The History of Money

Different forms of money through history

Read about how money changed from traded goods to coins, paper, cards, and phones.

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Words to Know　読む前に知っておきたい言葉

You may want to read these words before you begin.

WordEnglish explanation日本語
metala hard material such as gold, silver, or iron金属
papera thin material used for writing, printing, and making money紙
clothesthings people wear, such as shirts, trousers, and dresses衣服
easierless difficultより簡単な
pieceone part or amount of something一片、一個
someonea person whose name is not known or stated誰か
specialdifferent from what is usual or ordinary特別な
worthhaving a particular value価値がある
cardssmall plastic objects used to pay for thingsカード
carryto hold something and take it from one place to another運ぶ、持ち歩く

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Today, we use money to buy things we need and want. But money was not always like it is now. The story of money is very interesting.

Long ago, people did not use money at all. If someone wanted something, they had to give something else to get it. For example, a person with food could give food to someone with clothes. Then they would both get what they needed. This way worked, but it had problems. What if the person with clothes did not want that kind of food? What if you could not find the right person?

People needed a better way. They started to use special things that everyone wanted. In some places, people used shells from the sea. In other places, they used other special things. These things became a kind of early money. If you had these things, you could get anything you needed.

Then people started to use metal as money. Metal was good because it was strong and did not break easily. It also lasted a long time. At first, people used pieces of this metal. Later, they made the metal into small round pieces. Each piece had the same size. This made getting things much easier. People knew exactly how much each piece was worth.

Later, people started to use paper. At first, people did not believe this could work. They asked, “How can this be worth anything?” But paper was easier to carry than heavy metal money. Places that kept money started to give people this paper. It said they could get metal money if they wanted it. Slowly, people started to use it.

Today, much of our money is not anything you can hold. We use cards and phones to pay for things. The numbers are just information in computers. Money has changed many times, but its purpose stays the same. It helps people get what they need.

Take a moment to think about what you read.

Optional: Check your understanding

You can answer these five quick questions, or skip them and choose another story.

1. What did people do before they used money?

  1. They gave one thing to get another.
  2. They used cards and phones.
  3. They wrote prices on paper.
  4. They made metal coins.

2. What did some people use as early money?

  1. Phones
  2. Shells from the sea
  3. Books
  4. Clothes

3. Why was metal good for money?

  1. It was easy to eat.
  2. It was light like paper.
  3. It was strong and lasted a long time.
  4. Everyone could make it at home.

4. Why did paper money become useful?

  1. It was easier to carry than heavy metal money.
  2. It could be used as food.
  3. It never changed in value.
  4. It was stronger than metal.

5. What is the main idea of the reading?

  1. Metal is the best kind of money.
  2. People should stop using cards.
  3. Money has changed, but it still helps people get what they need.
  4. Early money was easier to use than modern money.
Show answers
  1. A — They gave one thing to get another.
  2. B — Shells from the sea
  3. C — It was strong and lasted a long time.
  4. A — It was easier to carry than heavy metal money.
  5. C — Money has changed, but it still helps people get what they need.

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