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Lotteries
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Lotteries are not a modern, or American, invention. Scholars disagree on the origin of lotteries, but forms of lotteries date back to the time of Caesar, before Christ. There are references to lotteries in the bible. From 100 B.C. through the 17th century, China and European countries used lotteries to finance defense (like the Great Wall in China); fund armies; build chapels, almshouses, canals and port facilities; and to replenish royal treasuries.
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Lotteries held a prominent place in the early history of America, including an important role in financing the establishment of the first English colonies. The first such lottery, in 1612, raised 29,000 pounds for the Virginia Company. Lotteries were frequently used in colonial-era America to finance public works projects such as paving streets, constructing wharves, even building churches. In the 18th century, lotteries were used to finance construction of buildings at Harvard and Yale. George Washington sponsored a lottery in 1768 to build a road across the Blue Ridge Mountains, but it was unsuccessful.
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Lotteries in colonial America played a significant part in the financing of both private and public ventures. It has been recorded that more than two hundred lotteries were sanctioned between 1744 and 1776 where they played a major role in financing projects that included roads, libraries, churches, colleges, canals, bridges, etc. In the 1740's, Princeton and Columbia University had their beginnings financed by lotteries, as did the University of Pennsylvania by the Academy Lottery in 1755.
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Lotteries arebeyond doubt the oldest games in the world. The first lottery dated fromabout 200 B. C. In Europe it was held as entertainment during dinners and various favors were prizes. But the first lottery with money prizes took placein 1530 in Florence, one of the richest and most beautiful cities ofItaly. That lottery was organized in such a way that all the ticket holders were sure to receive some special prizes. Butthe Netherlandswas the first country to levy taxes on lotteries prizes. By the way the made money was used as donations to the poor, bridge building, and so on. In the Dutch language the meaning of the word 'lottery' is derivative from destiny.
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Lotteries have come to be seen as "implicit taxes" by researchers.18 That means that they are not, of course, taxes because no one is obligated to pay them. But lotteries are similar to taxes because they raise money for public purposes. Some critics would argue that lotteries are not wholly voluntary because of the coercive nature of the advertising and the fact that people buy them on impulse.19 The counter argument is that it is in fact a voluntary purchase. Even if purchased on impulse, so are candy bars and lottery tickets do not cost much more.
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At the beginning of the twentieth century, most forms of gambling, including lotteries and sweepstakes, were illegal in many countries, including the U.S.A. and most of Europe. This remained so until after World War II. In the 1960's casinos and lotteries began to appear throughout the world as a means to raise revenue in addition to taxes.
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Lotteries