History of the Board Game - Morals vs. Capitalism | US History | Extra History

Summary

This script explores the evolution of board games, highlighting the 1883 card game 'Banking' created by George B. Parker, which marked a shift from moral instruction to entertainment. It delves into the history of games like 'The Mansion of Happiness' and 'Snakes and Ladders,' revealing their Victorian moral underpinnings. The narrative follows Parker Brothers' rise, influenced by capitalism and role-playing, leading to iconic games like 'Monopoly' and the adaptation of British games, showcasing the transformation of board games into vehicles for fun rather than moral teaching.

Takeaways

• 🎲 The script discusses a group of teenagers in 1883 playing a card game called 'Banking,' which simulates market speculation and investing, contrasting with the moral and instructional games of their time.
• 👦 George B. Parker, a 16-year-old player, created the game 'Banking,' marking a shift in game design philosophy towards entertainment rather than moral instruction.
• 🏛 The Mansion of Happiness was a popular early Victorian board game that focused on moral values and instruction, with players moving through virtues and vices to reach a 'Heavenly Vista.'
• 📚 Board games in the 19th century were tools for moral and ethical instruction, reflecting the growing recognition of childhood as a distinct period for shaping individuals.
• 👧 Toys and games of the era reinforced gender roles and societal expectations, with different types of toys for boys and girls preparing them for their future roles.
• 👩‍💼 Anne Abbott, a minister's daughter, became America's first notable game designer with her successful game 'Dr. Busby and his Neighbors,' selling 15,000 copies in its first 18 months.
• 🤹‍♂️ Milton Bradley, a Massachusetts game publisher, introduced the first mass-produced portable game case for Union Army troops during the Civil War, including secular versions of moral instruction games.
• 💼 George Parker, dissatisfied with the moralistic nature of games, sought to create games that were purely for fun and replayability, leading to the creation of 'Banking' and the establishment of Parker Brothers.
• 📈 Banking introduced a new style of gameplay with players taking on roles as stock traders, incorporating elements of role-playing and capitalism into the game.
• 🚀 Parker Brothers grew to become a major player in the game industry, with George Parker publishing games with contemporary themes and eventually acquiring the rights to 'Monopoly,' though he did not create it.
• 🌐 World Anvil is highlighted as a software solution for creative world-building, offering tools for tabletop gamers, novelists, and narrative designers to organize and manage their ideas.

Q & A

What year was the game 'Banking' played by the group of teenagers?

The game 'Banking' was played by the group of teenagers in 1883.

What is the main theme of the game 'Banking'?

The main theme of the game 'Banking' is market speculation and investing, with players making leveraged bets using cards.

How does the game 'Banking' differ from the games played before its time?

The game 'Banking' differs from previous games in that it is about capitalism and does not focus on moral values or instruction.

Who created the game 'Banking'?

The game 'Banking' was created by George B. Parker, a 16-year-old player at the time.

What was the purpose of games like 'The Mansion of Happiness' and 'Snakes and Ladders' during the Victorian era?

Games like 'The Mansion of Happiness' and 'Snakes and Ladders' were used for moral instruction, teaching players about virtues and vices through gameplay.

What was the original win state in the game 'The Mansion of Happiness'?

In the original version of 'The Mansion of Happiness', the win state was reaching a heavenly vista of gardens and a great mansion, symbolizing a good life and reaching heaven.

How did George B. Parker's philosophy of play differ from the prevailing view of the time?

George B. Parker believed that games should be primarily for entertainment and fun, rather than for moral instruction, and he wanted games to be endlessly replayable with different strategies.

What was the significance of the spinner in 'The Mansion of Happiness'?

The spinner in 'The Mansion of Happiness' was used instead of dice to avoid the association with gambling, which was considered dangerous and inappropriate for children.

Who was America's first great game designer mentioned in the script?

Anne Abbott, a minister's daughter from Salem, Massachusetts, is mentioned as America's first great game designer.

What game did Milton Bradley create to entertain Union Army troops during the Civil War?

Milton Bradley created a mass-produced, portable game case containing chess, checkers, backgammon, dominoes, and his own version of 'The Mansion of Happiness' called 'The Checkered Game of Life'.

What was the name of the game company that George B. Parker founded?

George B. Parker founded the game company Parker Brothers.

What was the name of the game that Parker Brothers acquired rights to, which became a smash hit?

Parker Brothers acquired the rights to the game 'Monopoly', which became a smash hit.

