1

In God we trust

Image: Kelly Sikkema

The famous phrase "In God We Trust" hasn’t always been part of our money. It first showed up on some coins during the Civil War , when the country was looking for hope in tough times. It didn’t become standard on all bills and coins until 1955, during another period of strong religious feeling. Today, it’s part of our national identity and one of the most recognized mottos in the world.

2

The all-seeing eye on the dollar

Image: Thought Catalog

That little pyramid with an eye floating above it on the one-dollar bill has sparked plenty of wild theories, but the truth is rooted in history. Known as the "Eye of Providence," it represents divine guidance and watchfulness . The Founding Fathers saw it as a symbol of wisdom and protection.

3

The Secret Service started with cash, not presidents

Image: Collin

When the Secret Service was created in 1865, it had nothing to do with protecting the president. Its original job was to fight counterfeit currency , which had become a huge problem during the Civil War. Back then, nearly one in three bills was fake! The agency did its job so well that it built the foundation for the secure money system we have today.

4

The $10,000 bill that once roamed the banks

Image: Artem Beliaikin

Yes, there really was a $10,000 bill, and it carried the face of Salmon P. Chase, who served as Lincoln’s Treasury Secretary . It was never meant for everyday use at the store, of course. Banks used it for large transfers between Federal Reserve branches. Although it’s been out of circulation for decades, collectors still love to get their hands on one.

5

Fighting fakes with science

Image: Alexander Grey

Counterfeiting has been a problem since the first coins were made, but modern bills are loaded with clever security tricks . Watermarks, color-shifting ink, and hidden security threads help stop fake money before it spreads. If you tilt a newer bill in the light, you’ll see colors shift and patterns appear. It’s not just decoration, it’s actually protection.

6

Paper money doesn’t live forever

Image: Emilio Takas

Every bill has a limited lifespan. A $1 bill lasts about five years before it wears out, while higher denominations tend to last longer since people handle them less often. When a bill becomes too soft or torn, the Federal Reserve removes it from circulation and replaces it with a new one. Check your wallet and see if any of your bills need changing!

7

Tiny text with a big job

Image: Pete Alexopoulos

If you look very closely at your bills, you might spot lines of tiny printed words around the portraits and borders. That’s called microprinting. It’s so small that it’s nearly impossible to copy accurately. Most people never notice it, but it’s one of the details that protects the money from being easily counterfeited.

8

The penny paradox

Image: Annie Spratt

It’s funny to think about, but a single penny costs more than one cent to make. The mix of copper and zinc isn’t cheap , and that’s been true for years. Some even say it’s time to retire the penny, while others can’t imagine America without it. Maybe it’s more than money. Maybe it’s nostalgia that keeps Lincoln’s little coin alive. What do you think?

9

When spare change becomes treasure

Image: Gio Bartlett

Sometimes a coin is worth far more than its face value. The 1913 Liberty Head nickel is one of the best examples. Only five of them exist, and one sold for over four million dollars! Collectors spend years searching for coins like that. It’s part history lesson, part treasure hunt. It may look like an ordinary coin, but it’s really priceless!

10

A woman’s face finally gets her due

Image: Kirt Morris

For most of our history, only men appeared on our currency. However, that’s changing. There are renewed efforts to redesign the twenty-dollar bill and feature Harriet Tubman in it, the fearless leader of the Underground Railroad. Even if it’s not official yet, it’s an important step toward showing the full story of America.

1

Hamburger

Image: Carles Rabada

Due to their popularity and widespread appeal, hamburgers are considered an unofficial national dish of the United States, and there’s good reason for this. It's hard to think of a more American dish than a hamburger, right?

Well, hamburgers may be a national treasure today, but their very name gives us a clue about their true origin: Germany’s Hamburg .

2

Hot dogs

Image: Peter Secan

Few things are as American as buying a hot dog from a street vendor and enjoying it in the sun, right? Well, not exactly. The more formal names of the humble hot dog—frankfurters and Vienna sausages—give us, once again, a hint about their German and Austrian true origin.

