The American Dollar Bill Looks the Way It Does for a Reason

The dollar has been interlaced with American history since the very beginning. It has been trumpeted as the root of all evil, and touted as the salvation of individualism.

But why does the dollar look the way it does? Though American paper currency has gone through many evolutions, its design has largely been governed by practical concerns.

The story of American currency doesn’t start with the dollar we know and love (or hate).