January 11

Events - Economy & Industry

1569day.year

First recorded lottery in England.

The first state lottery in England was authorized in 1569 to raise funds for public projects.
Under Queen Elizabeth I, the Crown issued a proclamation establishing a national lottery. Tickets were sold publicly, marking the first recorded lottery event in England. Proceeds from the lottery were intended to finance military defenses and aid the poor. This innovation introduced government-sanctioned gambling as a revenue source. Lotteries would evolve into an enduring financial tool in England and beyond.
1569 lottery England
1759day.year

The first American life insurance company, the Corporation for Relief of Poor and Distressed Presbyterian Ministers and of the Poor and Distressed Widows and Children of the Presbyterian Ministers (now part of Unum Group), is incorporated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In 1759, Philadelphia saw the incorporation of America's first life insurance company to aid Presbyterian ministers and their families.
The Corporation for Relief of Poor and Distressed Presbyterian Ministers was chartered in Pennsylvania. It became America's first life insurance company, providing financial security for clergy widows and orphans. The organization established policies, premiums, and benefit structures unprecedented in the colonies. Over time, the company evolved and merged into what is now the Unum Group. Its founding marked the birth of the U.S. life insurance industry.
1759 life insurance Unum Group Philadelphia, Pennsylvania