald eagle clutching an olive branch in its right talon and arrows in its left. On its breast appears a shield marked with 13 vertical red and white stripes topped by a bar of blue. The eagle’s beak clutches a banner inscribed, E pluribus unum, a Latin phrase meaning “Out of Many One.”•On June 26, 1807, lightning hits a gunpowder factory in Luxembourg, killing more than 300 people. When lightning struck the underground armory, two entire blocks were ...