3. Lincoln penny-Government The Lincoln penny was designed in 1908, the year before the centennial of Lincoln's birth, and it replaced the "Indian Head" penny. For this assignment, look at the "first" Lincoln penny (1909-2009) as a reflection of American culture as it was in 1908. • Consider all the inscriptions and images on the coin. • What can you infer from them? • Why do you think they were selected? • What messages does the coin convey about or to the society that produced it?

Fig: 1