Historically, credit unions were preceded by widespread development of credit cooperation in many countries of Europe and America. The first credit union in the United States was founded in 1909. by the group of Franco-American Catholics in Manchester, New Hampshire, and was called "Cooperative Credit Association of St. Mary. " The uniqueness of credit unions is that they put together the principles and benefits of financial cooperatives, consumer cooperatives and mutual aid funds, born once by trade unions. Typically new members of the credit union become citizens having suretyship or recommendations from their friends - members of the credit union. At the organization of the credit union it is important that people know each other and know the extent to which each of them is trustworthy. Credit unions, like today's credit unions, emerged in the 19th century in Germany as a result of crop failure and famine.