Everyone likes to have money. But have you ever thought to look at the other side of the bills to see what is printed back there? Well, on the back of the two dollar bill is a depiction of the Declaration of Independence which occurred in 1776. This scene is from the convention that was held where representatives from each of the 13 colonies/states came together and discussed declaring their independence from the British monarchy and adopting a new form of government. In this picture, it can be seen that the representatives came together to sign the document for the institution of their new form of government. One of the main reasons that the people of the United States wanted to separate themselves from the British empire and government was the fact that they were being treated unfairly. An example of this was the Tea Act which enforced a British tariff on imported tea, so the Americans retaliated through the Boston Tea Party where they protested this unfairness. They also felt that the king was a tyrant and that the monarchial form of government was not fit for the Americas for they should not have to succumb to a power that was across the ocean. In the Declaration of Independence, the authors and those who signed it made clear that they were declaring themselves to be a separate nation from Great Britain and laid out the injuries the king had made against the colonies. This document is a written expression that the people of the United States had the right and duty to overthrow and abolish a governing body if they see fit as to maintain their natural rights. These ideas aligned with those of Rousseau’s Social Contract. This is a very significant part of American history and is perhaps the reason for being on the back of the two dollar bill. So is that why everyone carries a two dollar bill in their wallets? Is the fact that its depiction on the back of this bill is what makes it more desirable being that it relates to our independence as a nation? What other important scenes in American independence could be on the back of dollars?
Maybe the reason why it’s on the back of the 2 dollar bill is because the $2 bill is rare. This type of thing doesn’t happen very often. I think that maybe it should be put up in an even more important way to represent the significance of the event, such as being on the back of the $100 bill, but it does also make sense that it belongs on the back of $2 bill since this level of revolution doesn’t happen that much (if that is the reason why).
I agree that the Declaration of Independence was profound event in the history of the United States of America. While the design on the back of the two dollar bill may be coincidental, one can also argue that the magnitude and legendary act of signing this Declaration is perfectly paired with this scarce and lucky bill. Throughout recent history, the two dollar bill has been considered a myth, a rare bill, and most often just forgotten. However its legend still holds much like the Declaration of Independence. It seems to directly correlate how Americans view this document; they seem to only remember it during certain national holidays. However despite the forgetfulness, does it appear that both the Declaration and the two dollar bill hold significant roles in our society?