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The classic board game Monopoly has been entertaining generations of people for over a century, with its iconic tokens and rules that have become part of our culture. But where did this iconic game come from?

Originally created in 1903 by Elizabeth Magie, a feminist, author, game designer, inventor, and Quaker from Maryland. The Quakers from Maryland were a religious group of people who followed the teachings of George Fox and established the Religious Society of Friends. They believed in the importance of equality, simplicity, and peace. In 1680, two Quaker immigrants arrived in Maryland and organized a meeting house in Somerset County. From there, many more followers joined their cause. The Quakers spread throughout Maryland and helped to establish churches in various towns. Today, some still practice the same principles they did centuries ago and many others have become well known for their humanitarian efforts.

Magie was an advocate of Georgism, an economic theory which argues that land should be owned collectively by society with individuals paying rent back to the community. Her game has been credited with inspiring the much more popular Monopoly board game that we know today. Magie intended it as a way to demonstrate how monopolies can lead to wealth inequality.

The Landlord’s Game circa 1906

The original version of Monopoly was called The Landlord’s Game. Its purpose was to show the evils of land grabbing and monopoly control as experienced under capitalism. She patented the game in 1904, but it was not until 1935 that it was purchased by Parker Brothers who changed the name to Monopoly and popularised the game all over the world.

Parker Brothers is one of the oldest and most successful board game companies in history. Founded in 1883 by George S. Parker. He was born in Salem, Massachusetts and is known as one of the earliest entrepreneurs in the gaming industry. His first game, Banking, was created out of his own necessity for a cheap form of entertainment for himself and his family. George was always looking for ways to improve existing games or to create new ones with interesting concepts, and he eventually built a thriving business from it. He also devoted much of his time to philanthropy and education, setting up funds to help those less fortunate than him and donating large sums of money to Harvard University. He passed away in 1952 but his legacy remains through the company that he created over 135 years ago.

The company has produced numerous classic games such as Monopoly, Clue and Sorry!, which have become staples in many households around the world. In addition to these beloved titles, Parker Brothers has also created and sold a vast array of other popular games such as Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble and Risk. Over its long history, the company has greatly contributed to the growth of family gaming, bringing people together for countless nights of enjoyable entertainment.

Parker Brothers made some changes to Magie's original rules when they acquired The Landlord’s Game; they removed references to landlords and instead focused on creating a fun competition between players. They also added tokens such as thimbles, bootscooters, hats and ironing boards which became an integral part of Monopoly as we know it today. Despite these changes, certain rules remain very similar; players are still able to Mortgage properties they own in order to raise money and collect rent on them later on. Similarly, there is an emphasis on building hotel empires while making sure not to get bankrupted in the process - all elements that have helped keep Monopoly fresh over the last 100 years or so.

Monopoly has gone through numerous iterations since its introduction in 1935; with a variety of different editions released featuring theme-specific editions such as Star Wars or Marvel Super Heroes along with various localised versions for countries around the world. In recent years new technological advancements have allowed for digital versions of Monopoly that can be played online or via apps on phones & tablets giving anyone access to this classic game no matter their location.

So regardless if you play using traditional methods or through modern technology one thing is sure; a good game of Monopoly will always provide hours upon hours of entertainment!