Outlines

00:00

🃏 Invention of 'Banking': A Game of Market Speculation

The script introduces a group of 1883 teenagers playing a new card game called 'Banking', created by George B. Parker. This game simulates market speculation and investing, with players borrowing money and making leveraged bets. Unlike traditional games of the era that focused on moral values and instruction, 'Banking' is centered on capitalism, marking a significant shift in gaming philosophy. The game's unique aspect is its divergence in tone and subject matter from games like 'Old Maid' and 'The Mansion of Happiness', which were more about moral instruction. George B. Parker's innovation in game design is highlighted, emphasizing the transition from moral to capitalist themes in board games.

05:00

🎲 Evolution of Board Games and the Birth of Parker Brothers

This paragraph delves into the history of board games, tracing their roots back to the Middle Ages and beyond. It discusses the evolution of modern board games with themes and narratives, mentioning 'The Mansion of Happiness' as an early example from the 1500s. The paragraph highlights the moral and instructional nature of Victorian-era games, contrasting them with the entertainment-focused philosophy of George B. Parker. Parker's vision of games as primarily fun and replayable is emphasized, along with his successful endeavor to publish 'Banking' himself after being rejected by publishers. The narrative then follows Parker's journey to establish Parker Brothers, a company that revolutionized the game industry with its focus on contemporary themes and capitalism, rather than moral instruction.

10:00

📚 World Anvil: A Creative Tool for World Building and Game Design

The final paragraph shifts focus to World Anvil, a software solution for tabletop gamers, novelists, and narrative designers. It outlines the features of World Anvil, such as a world-building suite, RPG campaign manager, and novel writing and publishing software. The script emphasizes the ease of use and the comprehensive toolset provided by World Anvil for organizing and creating ideas. The paragraph also mentions a promotional offer for Extra Credits viewers, encouraging them to try World Anvil with a discount on premium memberships. The script concludes with acknowledgments to patrons who support the creation of content.

Keywords

💡Banking

Banking is a card game created by George B. Parker in 1883 that simulates market speculation and investing. It is central to the video's theme as it represents a significant shift in game design, moving away from moral instruction towards entertainment and capitalism. In the game, players borrow money and make leveraged bets with cards, determining their financial fate through the game's mechanics.

💡Leverage

Leverage in the context of the game 'Banking' refers to using borrowed money to make bets with the potential for higher returns or losses. It is a financial term that relates to the video's theme by illustrating the risk and reward aspects of market speculation, which is a key element of the game and a reflection of real-world capitalism.

💡Moral instruction

Moral instruction is a concept that was prevalent in 19th-century board games, where games were designed to teach players about virtues and vices. The video contrasts this with the game 'Banking,' which is about capitalism rather than moral values. An example from the script is 'The Mansion of Happiness,' a game where players advance or are punished based on moral choices.

💡Capitalism

Capitalism is an economic system based on private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. The video discusses how George B. Parker's game 'Banking' was a departure from moral instruction games to ones focused on capitalism, reflecting a societal shift and the desire for games that were entertaining rather than didactic.

💡George B. Parker

George B. Parker was a 16-year-old player who created the game 'Banking,' which is highlighted in the video as a pivotal moment in game history. He is an example of innovation in game design, moving away from moral instruction to create games that were purely for entertainment and that embodied the spirit of capitalism.

💡The Mansion of Happiness

The Mansion of Happiness is an early board game from the Victorian era that was focused on moral instruction. It is mentioned in the video as an example of the type of game that George B. Parker sought to move away from with his creation of 'Banking.' The game's mechanics revolved around landing on virtues or vices to advance or be punished.

💡Role-playing

Role-playing in the context of the video refers to the players in 'Banking' taking on the personas of stock traders, which added an imaginative and interactive element to the game. This was a departure from previous games where players were not expected to embody characters, making 'Banking' more engaging and part of a new era of game design.

💡Parker Brothers

Parker Brothers is the company formed by George B. Parker and his brothers to publish and distribute games. The video discusses how the company started with George Parker's innovative game 'Banking' and grew to become a major player in the game industry, publishing many popular games over the years.

💡Monopoly

Monopoly is a widely popular board game that is mentioned in the video as a game that Parker Brothers acquired the rights to, but did not create. It is an example of how the company adapted and expanded its portfolio to include games that were not originally designed by George B. Parker, further solidifying its place in the game industry.

💡World Anvil

World Anvil is a software solution for creative world-building, mentioned in the video as a sponsor. It is used for tabletop gaming, novel writing, and other creative pursuits, providing tools to help creators organize and develop their ideas, which is related to the video's theme of innovation and creativity in game design.

