In God We Trust: A Nation's Motto Stamped on Coinage
Congress approved the Coinage Act of 1864 on April 22, mandating that "In God We Trust" appear on all US coins. The phrase had first appeared on the two-cent piece in 1864 during the Civil War, when Treasury Secretary Salmon Chase responded to public appeals for religious recognition on national currency. The motto reflected wartime anxiety about divine favor. It did not appear on paper currency until 1957, and Congress declared it the official national motto in 1956, partly as a Cold War distinction from atheistic communism. Legal challenges arguing the motto violates the First Amendment's Establishment Clause have consistently failed, with courts ruling it constitutes "ceremonial deism" rather than a religious endorsement.
April 22, 1864
162 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on April 22
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