Fortune's Merry Wheel : the Lottery in America

Few people realize that legalized lottery had a prosperous career in the United States from colonial times throughout the 19th century. In 1892, for instance, the Louisiana Lottery could afford to offer $1,250,000 for its annual franchise. The lottery was the cradle of the brokerage system and of some of the big private banks; it impinged upon almost every phase of American life, economic, moral, and cultural. No other book has dealt conclusively with this development. John Ezell’s documentation, fascinating in its scope and detail, vividly portrays an institution which, although legally dead, is still a subject of practical political proposals today. Preface Contents Tables Illustrations Chapter I. The Background of the Lottery Chapter II. The Lottery Grosses to America Chapter III. Authorized Lotteries in Colonial America Chapter IV. War and Confederation Days Chapter V. A Period of Transmutation, 1790-1860 Chapter VI. The Lottery as an Aid to Government, 1790-1860 Chapter VII. Internal Improvements, 1790-1860 Chapter VIII. Churches and Schools, 1790-1860 Chapter IX. Private and Semi-Private Lotteries, 1790-1860 Chapter X. The Shift in Public Opinion, 1790-1830 Chapter XI. The Fight for Abolition, 1830-1860 Chapter XII. The Civil War and the Postwar Revival Chapter XIII. The Louisiana Lottery Chapter XIV. Conclusions and Present Trends Bibliographical. Essay. Notes. Index Bibliographical Essay Notes Index for first calHng the role of the lottery in American history to my attention. Among the friends and colleagues who have given their encouragement and assistance in preparing this work, he deserves the greatest share of my appreciation. I would also like to thank specifically Ted R.