money talks exercise step one
Take a look at perhaps the world's most familiar currency, the US $1 bill, featuring a portrait of George Washington. How many "things" can you identify on the bill? How many times can you find the number 13 represented? What other symbols of America do you see? What is your understanding of how the $1 bill ended up looking how it does?
As you explore this account of the history and meaning of the $1 bill, try to answer these questions about leadership:
1. Who were the leaders who made the $1 bill what it is today? How many can you identify? What were they trying to accomplish? What values were they trying to promote? How much of a personal (as opposed to a national, patriotic) agenda were they trying to promote?
2. Imagine that the $1 bill is itself a "leader." What are its responsibilities? Who are its followers? To whom is it accountable? What is the source of its power and authority? What is its message? Who are the allies and enemies of the $1 bill?
Recommended Time: 00:45
OPTIONAL FURTHER EXPLORATION OF MODERN CURRENCY
THE EURO: Euro banknotes and coins (now legal tender in 19 of the 28 member states in the European Union) were introduced on January 1, 2002 replacing national currencies such as the German Deutsche Mark, Italian Lira, and the Greek Drachma. The Euro banknotes (€5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200) depict different architectural styles from different periods of European history – e.g. windows, doors, bridges. The Euro coins (1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent, €1 and €2) depict a national design on the obverse (unique for each denomination, but all related to some national figure, event, site, etc.) and a common design on the reverse (a globe with the EU-15 highlighted next to the denomination in Latin characters or a map of Europe with the denomination in Latin characters).
*Why do you think the Euro banknotes depict windows, gateways, and bridges?
THE HUNGARIAN FORINT: The coinage of Hungary is extremely fascinating. The very first Hungarian coins to be minted, at the start of the 11th century AD, were those of Szent István király (King Saint Stephen I). He was the first king of Hungary and established Hungary as a Christian state. He was later canonized in AD 1083. His first coins, silver denars, have on the obverse an arm holding a spear with a flag and the legend LANCEA REGIS (spear of the king) and a crown on the reverse with the legend REGIS CIVITAS (royal city). He is commemorated all throughout Hungary – in Budapest, statues of István are found at every turn – at Hősök tere, the Budai Vár, and Gellért Hegy. Of course, the most conspicuous monument to Szent István is Szent István Bazilika, dedicated in 1905, which if you’ve been to Budapest, I’m sure you’ve seen. Thus, he is one of the most prominent figures to be portrayed on later Hungarian coinage. For instance, he was seen on the Hungarian pengő (Hungarian currency between 1927 and 1948) and on today’s 10,000 Forint banknote:
http://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces6490.html
https://www.mnb.hu/en/banknotes-and-coins/banknotes/new-ten-thousand-forint-banknote
*Why is Esztergom depicted on the reverse of this banknote?