God could offer his ‘two cents worth’
about U.S. money beginning in 1864

It wasn’t until 1864 that God could truly offer his “two cents worth” about U.S. money.

That was the year that Civil War-era Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase moved to put the religious motto “In God We Trust” on coins. Congress okayed the proposal, President Abraham Lincoln signed it into law and the U.S. Mint rolled out the first 2-cent coins bearing the motto.

Chase made the move after hearing from many devout Americans, including a minister who said the phrase would “relieve us from the ignominy of heathenism” and that “no possible citizen could object.”

In 1956, “In God We Trust” became the national motto and appeared on silver certificates the following year and was phased in on other bills. A challenge to the motto was rejected in 2011 by a federal appeals court, noting that the phrase carries patriotic value and “inspirational quality,” but has “no theological or ritualistic impact.”

Of course, there were many other “firsts” during the Civil War. Here are a few others:

• 1st Canned pork and beans (by Van Camp, introduced as a means to provide Union troops
with food that would not spoil).
• 1st Income tax
• 1st National Banking System
• 1st U.S. issued paper money (“Greenbacks”)
• 1st Military draft (March 1863)
• 1st Use of trains to transport troops
• 1st Use of railway mounted artillery
• 1st Military telegraph
• 1st Use of mines
• 1st Use of submarine warfare
• 1st Ship to have flush toilets (the ironclad USS Monitor)
• 1st Telescopic rifle sights
• 1st “Machine gun” type of rapid fire weapon (Gatling gun)
• 1st Thanksgiving (in 1864)