Highlights

A group of teenagers in 1883 played a card game called 'Banking', which simulated market speculation and investing.

The game 'Banking' was created by 16-year-old George B. Parker, who changed the concept of gaming by introducing capitalism as a theme.

Traditional games of the era focused on moral values and instruction, unlike 'Banking', which was about capitalism and player choices.

The Mansion of Happiness, a game from the early Victorian era, used a spinner for movement and had moral themes influencing the game's outcome.

Snakes and Ladders originally had a moral component, with ladders representing virtues and snakes representing vices.

George B. Parker believed games should be fun and not solely for moral instruction, leading to the creation of 'Banking'.

In the 19th century, childhood was recognized as a distinct period for ethical and intellectual development, influencing game design.

Anne Abbott, a resident of Salem, Massachusetts, became America's first great game designer with her game 'Dr. Busby and his Neighbors'.

Milton Bradley, a Massachusetts game publisher, provided Union Army troops with games during the Civil War for leisure.

George Parker's game 'Banking' introduced role-playing as a stock trader, adding a new dimension to gameplay.

Parker Brothers was founded by George Parker and his brothers Charles and Edward, focusing on entertainment over moral instruction in games.

The company Parker Brothers published games with themes from investing to famous people and Charles Dickens.

Parker Brothers acquired the rights to 'Monopoly', a game that George Parker did not create, contrary to popular belief.

World Anvil is a software solution for creative world-building, offering tools for tabletop gamers, novelists, and narrative designers.

Extra Credits, the channel producing the content, offers a discount for World Anvil's premium memberships to their viewers.

Transcripts

the group of teenagers sits around the

table trying out a new game and like any

first play session it's a bit of a

fumble through there are laughs rules

clarifications shouting and excitement

overall a very similar experience to

many of us I'm sure except for one thing

this group is playing in 1883 the game

is called banking a card game that

simulates Market speculation and

investing each player borrows money from

the bank making leveraged Bets with the

cards then deciding their fate now the

play style here is also new and

different actually wildly Divergent in

tone and subject matter from games

they've played before like Old Maid the

Mansion of happiness or Pope and Pagan

because those games are about moral

values and instruction whereas this is

about naked capitalism it's honestly

like nothing they've ever played and

there's a good reason for that for this

is not a game that they bought rather

it's one created by one of the

16-year-old players at the table George

B Parker a man who has literally just

changed the game

[Music]

