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→United States dollars
== United States dollars ==
== United States dollars ==
The first United States currency was the Continental. It was supposed to be silver-backed, but the [[Second Continental Congress]] could not back its currency, and everyone knew it. "Not worth a Continental" became a common epithet. (Supporters of the Spanish general and future [[Viceroy]] [[Bernardo de Galvez]] insist that Galvez offered to back the Continental in addition to his military exploits in British West Florida. This, they say, is further evidence that Galvez and his men deserve recognition as [[Revolutionary War]] patriots by the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution.)
The first United States currency was the Continental. It was supposed to be silver-backed, but the [[Second Continental Congress]] could not back its currency, and everyone knew it. "Not worth a Continental" became a common epithet. (Supporters of the Spanish general and future [[Viceroy]] Bernardo de Galvez insist that Galvez offered to back the Continental in addition to his military exploits in British West Florida. This, they say, is further evidence that Galvez and his men deserve recognition as [[Revolutionary War]] patriots by the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution.)
After the war, and under the new [[Constitution]], the United States dollar was one [[ounce]] of silver, or one-twentieth of an ounce of gold. (The name ''dollar'' meant "a twentieth of an ounce.") That the gold:silver ratio was fixed at 1:20, one may infer from the circulation of silver dollars, and the language of the [[Sixth Amendment]] of the Constitution, that calls for jury trials in civil cases "where the value in question shall exceed twenty dollars."
After the war, and under the new [[Constitution]], the United States dollar was one [[ounce]] of silver, or one-twentieth of an ounce of gold. (The name ''dollar'' meant "a twentieth of an ounce.") That the gold:silver ratio was fixed at 1:20, one may infer from the circulation of silver dollars, and the language of the [[Sixth Amendment]] of the Constitution, that calls for jury trials in civil cases "where the value in question shall exceed twenty dollars."