Greenbacks

Greenbacks, the name given to a class of inconvertible bank notes issued by the United States Government during the Civil War. They received their name from the colour printed on the backs. The term came to be used generally of the paper currency of the United States. Specie payments were resumed in 1879. The "Greenback" or "Independent Party" was formed in 1874 with the object of confining the currency to Greenbacks, for the farmers attributed their prosperity during the war to the frequent issues of these notes, It is now (1893) represented by the "People's Party."