CONTINENTALS Meaning and
Definition
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Continentals is a term often used to refer to the paper currency issued by the Continental Congress during the American Revolutionary War. In the late 18th century, as the American colonies sought independence from British rule, the Continental Congress began to issue their own currency as a means to finance the war effort.
The continentals were printed in various denominations, ranging from one dollar to one thousand dollars. However, these paper notes soon faced significant inflation due to overprinting and lack of proper backing. As a result, their value rapidly depreciated, and by the end of the war, continentals had become nearly worthless.
The rapid devaluation of continentals led to the phrase "not worth a continental," which became a common expression to describe something of little or no value. The excessive issuance of continentals and subsequent hyperinflation also contributed to the economic hardships experienced by many Americans during the war.
Today, the term continentals is primarily used in historical contexts, particularly when discussing the economic and financial aspects of the American Revolutionary War. It serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by the nascent United States in establishing a stable currency system and the significant economic repercussions of hyperinflation.
Common Misspellings for CONTINENTALS
- xontinentals
- vontinentals
- fontinentals
- dontinentals
- cintinentals
- ckntinentals
- clntinentals
- cpntinentals
- c0ntinentals
- c9ntinentals
- cobtinentals
- comtinentals
- cojtinentals
- cohtinentals
- conrinentals
- confinentals
- conginentals
- conyinentals
- con6inentals
- con5inentals
- Contenantals
- Contenintals
- Contineantals
- Contenentials
- Contonentials
Etymology of CONTINENTALS
The word "continentals" has its roots in the Latin term "continens", which means "holding together" or "continuous". This Latin word is derived from the verb "contineo", meaning "to hold together" or "to contain".
The term "continentals" was mainly used in the context of the American Revolutionary War. It referred to the soldiers who fought on the side of the Continental Army, which was formed by the thirteen British colonies in North America to fight against the British forces. The name "Continental Army" was chosen because the soldiers pledged their alliance to the American colonies as a united entity, representing the continuous connection and shared purpose among the colonies in their struggle for independence.
Over time, the term "continentals" expanded to refer to the currency issued by the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War, known as "Continental currency" or "continentals".
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