Mansion of Happiness
“Mansion of Happiness,” 1894. New-York Historical Society, The Liman Collection, 2000.437.
Mansion of Happiness
“Mansion of Happiness,” 1894. New-York Historical Society, The Liman Collection.
Background
The Industrial Revolution that took place in the 1800s transformed every aspect of life in the United States, including how people spent their free time. Jobs outside the traditional family farm provided workers with both expendable income and free time. During this period, the rise of factory production meant that there were many new and inexpensive ways for people to entertain themselves.
Early improvements in printing and papermaking made board games one of the first forms of popular entertainment of the industrial era. Simple card games could be purchased for as little as 25 cents (equivalent to $10 today).
About the Document
The Mansion of Happiness was one of the first board games mass-produced in the U.S. It was originally produced in England and was adapted for American audiences by Anne Abbot, a game designer from Massachusetts.
To play, players advance along the road to the mansion of happiness at the center of the board. If a player lands on a “virtue,” such as honesty or gratitude, they can move ahead six places. If a player lands on a “vice,” such as passion or cruelty, they have to move back to where they started. The first player to make it to the mansion of happiness wins. The game was very popular because it reinforced the main lesson of Christian morality: only by behaving well could a person achieve true happiness.
Vocabulary
Industrial Revolution: The era of American history marked by the rise of factories and mechanical inventions that transformed daily life.
Discussion Questions
- How did the Industrial Revolution lead to the rise of board games?
- Why were board games a popular pastime in the 1800s?
- What does this game reveal about the values of America in the 1800s?
Suggested Activities
- Include this object in any lesson about the Industrial Revolution to demonstrate how all aspects of life in the U.S. were impacted by the changes of the era.
- Compare and contrast the list of virtues and vices from this game with the Rules for Mill Workers and then discuss how Christian morality was widely practiced and enforced in America in the 1800s.
- Use this object together with Barbie, Christie, and the Teenage Ideal and American Girl for a lesson on how toys can teach us about shifting social and cultural values.
- For a larger lesson about the Industrial Revolution’s impact on daily life in the U.S., teach this object together with the following:
Themes
AMERICAN CULTURE
