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The History of Gaming
Many may think of gaming as a fairly new form of entertainment, but it clearly dates back to ancient times. Dice were found in Egyptian tombs. Early Chinese, Japanese, Greeks, and Romans enjoyed games of chance and skill as well. In the Americas, games developed by indigenous tribes reflected beliefs about the ways their gods determined fate and chance. In 1643 one explorer wrote about seeing games of chance enjoyed by the Narragansett Indians in what is now Rhode Island. Europeans brought a long history of gambling with them that also influenced culture in the New World. In the 17th century, British colonization of America was financed through lottery proceeds. Seen as a popular form of voluntary taxation in England, lotteries were well received in America, too. Ben Franklin, John Hancock, and George Washington sponsored lotteries to raise funds for projects in the original 13 colonies. One lottery was even authorized to help finance the American Revolution.
Sources: Mike Roberts, "The National Gambling Debate: Two Defining Issues," Whittier Law Review, vol. 8, no. 3, 1997; Scarne's New Complete Guide to Gambling; Encarta Online Encyclopedia
Many may think of gaming as a fairly new form of entertainment, but it clearly dates back to ancient times. Dice were found in Egyptian tombs. Early Chinese, Japanese, Greeks, and Romans enjoyed games of chance and skill as well. In the Americas, games developed by indigenous tribes reflected beliefs about the ways their gods determined fate and chance. In 1643 one explorer wrote about seeing games of chance enjoyed by the Narragansett Indians in what is now Rhode Island. Europeans brought a long history of gambling with them that also influenced culture in the New World. In the 17th century, British colonization of America was financed through lottery proceeds. Seen as a popular form of voluntary taxation in England, lotteries were well received in America, too. Ben Franklin, John Hancock, and George Washington sponsored lotteries to raise funds for projects in the original 13 colonies. One lottery was even authorized to help finance the American Revolution.
Sources: Mike Roberts, "The National Gambling Debate: Two Defining Issues," Whittier Law Review, vol. 8, no. 3, 1997; Scarne's New Complete Guide to Gambling; Encarta Online Encyclopedia
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