Banknote motif: Portrait on George Washington in a decorative panel

Cyrus Durand was born in 1787, in Essex County, New Jersey. His grandfather moved from France to Connecticut in 1750. When he was seventeen, Cyrus began to make silver spoons by casting the silver in ingots and forging them. He also started to make tools for clock manufacturing. In 1808 when Durand married and British embargo was laid on all trade, John Taylor, a president of one of the Newark banks, advised him to make a turning-lathe for jewelry. In 1814 Durand moved to Newark and was engaged in silversmithing. Local factories were booming so Durand started to build machines for spinning and carding. He made a machine for ruling straight and wave lines for bank notes. The next year he made two other machines: one for making water marks, and the other for plain ovals that may be regarded as the beginning of a series of his geometrical lathes mahines. In 1823 Cyrus moved to New York and entered into a partnership with C. C. Wright, in a bank-note engraving. In 1824 Cyrus invented the geometrical lathe, by which was able to cut circles and ovals. In 1846 he invented the routing machine for cutting figures on type-metal rollers for oil-cloth printing. Durand has been occupied in bank-note engraving, and in improving the geometrical lathe. He has produced several machines that were capable of producing a great variety of figures.

The main purpose of government, its rules, and laws including the concept of consequences for one’s actions when a law or rule is violated. Patriotic traditions including the recitation of The Pledge of Allegiance, the singing of My Country ‘Tis of Thee, and demonstration of appropriate flag etiquette and proper behavior during the playing of the national anthem. Important American symbols and their meanings including United States Flag, the Bald Eagle, the Statue of Liberty, and the Liberty Bell. Historic figures display character traits of fairness, respect for others, stewardship of natural resources, courage, equality, hard work, self-discipline, and commitment to the common good. Relationships between people and events of the past which are commemorated on Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Lincoln’s Birthday, Flag Day, and Independence Day.

Students summarize the five key individual rights and liberties protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Students identify the basic roles of national leaders including the President of the United States and the members of the United States Congress. Students identify important American symbols and explain their meanings including United States Flag, the Bald Eagle, the Statue of Liberty, Lady Justice, and the Liberty Bell. Students participate in patriotic traditions including the recitation of The Pledge of Allegiance and singing of The Star Spangled Banner, and demonstrate proper flag etiquette and appropriate behavior during both. Students describe relationships between people and events of the past which are commemorated on Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Lincoln’s Birthday, Flag Day, and Independence Day.

In the first grade, students understand chronological sequencing of events by creating basic timelines. Students participate in shared research using biographies and informational text the contributions of historic figures in American history including Squanto, the Pilgrims, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere, Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, Sacagawea, Daniel Boone, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington Carver. Students identify the significance of historic places and monuments and describe their connection to real events of the past including the Plimoth Plantation, Mount Vernon, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial. Students commemorate the contributions to the American nation of significant groups including National Hispanic History Month, Native American Heritage Month, and Black History Month.