The Second Continental Congress issues its first paper money

Historical Context Note

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 3.2.1: American (US) Writing and Culture: The Colonial Period, 1604-1783.
Vol. editors: Emory Elliott (University of California, Riverside), Stephen E. Meats (Pittsburg State University), Scott Slawinski (Western Michigan University)

Domains

Currency

Dates

Date of occurrence 1775-06-22

Places

United States (Location)

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The Second Continental Congress, a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that was established soon after the start of the American Revolutionary War, issued its first paper money in 1775 in an attempt to fund the war. The Continental currency, or 'Continentals', rapidly depreciated and was worthless by the end of the war.

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