3

French fries

Image: Elizabeth Jamieson

While French fries have been a national staple for quite some time, their very name also gives away their foreign origin. There is an ongoing debate about whether these fries are actually French or Belgian , but in any case, these delicious bits of joy are not American.

4

Mustard

Image: Peter Werkman

Mustard, the first of many popular condiments cherished by Americans, was first consumed by the Egyptians in its original seed form and later by the Romans as the paste we most commonly use today.

5

Ketchup

Image: Dennis Klein

Another condiment that is at least as popular as mustard in America, if not more, ketchup originated as a Chinese fermented fish sauce called "kê-tsiap." Over time, the sauce evolved, leaving the fish behind and replacing it with tomatoes to become the ketchup we know today.

6

Pickles

Image: Mehmet Uzut

Another food highly appreciated on American soil is pickles. Whether on burgers, served as a side with sandwiches, chopped into relish for hot dogs, or enjoyed in many other ways, these vinegar-soaked cucumbers are a staple of our cuisine. But multiple records trace the origin of these treats as far as ancient Egypt , where even Cleopatra was rumored to love them.

7

Apple pie

Image: Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦

This may be shocking to some, but alas, it is true: the quintessentially American apple pie is not really American. The earliest known recipes for apple pie belong to the ancient Greeks . And Dutch bakers created the modern version of the pie in the 15th century.

8

Mac and cheese

Image: Hermes Rivera

Thomas Jefferson is often credited with inventing macaroni and cheese after bringing back a macaroni machine from a trip to Europe, but he was not the first to come up with the idea.

The original recipe for macaroni baked with cheese sauce first appeared in the 14th-century cookbook Liber de Coquina, which is believed to have been written by an Italian author.

9

Bacon

Image: Casey DeViese

Nobody "invented" bacon, right? It’s just a piece of meat. The origins can be traced back to the ancient world, where curing and preserving pork became a common practice. But, as it happens, most sources agree that the Celts were the first to prepare and cook it in the way we do today.

10

Meatloaf

Image: RitaE

A humble recipe, for sure, meatloaf was made in Medieval Europe from scraps of meat held together by fruits, nuts, and seasonings. It was created to stretch leftover beef or create a more substantial meal from less expensive cuts of meat.

11

Mayonnaise

Image: May_hokkaido

The third and final condiment on our list is another American staple, even though its French name might give us a pretty straightforward idea of its origin. But it's not that simple.

The French mayonnaise is likely derived from Spanish versions of aioli, which is a garlic mayonnaise.

12

Barbecue

Image: Andrik Langfield

Surely, something as American as a barbecue must be a local invention, right? Wrong, again. Known as "barbacoa" in the West Indies long before it became popular in America, barbecues have been around for a long time. Even the modern barbecue, with spice-rubbed meat slowly cooked over a fire and topped with sauce, originated in the Caribbean .

1

Diana Ross & Lionel Richie: "Endless Love"

Image: Ethan Smith

Did you know that this pop music classic was actually composed for a movie? Diana Ross and Lionel Richie recorded "Endless Love" for the Motown label, and it was used as the theme song for the 1981 film of the same name, starring Brooke Shields and Martin Hewitt.

Produced by Richie, the song was released as a single from the film’s soundtrack. Although the film was a flop, the song became the top hit single in the United States that year. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and remained there for nine consecutive weeks.

2

Sonny & Cher: "I Got You Babe"

Image: Joop van Bilsen / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

"I Got You Babe" is arguably the biggest hit by Sonny & Cher, one of the most iconic musical duos in history . Sonny Bono wrote it late one night in their basement for his wife, Cher.

Recorded in 1965, the song became a smash hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. "I Got You Babe" is a beautiful hymn to love and loyalty , and it has been covered by various artists over the years.

3

Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer: "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)"

Image: Gritte

Considered one of Donna Summer’s standout songs , "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" was recorded with Barbra Streisand in 1979. The song became so popular that several vocalists have recorded their own versions over the years.

Neither Donna nor Barbra ever performed the duet live together, but Streisand sang an excerpt during her Back to Brooklyn concert tour in 2012. At the time, she remarked that if Donna were still alive, she would have loved to perform it with her.

