Context The Mansion of Happiness

the checkered game of life (1860) rewards mundane ventures , secular virtues such ambition.

with industrialization , urbanization of united states in 19th century, american middle class experienced increase in leisure time. home gradually lost traditional role center of economic production , became locus of leisure activities , education under supervision of mothers. result, demand increased children s board games emphasizing literacy , christian principles, morals, , values. advances in papermaking , printing technology during era made publication of inexpensive board games possible, , technological invention of chromolithography made colorful board games welcome addition parlor tabletop.

one of earliest children s board games published in america mansion of happiness (1843), progenitor of american board games . other children s games followed in wake, mansion of happiness based on puritan world view christian virtue , deeds assurances of happiness , success in life. game mechanics influenced puritan view. spinner or top-like teetotum, instance, utilized in children s board games rather dice, associated satan , gambling. while puritan view forbade game playing on sabbath, mansion of happiness , similar games high moral content have been permitted children in more liberal households.

in 1860, milton bradley developed radically different concept of success in checkered game of life, first american board game rewarding players worldly ventures such attending college, being elected congress, , getting rich. virtue became means end rather end in itself. daily life focus of game secular virtues such thrift, ambition, , neatness receiving more emphasis religious virtues. indeed, suggestion of religion in bradley s game marriage altar. checkered game of life wildly popular, selling 40,000 copies in first year.

unlike mansion of happiness, game of district messenger boy (1886) focuses on daily life rather eternal life.

protestant america gradually began viewing accumulation of material goods , cultivation of wealth signs of god s blessing, and, decade of economic expansion , optimism in 1880s, wealth became defining characteristic of american success. protestant values shifted virtuous christian living values based on materialism , competitive, capitalist behavior. being christian , successful capitalist not incompatible. dice lost taint during period, , replaced teetotums in games.

in twist on mansion of happiness, mcloughlin brothers , parker brothers released several games in late 1880s based on then-popular algeresque rags riches theme. games such game of district messenger boy, or merit rewarded, messenger boy, game of telegraph boy, , office boy allowed players emulate successful capitalist. players began these games company underlings, newbies, or gofers, and, luck, won game seat in president s office (rather seat in heaven, in mansion of happiness) or head of firm. in parker brothers office boy, spaces designating carelessness, inattentiveness, , dishonesty sent player on track while spaces designating capability, earnestness, , honesty advanced him toward goal. such games reflected belief enterprising american – regardless of background, humble or privileged – rewarded under american capitalist system, , insinuated success equated increased social status via accumulation of wealth.

wealth , goods became game rewards during last decades of 19th century winner of mcloughlin brothers game of playing department store, instance, being player spent money accumulating goods in department store. bulls , bears: great wall st. game promised players feel speculators, bankers, , brokers , , 1885 catalog advertisement mcloughlin brothers monopolist informed interested, on board great struggle between capital , labor can fought out satisfaction of parties, and, if players successful, can break monopolist , become monopolists .