Every dollar in your wallet carries a statement of faith most people never stop to think about.
During the American Civil War, many Americans believed the nation needed to publicly acknowledge its dependence on God (the God of the Bible).
In 1861, a minister named Mark R. Watkinson wrote to the Secretary of the Treasury suggesting that the United States place a reference to God on its coins. His concern was simple:
He believed the nation should not appear “heathen” by leaving God out of its national symbols.
The idea gained support, and in 1864 Congress authorized the motto “In God We Trust” to appear on certain U.S. coins.
Eventually the phrase spread to more currency, and in 1956 the United States officially adopted “In God We Trust” as the nation’s national motto.
Today it appears on every piece of U.S. currency. For over a century, the United States has publicly declared on its money that the nation places its trust in God.
Another piece of American history many people have never been told!
