WEBVTT - What do the symbols on the U.S. one-dollar bill mean?

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to brain Stuff from how stuff works dot com

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<v Speaker 1>where smart Happens. Hi am our Braining with today's question,

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<v Speaker 1>what do the symbols on the back of the US

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<v Speaker 1>one dollar bill mean? Pull out a one dollar bill

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<v Speaker 1>from your wallet and take a good look at the

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<v Speaker 1>back of it. The Great Seal of the United States

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<v Speaker 1>appears on the back side of the United States one

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<v Speaker 1>dollar bill. The reverse of the seal appears on the left,

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<v Speaker 1>and the obverse side of the seal appears on the right. First,

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<v Speaker 1>a little background on this seal. The Continental Congress decided

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<v Speaker 1>to create a national seal or emblem on July four,

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<v Speaker 1>seventy six, the same day that the Congress adopted the

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<v Speaker 1>Declaration of Independence. The Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson,

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<v Speaker 1>and John Adams to a committee to come up with

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<v Speaker 1>a national seal. It took six years, three committees, several

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<v Speaker 1>artistic contributions, and many revisions before the final seal was

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<v Speaker 1>adopted on June twenty two. The unfinished pyramid and the

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<v Speaker 1>eye and a triangle on the reverse side are classic symbols.

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<v Speaker 1>The Egyptian pyramid is a symbol of strength and duration.

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<v Speaker 1>The thirteen steps indicate the original number of US states,

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<v Speaker 1>and the thirteen steps leading to an unfinished summit indicates

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<v Speaker 1>future growth of the nation. The eye is known as

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<v Speaker 1>the Eye of Providence and is surrounded by rays of light.

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<v Speaker 1>The single eye shows up in Egyptian mythology is the

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<v Speaker 1>eye of Horace, an ancient god of the Egyptians. The

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<v Speaker 1>eye represented wisdom, health, and prosperity. Some people think that

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<v Speaker 1>the all seeing eye is a symbol of freemasonry, a

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<v Speaker 1>fraternal organization. Here are the other symbols on the Great Seal.

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<v Speaker 1>If you look at your dollar bill, you can follow

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<v Speaker 1>along two. Secretary of Congress Charles Thompson adopted the bald

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<v Speaker 1>eagle as the prominent feature of the design. The shield

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<v Speaker 1>is shown on the breast of the eagle without any support,

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<v Speaker 1>indicating the self reliance of the United States. Thirteen stripes

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<v Speaker 1>appear on the shield, signifying the thirteen original states. These

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<v Speaker 1>stripes support and unite with the top band, which represents Congress.

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<v Speaker 1>The eagles talents hold thirteen arrows in the right and

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<v Speaker 1>an olive branch in the left. These symbolize the power

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<v Speaker 1>of war and peace, respectively. The number of arrows represents

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<v Speaker 1>the thirteen original states. As well. The constellation of thirteen

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<v Speaker 1>stars above the eagle's head signifies the United States rank

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<v Speaker 1>among other sovereign powers. The motto e plurbus unam, written

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<v Speaker 1>on the banner held in the eagle's beak, is Latin

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<v Speaker 1>meeting out of many one, conveying the union of the States.

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<v Speaker 1>On the reverse side the unfinished pyramid, then the eye

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<v Speaker 1>and the triangle. Above the pyramid, the Roman numerals M, D, C, C,

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<v Speaker 1>L x x v I appear on the base of

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<v Speaker 1>the pyramid and translates to seventeen seventy six, the year

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<v Speaker 1>of independence. Above the eye are the Latin words annuit capitus.

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<v Speaker 1>This translates to he has favored our undertakings. This line

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<v Speaker 1>is associated with the eye of Providence. Below the pyramid

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<v Speaker 1>are the Latin words novis ordos sec laura, meaning a

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<v Speaker 1>new order of the ages, referring to the birth of

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<v Speaker 1>the United States in seventeen seventy six. In nineteen thirty five,

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<v Speaker 1>the Department of Treasury proposed the use of the obverse

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<v Speaker 1>and reverse sides of the Great Seal on the back

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<v Speaker 1>of a one dollar bill, originally with the obverse on

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<v Speaker 1>the left side and the reverse on the right before

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<v Speaker 1>approving the design, President Franklin Roosevelt decided to switch the

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<v Speaker 1>order of the sides of the seal and then added

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<v Speaker 1>the Great Seal under the reverse and end of the

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<v Speaker 1>United States under the obverse. So the next time you

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<v Speaker 1>look at a one dollar bill, you'll know what's going

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<v Speaker 1>on with all that strange symbology. Be sure to check

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