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 ofindividualism.

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.

It wasn't until 1913 that the Federal Reserve Act created the surviving modern form of currency. The law gave the federal government the authority to issue Federal ReserveNotes (commonly known as U.S. dollars) as legal tender.

But by that point, many of the design elements now recognizable from the American dollar were already set. The rough proportions, the typeface, the intricate borders, the colorgreen, even some of the wording - all of those components were in use before the Federal Reserve Note was born.

The front of these notes usually featured presidents while the back captured iconic Americana. For example, a $5 note from 1914 featured Abraham Lincoln on the front, and thelanding of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock on the back. The main designs changed little over the years, with a few noteworthy exceptions.

As was the case two centuries earlier, the design of the dollar was primarily - but not exclusively - determined by the desire to prevent counterfeiting, not by aestheticconcerns.

To read the complete article, see:
The American Dollar Bill Looks the Way It Does for a Reason(http://time.com/5383055/dollar-bill-design-history/)