thanks so much to World Anvil for also

changing the game with their awesome

tools for Creative people games are old

like really really really old card games

date back to the Middle Ages at least

and board games like chess and back

gamon are truly ancient that's not even

mentioning the royal game of ER in fact

archaeologists have discovered would

appear to be game components in Turkey

dating back 3,000 years then other games

like word word games guessing games and

drawing games probably date back earlier

than that heck we even have a list of

games that Buddha supposedly would not

play as they were distractions from his

meditation but what we consider the

modern board game one with theming or a

story where we move pieces around a

board using a number generator like dice

that is a significantly newer invention

one of the oldest that we know of is a

game that's gone by many names but it's

most popularly called The Mansion of

Happiness there's some evidence that

goes back to Italy in the 1500s and it

was probably first published in Britain

around 1800 but it was really in the

early Victorian era that its popularity

exploded and it's a game you're probably

pretty familiar with okay imagine this

think of a board spiraling inward where

the players move via a spinner if they

hit a vice like say drunkenness they're

punished by going to the whipping post

but if they land on a virtue like

perseverance they advance to win they

need to get to the center of the board

where a Heavenly Vista of Gardens and a

great Mansion await for they have lived

a good life and reached heaven give up

on what we're talking about that my

friends is The Game of Life yep pretty

much the exact one you played as a kid

only with Victorian protestantism as its

basis how about another one the classic

Snakes and Ladders it's always been

played the same way but in the original

ladders were virtues while these snakes

were vices and there were no choices in

these games players Fates were

controlled by the will of God

represented by number generators like

dice because Victorian AR games were

less about fun and more about moral

instruction see throughout the 19th

century there was a growing recognition

that childhood was a distinct period of

life one that was important for the

ethical and intellectual shaping of

people this realization impacted a great

deal from the passing of child labor

laws to founding public education and

expanded Leisure Time for many children

play itself was also considered a kind

of training toys not only Define the

gender roles of the time and their

expectations you know baby dolls for

girls let soldiers or boys that sort of

thing they also set expectations about

the lives children were preparing for

and board games were a popular tool for

this kind of instruction through play

none more so than the Mansion of

Happiness which by the 1840s was being

published by the W and SB Ives company

of Salem Massachusetts for Massachusetts

was at the time the center of America's

virging tabletop game industry in fact

another Salem resident a Minister's

daughter named Anne Abbott became

America's first great game designer heck

yeah over her life she authored three

games but her smash success was called

Dr Busby and his neighbors it was a

memory game where players tried to

create matching suits of families by

asking other players if they had certain

cards Dr Busby sold 15,000 copies within

the first 18 months of its release in

1843 those were monster sales for the

time considering the US population was

only 17 million that equated to roughly

one Dr Busby deck for every 1,100 am

Americans these specifically designed

card games also eliminated the moral

objection to standard card decks which

new englanders associated with gambling

and fortunetelling IV's main corporate

competition though was Milton Bradley

another Massachusetts game publisher who

broke into the market big in the 1860s

when he realized that board Union Army

troops needed to occupy themselves

during any downtime in the Civil War his

solution was the first mass-produced

portable game case containing chess

Checkers back gamon dominoes and his own

more secular version of The Mansion of

Happiness which was renamed the

checkered Game of Life in this version

instead of Heaven as a reward now the

win state was happy old age but overall

these games were still considered moral

instruction Tools in fact in all of its

copies of the Mansion of Happiness IES

eliminated dice which Americans

considered dangerous and inappropriate

for children since they too could be

used for gambling so instead he packaged

it with a drel likee top called a tea

totem and later a spinner yeah the real

reason all those games you grew up with

had a spinner instead of dice wasn't to

reduce choking hazards it was to stop

you from shooting craps which I'm sure

worked for some of you but in meetings

with his gaming group in the 1880s the

teenaged George B Parker started

formulating a different philosophy of

play because he couldn't care less about

using games for moral instruction no no

no he thought playing games should be

fun he foresaw a world where games were

primarily entertainment products rather

than moral instruction because games

like the Mansion of Happiness he argued

were dull there were no choices for the

players to make making every game

repetitive he wanted more games that

could be endlessly replayable like chess

where players could employ different

strategies and he jettisoned the

religious and moral themes in favor of

something more contemporary and exciting

capitalism his first game that we showed

you at the beginning of the episode

banking was all about stock trading

players withdrew money from the bank

then made bets on what cards would come

up they wheeled and dealed across the

table and would try to Corner the market

on different Commodities they shouted

and swindled and occasionally teamed up

to undermine other players but perhaps

banking's biggest difference was one of

imagination because while games like Dr

Busby had an inherent element of humor

in their cards and illustrations the

players were fundamentally outside the

game but in banking you took on the

personality of the stock Trader because

role playing as a ruthless Tycoon was

part of the fun it became so popular

with friends that he tried to interest

the publisher when they turned him down

he borrowed money from his parents to

publish 500 copies himself and went on

the road when Parker got off the train

in Boston with his mother's suitcase

full of banking decks he thought he

might be able to make a few bookstores

interested but within 2 days he returned

home with the suitcase empty and

realized he'd caught lightning in a

bottle within months he'd nearly sold

his entire stock he needed to form a

company and fast by 21 he' published six

more games five by himself and one one

designed by his teacher with themes

ranging from investing to famous people

battlefields and Charles Dickens and

since he was never best at the business

side of things he brought in his

brothers Charles and Edward to handle

the money while he designed the games

and Parker Brothers was born for years

George Parker often with the help of his

wife Grace wrote the majority of games

that the company produced focusing on

ripped from the headlines titles like

Klondike themed around the Alaskan Gold

Rush and war in Cuba published at after

the main explosion and during the

feverish newspaper campaign leading to

the Spanish American war though George

Parker was not above playing to the

religious element in New England as the

company expanded he bought IES and then

began producing the Mansion of Happiness

himself not to mention the couple's most

successful game called Rook published in

1906 reinvented the standard 52 card

deck into a 56 card version with no

faces or suits changing it just enough

to make it acceptable to groups like The

menites that banned traditional decks by

the 1930s Parker Brothers was one of the

largest players in the game industry yet

George Parker wasn't done that decade as

Parker pushed into his 80s his company

adapted popular British games such as

sorry and clue and would acquire the

rights to Lizzy Maggie's Smash Hit

Monopoly before passing away in 1952

wait did you think that Parker Brothers

created Monopoly actually I did too that

is until we made a whole additional

episode on the insane history of

everyone's favorite game not to finish

real talk I flip in love Monopoly and

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[Music]