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Take out a one-dollar bill and look at it.

Really look at it. The one-dollar bill you're looking at first came off the presses in 1957 in its present design. This so-called paper money is in fact a cotton and linen blend, with minute red and blue silk fibers running through; it is actually cloth. We've all washed it without it falling apart.

A special blend of ink is used; the contents we will never know. It is overprinted with symbols and then it is starched to make it water resistant and pressed to give it that nice crisp look. If you look on the front of the bill, you will see the United States Treasury Seal. On the top you will see the scales for balance, i.e. a balanced budget. In the center you have a carpenter's T-square, a tool used for an even cut. Underneath is the Key to the United States Treasury.

That's pretty easy to figure out, but what is on the back of that dollar bill is something we should all know.

If you turn the bill over, you will see two circles. Both circles, together, comprise the Great Seal of the United States. The First Continental Congress requested that Benjamin Franklin and a group of men come up with a Seal. It took them four years to accomplish this task and another two years to get it approved.

If you look at the left hand circle, you will see a Pyramid. Notice the face is lighted and the western side is dark. This country was just beginning. We had not begun to explore the West or decided what we could do for Western Civilization. The Pyramid is uncapped, again signifying that we were not even close to being finished. Inside the capstone you have the all seeing eye, an ancient symbol for divinity.

It was Franklin's belief that one man couldn't do it alone, but that a group of men, with the help of God, could do anything. "IN GOD WE TRUST" is on this currency. The Latin above the pyramid, ANNUIT COEPTIS, means, "God has favored our undertaking." The Latin below the pyramid, NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM, means "a new order has begun." At the base of the pyramid is the Roman numeral for 1776.

Now look at the right-hand circle. It is on every National Cemetery in the United States. It is also on the Parade of Flags Walkway at the Bushnell, Florida National Cemetery and is the centerpiece of most heroes' monuments. Slightly modified, it is the seal of the President of the United States and it is always visible whenever he speaks, yet very few of us know what the symbols mean.

The Bald Eagle was selected as a symbol for victory for two reasons: First, he is not afraid of a storm; he is strong and smart enough to soar above it. Secondly, he wears no material crown. Remember, at this time our country had just broken away from the King of England. Also, notice the shield is unsupported. This country can now stand on it's own. At the top of that shield you have a white bar signifying Congress, a unifying factor. We were coming together as one nation. Upon the banner in the Eagle's Beak you will read, "E PLURIBUS UNUM," meaning, "one nation from many people." Above the Eagle you see thirteen stars representing the thirteen original colonies, and any clouds of misunderstanding rolling away. Again, we were coming together as one. Notice the olive branch and the arrows the Eagle is holding in his talons. This country wants peace, but we will never be afraid to fight to preserve peace.

It is said that the number 13 is an unlucky number. This is almost a world-wide belief. You will usually never see a room numbered 13, or any hotels or motels with a 13th floor. But, think about this:

• 13 original colonies,
• 13 stripes on our flag,
• 13 steps on the Pyramid,
• 13 letters in the Latin above,
• 13 letters in "E Pluribus Unum",
• 13 stars above the Eagle,
• 13 plumes of feathers on each span of the Eagle's wing,
• 13 bars on that shield,
• 13 leaves on the olive branch,
• 13 fruits, and if you look closely,
• 13 arrows.

Pass this on. Your children don't know this and their history teachers don't know this. Too many veterans have given up too much to ever let the meaning fade. Many veterans remember coming home to an America that didn't care. Too many veterans never came home at all.

After the tragic events of September 11, 2001, this history lesson is as important to us as ever. People of all nations should learn what is on the back of the United States One Dollar Bill and what it stands for. It might help them to understand why it's never a good idea to pull on Superman's cape.

God Bless America.