The History of the Monopoly Board Game Might Surprise You

We’ve all heard the story: Charles Darrow invented the Monopoly board game during the Great Depression and became a millionaire. But that’s not the full truth. Decades earlier, a Washington DC area feminist writer named Lizzie Magie created The Landlord's Game. It looked and played a lot like present day Monopoly but was intended to be a teaching tool about the benefits of Henry George's Single Tax theory and the ills monopoly land holdings. Magie's game was not a commercial success but it developed a following amongst progressives who shared it on homemade game boards and word-of-mouth instructions. Over time, however, Magie's single tax message faded along with any recognition of her as the game's creator. In the 1930s, Charles Darrow claimed the game as his own and sold it to the Parker Brothers' game company which turned Monopoly into one of the best selling games of all time. Meanwhile, Lizzie Magie was largely written out of the game's history, and its profits. ABOUT THE SERIES “Boundary Stones” is an animated history series from WETA which brings the rich histories of Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia to life. Using historic photos and archival footage, “Boundary Stones” tells the stories of the past: pivotal events, strange-but-true tales, and the myths and legends from the DMV. From Black history to unique D.C. protests, true crime to civil rights, and more — “Boundary Stones” is your home for D.C. history. Watch more DC History videos:    • Boundary Stones - Washington DC Area Histo...   Read more DC History at our Boundary Stones website: https://boundarystones.weta.org/ Follow on Boundary Stones on social:   / boundary_stones   Subscribe to WETA's newsletter for the latest releases and recommendations! https://weta.org/about/publications/n... Follow WETA on social: Facebook:   / wetatvfm   Instagram:   / wetatvfm