Paper Money
The kind of paper money we now use in the U.S. was first
issued in the 1860s. The bills were called greenbacks. Their
backs were printed in green ink. Like our dollars today, these
bills had pictures on the front. For a long time these images
had no overall theme. They seemed to be chosen at whim
.
Who remembers Salmon P. Chase? His face was on one-
dollar bills from 1861 to 1864. He was the secretary of the
treasury. In 1886, the picture of Martha Washington graced
some bills. Others didn't even show people. They
had
images of the Washington Monument or fancy wreaths.
In 1925, things changed. Andrew Mellon was in charge of the
treasury then. He brought together a group of people. It
was
up to them to choose what was printed on coins
and bills.
This group wanted only images of presidents. Mellon asked
for two others, though. One was Alexander Hamilton
. He
had
been the first secretary of the treasury. Mellon thought
he
should be on a bill. He also wanted to use the
face of
statesman and inventor Ben Franklin. Mellon was sure that
the public would recognize these famous Americans. He got
his way. Both are now on bills. But it was only
in 1962 that
Congress gave the head of the treasury
department the
final
say. The secretary of the treasury now chooses
who appears
on our money.
Select the correct answer.
Why did the group want only presidents to appear on the front of bills?
○ A.
They wanted only men to appear on the bills.
B. They wanted people that Americans would recognize.
C.
The current secretary of the treasury was already shown on the backs.
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