4

Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney: "Say Say Say"

Image: Pavel Danilyuk

The former Beatle had already collaborated with the King of Pop on "The Girl Is Mine," featured on Jackson’s Thriller album. The song was so successful that they teamed up again to record "Say Say Say," the lead single from McCartney’s fourth solo album , Pipes of Peace .

Jackson wrote most of the lyrics, and the legendary George Martin produced the track. It was released in 1983 , along with a music video in which the duo plays a pair of con men selling a miracle potion. The video also featured cameos by Linda McCartney and La Toya Jackson.

5

Aretha Franklin & George Michael: "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"

Image: melojordan94

Did you know this song wasn’t originally written as a duet? It was composed by Dennis Morgan and Simon Climie with Tina Turner in mind . Eventually, Aretha Franklin got the job, and the label later suggested a collaboration with George Michael.

Aretha and George released "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" in 1987. Both artists later stated that they had a great time recording the song and the music video that followed. And it shows, because the tune reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped charts around the world.

6

Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes: "(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life"

Image: Chris Duan

Performed by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, "(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life" was released in 1987 as part of the soundtrack for the movie Dirty Dancing . This pop ballad, with rock and soul influences, conveys a sense of celebration and joy, highlighting the importance of special moments that leave lasting memories.

The song was such a huge hit that it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won the Oscar for Best Original Song , the Golden Globe for Best Original Song, and the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

7

Nancy & Frank Sinatra: "Somethin’ Stupid"

Image: Elviss Railijs Bitāns

The original version of this song was recorded in 1966 by C. Carson Parks and his wife, Gaile Foote, but it only became widely known in 1967 when Nancy Sinatra performed it with her father, Frank.

It may seem a little unusual for a father and daughter to sing a romantic duet, but their version of "Somethin’ Stupid" became a massive international hit . Although the song was revived in 2001 by another duo—British singer Robbie Williams and Australian actress Nicole Kidman—Nancy and Frank’s rendition remains the most iconic.

8

Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton: "Islands In The Stream"

Image: 42 North

When the anti-disco backlash nearly ended their reign, the Bee Gees shifted their focus to writing hits for other artists. Originally, "Islands in the Stream" was intended as a soul song for Diana Ross or Marvin Gaye. However, it ended up becoming the quintessential country-pop duet—and one of the biggest hits of Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton’s careers.

The song is named after Ernest Hemingway’s posthumous novel, but its lyrics speak to the joy of finding that one person you’ve been searching for your whole life. Pretty romantic, don’t you think?

9

Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder: "Ebony And Ivory"

Image: Osman Rana

Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder released "Ebony and Ivory" in 1982, and it was an instant hit. Written by McCartney, the song addresses racial integration , using the black and white keys of a piano—working together to create harmony—as a metaphor.

Fun fact: McCartney and Wonder filmed their parts of the music video separately due to scheduling conflicts, but the final result was seamless nonetheless.

10

Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes: "Up Where We Belong"

Image: Paul Seling

This powerful and emotional ballad, performed by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes, was released in 1982. The song was created for the soundtrack of the movie An Officer and a Gentleman and captures the essence of overcoming challenges and transcending through love.

"Up Where We Belong" won several major awards, including the Academy Award for Best Original Song, the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song . The combination of Cocker’s and Warnes’ passionate vocal performances and the rich instrumentation has made this song an enduring classic.

11

Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"

Image: AndNowProjekt

There’s nothing like the charismatic and luscious voices of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell to convince us of love’s healing power. "Ain’t No Mountain High Enough" was released as a single in 1967 and became a huge hit.

This romantic anthem is just one of the iconic collaborations by the duo that helped define the Motown era, thanks to their vocal harmonies and onstage chemistry . Their list of great soul duets also includes "Your Precious Love," "Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing," and "You’re All I Need to Get By," among others.

12

John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John: "You’re The One That I Want"

Image: Mesh

Anyone who has seen the movie Grease is probably a fan of this iconic tune. Immortalized on screen in 1978 by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, the song transcended the boundaries of cinema, topped charts worldwide, reached number one in several countries, and became one of the best-selling singles of all time .