Counting Pinecones: The Hidden Message of the Great Seal (A Homeschool Crew Review)

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Have you ever looked at the Great Seal of the United States and wonder what the significance of the symbols on it represent? Did the Founding Fathers hide any hidden meanings in those symbolism when designing the Great Seal? These are questions that are deeply researched in the book The Hidden Message of the Great Seal How Foundational Truth From The Dawn Of Liberty May Rescue A Republic In Peril written by author Michael Kanis

About the Author

With a B.A. in business and an M.B.A. in Finance and Operations, author Michael Kanis has worn several hats in his career. First making a career in technology and innovation for a Fortune 500 firm, followed by his own wholesale distribution business and now as a published author.

The 256 page softcover book consists of 24 chapters:

1.    Introduction
2.    Time Capsule
3.    The Significance of the Seal
4.    Setting the Stage
5.    A Tale of Two Systems
6.    Studying the Seal
7.    How Could it have Been
       Hidden So Long?
8.    Charles Thomson
9.    Francis Hopskinson
10. The Pyramid
11.   Annuit Coeptis
12.   Novus Ordo Secorlum
13.   The Eye
14.   The Early Designs Part 1
15.   Early Designs Part 2
16.   The Covenant
17.   The Front of the Seal
18.   The Four Pillars
19.   Virtue
20.   Freedom
21.   Providence
22.   Unity
23.   Unexpected Connections
24.   Conclusion

The book opens discussing the restoration of the Massachusetts State House in Boston. When workers removed the cornerstone, they found a time capsule that had been buried more than 700 years prior in the 18th century. Inside they found newspapers, documents, coins, letters and most intriguing a silver plaque created by Paul Revere. From then on, the book is filled with page after page of amazing facts about American history, our founding fathers, and the history of the Great Seal of the United States.

The author spent many years digging deep into researching the material to discover if the Founding Fathers hid a secret meaning within the Seal and if so, what was that hidden message hidden among the allegory use of the specific symbols chosen.

But discovering the secret of the Seal is only the beginning. The author hopes that thru the research put into this book, that the current generation as well as future generations to come will understand the founding father's original intentions for this country and hopefully they will learn the secrets of the Seal to help guide the nation in their footsteps and virtues.

Filled with artwork, photographs and timelines, this book is great for a coffee table book that will peak interests of those who see it. I would say the text itself is high school and college level, or a very advanced middle school student. The writing was a bit heavy for my kids, so I've been reading thru the book myself and have been learning a good deal of history of our country. I do find it a bit far fetched that the "secrets" of the symbol were unknown to history until the author researched it, however, I think maybe it would be correct in saying "lost to us" as the average American probably doesn't give much thought into it. Overall, it's been a good read and I'm enjoying learning the many gems to be picked up from the book.

The book can be found on Amazon for $29.95, but I have included a coupon code for 50% off the cover price along with free shipping if you purchase the book straight from the website at thehiddenmessage.org. To receive the discount, use the coupon code: HOMESCHOOL at checkout. The discount is good until 30 May 2020.