armored cars - Armored cars are huge cars or trucks that are used for transporting valuable things such as money. The cars have a strong metal outside which protects the driver and valuables.

annealing furnace - An annealing furnace is a machine that produces heat that is used in the making of coins. 

Articles of Confederation of 1781 - The Articles of Confederation of 1781 were an early set of laws for the 13 colonies. It had a congress, which was the only central government.  Each of the colonies had their own set of laws.

brittle - Something that is easily broken, cracked or snapped is brittle.

capital - A capital city is where a country or state's government offices are located.

Capitol - The United States Capitol is the building in Washington, D.C. where Congress meets to make our nation's laws.

charter - A charter is a written document or contract that guarantees the rights or privileges of a group of people from the power of a state or country.

Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee - There are seven members on this committee. They give advice about coins to the Congress. This committee must approve the designs for the new state quarters.

Civil War - A civil war is a war between people who live in the same nation. The U.S. Civil War was between the people who lived in the southern states and the northern states. The Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865.

Coinage Act of 1965 - Congress passed The Coinage Act of 1965. It was a law that eliminated silver from the quarter because of a shortage of silver. Since then, the quarter has consisted of a layer of copper between layers of a copper-nickel mixture.

colony - A colony is a group of people living in a new territory but are controlled by the government of another country. Colonists are the members of a colony.

commerce - Commerce is the buying and selling of goods, especially on a large scale and between different places.

Commission of Fine Arts - The Commission of Fine Arts is a committee who advises the U.S. President and Congress on art when it involves the federal government. This committee must approve the designs for the new state quarters.

Confederate - In 1861 there was a group of states that seceded from (or left) the United States. They were known as the Confederate States of America. After the Civil War, these states were reunited with the United States.

Congress - The Congress is the group of people who make the laws of a nation.  The United States Congress is made up of two smaller groups called the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Declaration of Independence - The Declaration of Independence is a document that the American colonists wrote and signed to prove to the King of England that all 13 colonies agreed that they should have the right to be free. It consists of a preamble, or introduction, followed by three main parts.

data - Data is information collected that is used for reasoning, discussion, or calculation.

die - A die is a hard piece of metal engraved with the coin's design and used for stamping coins.

District of Columbia - The District of Columbia is our capital city where our nation's government buildings are located (the Whitehouse, the Capitol, the Supreme Court, and other government offices).

dolly - A dolly is a machine with wheels that looks like a fork lift. It carries materials to its destination. It can raise or lower heavy materials onto something.