Using an everyday item, like a dollar bill, you can share a
lot with your kids this Presidents Day. A dollar, showcasing our first
president, is worth far more than you realize —it offers a way to teach your
kids some fun history lessons.
Do you know a dollar bill has hidden pictures, spots of
color, and odd symbols? And that’s just the beginning. Do you have any idea
what all of those seemingly random letters and phrases mean? Take this
opportunity to explore the dollar bill and share some surprising money and
history facts with your kids.
When To
Do
Presidents Day
What To
Do
Ask your bank for some fresh, crisp new bills, two for
each kid, so they can explore and compare both sides at once. Have at least one
magnifying glass; ideally, one for each kid; it’s a must for the items they’ll
be looking for. Lay out the bills under a good light, look closely, and answer
the following dollar bill trivia questions, in honor of our first U.S. president,
George Washington.
· How come
when you accidentally launder a dollar bill it does not fall apart?
o
The dollar bill is made from a blend of cotton and
linen. Combining these two materials makes a very durable piece of paper — one
that will not fall apart if it goes through the wash.
o
Look closely at a bill with the magnifying glass to
find the red and blue silk fibers woven throughout. Hint: Look in the white
spaces on the face of the bill for little bits of the colored threads.
· Can you
find any tiny owls or spiders hidden on the front of the bill?
o
Look for a teeny owl next to the large
"1" on the upper right of the bill. Look at the shield shape that
surrounds that "1"; in the top left corner, the owl’s head and
shoulders appear in the “scoop” of the shield, right next to the stylized
leaves.
o
Now take a really close look all over the bill. What
shapes do your kids see: a spider, an owl, something else?
· On the reverse
side of the dollar bill, look closely at the bottom of the pyramid. Why are
there a bunch of letters: MDCCLXXVI?
The letters are actually Roman
numerals:
o
M is 1,000
o
D is 500
o
CC is 200 (C is 100, 100 x 2 = 200)
o
L is 50
o
XX is 20 (X is 10, 10 x 2 = 20)
o
VI is 6 (V is 5, I is 1, 5 + 1 = 6)
Add all of these up, and you get
1776: the year our country was formed.
· The
eagle on the right is holding a ribbon or streamer in its bill. What does the
phrase “E Pluribus Unum” mean?
"Out of many, one."
This was added to the bill to celebrate that the original 13 colonies came
together to form one new country — the United States of America.
· Why do
we have a bald eagle on our dollar bill?
Our founders wanted an animal
native to America to be the new nation's symbol. The Second Continental
Congress officially declared the bald eagle the national emblem of the United
States in 1782. (Benjamin Franklin wanted the wild turkey to be the national
bird, but he was outvoted.) The bald eagle’s image and symbolism have played a
significant role in American art, folklore, music, and architecture.
· What is the
eagle is holding in its talons (feet)?
o
It holds arrows, to signify war, and an olive
branch, to signify peace.
o
Can you think of why the founding fathers would put
both items in the eagle’s talons?
· How many
groups of 13 can you find around the eagle?
There are six groups of 13, in
honor of the original 13 colonies:
1.
13 leaves on
the olive branch the eagle is holding in its right talons
2.
13 fruits on
the olive branch
3.
13 arrows in
the eagle’s left talons
4.
13 letters
in the phrase “E Pluribus Unum”
5.
13 stars
over the eagle's head
6.
13 bars on
the shield on the eagle's chest
What You
Will Need
A few one-dollar bills
Magnifying glass
Talk
About It
Did your kids know there was so much history in one piece
of paper? Show them a five-dollar or ten-dollar bill; are they interested in
seeing what’s hidden on them and finding out the stories behind them? Why do
they think we put presidents on our money?
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