| Do you have a one dollar bill in your pocket? Take it | | | | monuments. |
| out and really look at it. This one dollar bill you are | | | | Slightly modified, it is the seal of the President of the |
| looking at, in its present design, came off the | | | | United States, and it is always visible whenever the |
| presses in 1957. This one dollar bill, called paper | | | | President of the United States speaks, yet very few |
| money, is in fact a cotton and linen blend. It has red | | | | people know what the symbols mean. |
| and blue minute silk fibers running through it. So this | | | | The Bald Eagle was selected as a symbol for victory |
| paper money is actually made of material. We have | | | | for two reasons: |
| all washed the dollar bill without it falling apart. The ink | | | | - First, he is not afraid of a storm; he is strong, and |
| used to create this one dollar bill is a special blend of | | | | he is smart enough to soar above it. |
| ink, we will never know the contents of this ink. | | | | - Secondly, he wears no material crown. We had just |
| Then it is starched to make it water resistant and | | | | broken from the King of England. |
| pressed to give it that nice crisp look. | | | | The unsupported shield symbolizes that this country, |
| There are symbols overprinted on this dollar bill. | | | | the United States of America, can now stand on its |
| On the front of the bill, you will see the United | | | | own. |
| States Treasury Seal. | | | | The white bar at the top of the shield signifies |
| On the top you will see the scales for a balanced | | | | Congress, a unifying factor. We were coming |
| budget. | | | | together as a country. |
| In the center you have a carpenter's square, a tool | | | | In the Eagle's beak you will read, "E PLURIBUS |
| used for an even cut. | | | | UNUM", which stands for "one nation from many |
| Underneath is the Key to the United States Treasury. | | | | people". |
| This is pretty easy to figure out on the front of the | | | | Above the Eagle, you have thirteen stars, |
| one dollar bill but what is one the back of your bill is | | | | representing the thirteen original colonies, and any |
| something we should all know about. | | | | clouds of misunderstanding rolling away. Again, we |
| When you turn the dollar bill over, you will see two | | | | were coming together as one country. |
| circles. The Great Seal of the United States is | | | | The Eagle holds an olive branch in his left talon and |
| comprised of both circles together. | | | | arrows in his right talon. This signifies that this |
| Benjamin Franklin and a group of men were asked by | | | | country wants peace but we will never be afraid to |
| the First Continental Congress to come up with a | | | | fight to preserve peace. |
| Seal for the United States. This took Benjamin | | | | The Eagle always wants to face the olive branch, but |
| Franklin and this group of men four years to design | | | | in time of war, his gaze turns toward the arrows. |
| this seal and another two years to get it approved | | | | A belief that the number 13 is an unlucky number has |
| as the Seal of the United States. | | | | spread nearly worldwide. You will usually never see a |
| You will see a Pyramid on the left-hand circle. Take a | | | | room numbered 13, or any hotels or motels with a |
| good look at the face of the Pyramid for it is lit and | | | | 13th floor. |
| the western side is dark. That symbolizes that this | | | | But think about this, there were: |
| country, the United States of America, was just | | | | 13 original colonies, |
| beginning. At that time we had not begun to explore | | | | 13 signers of the Declaration of Independence, |
| the West or decide what could be done for Western | | | | 13 stripes on our flag, |
| Civilization. | | | | 13 steps on the Pyramid, |
| The Pyramid is uncapped. This signifies that we, as a | | | | 13 letters in the Latin above, |
| nation, were not even close to being finished. The | | | | 13 letters in "E Pluribus Unum", |
| ancient symbol for divinity, an all-seeing eye, is inside | | | | 13 stars above the Eagle, |
| the capstone. | | | | 13 bars on that shield, |
| Benjamin Franklin believed that one man could not do | | | | 13 leaves on the olive branch, |
| it alone, but a group of men, with the help of God, | | | | 13 fruits, and if you look closely, 13 arrows. |
| could accomplish anything. | | | | And for minorities: the 13th Amendment. |
| "IN GOD WE TRUST" is on this currency. | | | | Too many of our veterans have given up so much |
| "God has favored our undertaking" is written in Latin, | | | | to ever let the meaning of our one dollar bill fade. In |
| ANNUIT COEPTIS, and it is located above the | | | | the past wars many American veterans remember |
| Pyramid. | | | | coming home to an America that did not care and |
| Below the Pyramid, written in Latin, is NOVUS ORDO | | | | too many veterans never came home at all. Let us |
| SECLORUM. This means a new order has begun. | | | | keep our veterans in our prayers and thoughts and |
| At the base of the pyramid is the Roman numeral | | | | our trust in our government. Our government is for |
| for 1776 (MDCCLXXVI). | | | | the people, by the people and of the people. |
| Look at the right-hand circle. Check it carefully. This | | | | God Bless America. |
| symbol is on every National Cemetery in the United | | | | "Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others |
| States of America. This symbol is also on the Parade | | | | cannot keep it from themselves." |
| of Flags Walkway at the Bushnell, Florida National | | | | - J.M. |
| Cemetery, and is the centerpiece of most heroes | | | | |