Proposed Great Seal of the United States

According to the Library of Congress, in its "Establishing a Federal Republic" web site:

On July 4, 1776, in addition to approving the Declaration of Independence, Congress chose Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin to design a great seal for the new country.

Franklin proposed the phrase Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God, a sentiment Jefferson heartily embraced [this was his proposed design] and included in the design for the Virginia seal.  He also, on occasion, stamped it on the wax seals of his own letters.

Although Congress rejected the elaborate seal, it retained the words E Pluribus Unum [out of many, one], which became the country's motto.

Credits

Courtesy, Library of Congress.

Also linked above: Images, quote and information from Establishing a Federal Republic, Library of Congress. 

A note regarding the text, imaged above:  In designing the proposed great seal, the committee selected symbols to signify "the Countries from which these States have been peopled." They chose a rose (England), a thistle (Scotland), a harp (Ireland), a fleur-de-lis (France), a lion (Holland) and a two-headed eagle (Germany).