History & Area Studies / Thematic History / Economic History & Industrialization

How a 19th Century Land Lottery Created America's Wealth Gap

In 1832, the state of Georgia held a massive lottery, giving away millions of acres of land that had been taken from the Cherokee Nation. But who really won? This video dives into groundbreaking economic research that tracks the winners and losers of this lottery for generations. We'll uncover the shocking truth about how a single random event—winning a plot of land—created a massive and lasting wealth gap that still echoes in American society today. Discover the hidden forces that shape inequality and see how the past continues to influence the present.