Inaccuracies about money

One of the biggest claims about the US being a "Christian Nation" is about that phrase on our currency, "In God We Trust". It's claimed that since we have such on our currency, it is proof that we are a "Christian Nation". Some even say that this phrase has always been on our money.

As for that last, let me deal with that one right now. The first time "In God we Trust" was used, it was on coins, and was placed there after the Civil War. Before that, there was no such phrase used on currency. And on bills, it was only adopted in the 1950's, because supposedly "godless communists" wouldn't want to handle money that mentioned God.

And so, on to early American currencies. Most were printed notes due to a shortage of coinage. Back in those days, America needed money so badly that not only were English coins being used, but so were Spanish, Danish, German and any other coins people could get their hands on. But when all those failed, America printed paper money to cover their needs. The most common (and ominous) saying was a warning "To Counterfeit is Death". Based on its frequency of Appearance, one could easily argue that this was what America really cared about, not God, but not having counterfeit currency! There is no mention of God, Jesus or any other divine figure on American currency of that period. One of the earlier printed notes shows a "wildman" figure dressed as an Indian with the word balloon "Come over and help us" on it.

Other American currency of the time has rural and bucolic scenes on it. A farm with a rain storm in the background, and a sun coming out from behind clouds. Benjamin Franklin printed five pound notes showing various leaves with the ubiquitous "To Counterfeit is Death" printed in red ink near the bottom of the note. He also made the infamous "Mind Your Own Business" note, directed at Britain.

However, in 1751, American-printed currency was outlawed in the colonies. And so it stayed, more or less, until the Revolution. One of the first bills printed by "The United Colonies" (it says so right on the note) was for $3 and showed an eagle fighting a heron. It bears the legend "Exitus in Dubio Est" or "The Outcome is in Doubt". The $4 note shows a wild boar charging into a spear and bears the legend "Mors Aut Vita Decora" or "Either Death or an Honorable Life". The $5 note bore the legend "Sustine Vel Abstine", or "Let me Alone/Bear With Me" and showing a hand shedding blood trying to uproot a thorny bush or sprig (Franklin equated the hand with Britain and the thorny spig with the Colonies). The $30 bill showed a stormy coast and ocean with the legend "Vi Concitae" or "It assaults with a violent force", and on the other side of the same bill, ships sailing on a calm sea with the sun shining and the logo "Cesante Vento Conquiescemus" or "When the Wind Subsides, We shall rest".

Later bills had legends such as "Tribulato Ditat" or "It is Enriched by Affliction" and "Preservando"- "By Preservation". Other notes were quickly printed to meet the growing demand to pay soldiers and buy war materiel. One such soldier note that survives shows a sword-wielding soldier with the words "In Defense of American Liberty" and (in Latin) "By the sword one seeks peace under tranquil liberty". These are known as "Sword in Hand" notes.

After the war, there was a shift in the images on bills. in 1776, the thirteen-stepped pyramid first appeared on the $50 bill. It had the legend "Perennis" or "Ever-Lasting". The All-seeing Eye came in 1779. Other bills in 1779 had "Sic Floret Republica" or "Let the Republic Flourish" and "Post Nubila Phoebus" or "After Dark Clouds Comes the Morning".

God, such as it is, only gets mention on one bill, in the legend "Deus Regnant Exultet Terra" or "God reigns, let the earth rejoice". Lest someone claim that the highest demonination bill mentioned God, that's not true. The Highest Denomination in the series is the $80 bill which bears the legend "Et in Seculorum Flourescebit" or "And it will Flourish through the Ages", showing a strong, sturdy, mature tree.

After the Revolution, the government no longer minted money. That fell to individual banks. Many of the surviving notes show no sign of God or any Biblical figures. Instead, Ancient Greek heroes and myths seem to have been used on these bills, along with depictions of "Lady Liberty". Other popular figures included Indians, people working, steam locomotives, milkmaids, and so on.

The Civil War set the government to printing money once again, when other means of raising money had failed. None of these bills had mottos or legends, however. And once again, no Biblical figures. Instead, pictures of actual founding fathers and more "Lady Liberty" figures abounded. On the back of the notes were vignettes of what were considered important episodes in American history. Many we would find surprising today. They were: Columbus sighting land, Columbus landing in America, DeSoto discovering the Mississippi in 1541, sir Walter Raleigh in London exhibiting corn and tobacco, The Baptism of Pocahontas, Embarkation of the Pilgrims, Landing of the Pilgrims, Benjamin Franklin capturing Electricity with his kite, The Battle of Lexington (April 18, 1775), Signing of the Declaration of Independence, Washington Crossing the Delaware, The Surrender of General Burgoyne to General Gates at Saratoga on October 17, 1777, Washington resigning his comission, Commodore Oliver Perry leaving his flagship during the Battle of Lake Erie (September 10, 1813) and General Winfield Scott entering Mexico City during the Mexican-American War (1847).

Many other notes printed later showed Allegorical figures which included Liberty, Justice, Victory, Loyalty, Peace, Architecture (no, I'm not making this up!), Science, Mechanics, Navigation, Agriculture, Industry, The Spirit of the Navy, Transportation... Hard as it is to imagine some of these things as allegorical figures, American engravers surely tried. And none of these bills had legends or sayings on them, either. It wasn't until the 1950's that "In God We Trust" made it on to paper money. I hope to go into the History of American coins at some future date.

So, keep it in mind: a single bill mentioning God out of many that don't doesn't prove that we were a "Christian Nation" or that the Founding Fathers wanted us to be.