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Class Date: December 11th
Location: Your couch! See your weekly e-mail for Zoom link!
Life's a Game
Life's a Game
This time we’re talking about board games! Because our subject will span quite a few decades, we’ll just hit some social history highlights in our review this week! Enjoy!
1858 - Transatlantic Cable is completed
The completion of the first transatlantic telegraph cable in 1858 was a cause for much celebration on both sides of the Atlantic. Tiffany & Company of New York purchased the cable remaining on board the USS Niagara after the successful completion of the cable and sold 4-inch sections as souvenirs.
April 14, 1865 - President Lincoln is assassinated
While attending a play at Ford’s Theater, President Lincoln was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald.
To watch a 5 minute overview of the event and its aftermath, click here.
1867 - The Hot Dog is born
Charles Feltman claims to have invented the hot dog in his Coney Island stall by pairing his frankfurter sausage with a bread bun. Of course, plenty of vendors and places claim to have invented this ‘All American’ food. To learn more about this disputed dog history, check out this 11 minute video here:
1883 - Krakatoa erupts
The volcanic island of Krakatoa, in what is now Indonesia, blew apart. The resulting tsunami killed 10,000 people in the area. For a detailed look at the lead up to the eruption, check out this article here: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1884/09/the-volcanic-eruption-of-krakatoa/376174/
1892 - Ellis Island established
From 1892 to 1924, Ellis Island was America's largest and most active immigration station, where over 12 million immigrants were processed. On average, the inspection process took approximately 3-7 hours. For the vast majority of immigrants, Ellis Island truly was an "Island of Hope" - the first stop on their way to new opportunities and experiences in America. -
1897 - Dracula first published
Bram Stoker first published the story Dracula in London. Though contracts for publication were usually worked out 6 months in advance, Stoker’s was hammered out in just 6 days. He earned no royalties for the first 1,000 copies. It was serialized in American publications but later discovered that Stoker had not properly secured the copyright for his novel, thus placing it in the public domain. Unfortunately for Bram, he never made much money from its publication, despite the fact that it has not been out of print since 1897!
1901 - American League of Major League Baseball declares itself a Major League
After one season as a minor league stemming from the minor WEstern League in 1899, ALMLB declares itself a Major League. Their eight charter teams were the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Americans, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Blues, Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Athletics, and Washington Senators. 1901 was the first year of competition, competing against the senior National circuit.
1901 - King C. Gillette invented the first safety razor
A man named King C. Gillette imagined disposable razor blades, but MIT-trained scientists believed that such blades were impossible to create. Gillette persevered and released his first razor in 1901. He continued to make improvements and the company continues to produce hand held, disposable razors even today!
1913 - King C. Gillette invented the first safety razor
Few people could afford the Model T when it was introduced in 1908. But Ford’s moving assembly line increased production volume, and prices fell dramatically from $850 to $260 by 1925. The Model T gave personal mobility to more than 15 million rural and urban Americans and ushered in the automobile age. Light and powerful, it had a three-point suspension that could negotiate rough roads, and parts were available at dealers in small and large communities across America.
1928 - First television broadcast
From 1939 to 1941, about 7,000 television sets were sold. This new technology was out of reach for most Americans as sets ranged from $200 to $600. Television broadcasts were limited to a few large cities such as New York and Los Angeles; they became available across the country only after World War II.
That’s where our timeline leaves us for the week. Tune in to learn more about the period!
Recommended Reading
Recommended Reading
For kids:
Make Your Own Board Game by Jesse Terrance Daniels
Tabletop board games are having a comeback, and especially within a younger, tech-y audience who enjoys the challenge and opportunity to work in an analog sphere. Game design expert Jesse Terrance Daniels teaches all the fundamentals of game design, from rule-setting to physical construction, along with original illustrations that capture the ethos and energy of the young, contemporary gaming community.
Readers will learn the “building blocks” of game design, including game components, rules, and gameplay mechanics, and then how to craft a game, with a variety of examples and design prompts. After completing Make Your Own Board Game, readers are equipped with a broad understanding of game construction and flow and ready to create games that are playable and satisfying, while also expressing the makers’ unique creativity and passions.
Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg
Roll the dice, make your move, and plunge into one of the most imaginative stories of our time!
The game under the tree looked like a hundred others Peters and Judy had at home. But they were searching for something interesting to do, so they decided to give Jumanji a try. Little did they know when they unfolded its ordinary-looking playing board that they were about to be launched into the most exciting and bizarre adventure of their lives...
This picture book classic from Chris Van Allsburg has been honored with many awards, including the Caldecott Medal. The surreal story also became the basis of multiple blockbuster film adaptations.
This story about a game that comes startlingly to life is a family favorite that inspires imagination and explores the ever-shifting line between fantasy and reality.
For Adults:
Parlett’s History of Board Games by David Parlett
"Great tidbits or obscure, entertaining facts can be found on any given page." --Library Journal
For thousands of years, board games have captured our imaginations as we have conspired against, chased, and attacked one another across the table from our friends and foes, locked quest for victory.
In his newly updated History of Board Games (the previous edition was titled: The Oxford History of Board Games ), David Parlett explores the fascinating origins and development of our favorite games - from the Egyptian and Asian predecessors of checkers and chess to modern classics like Monopoly and Clue. With an entertaining, accessible style, Parlett delves into what is one of the most universal roots of our cultural history, highlighting the importance of game-playing as a vital part of the human experience.
In addition to his detailed research on the mechanisms of games, Parlett adds his unique insight drawing upon 20 years of experience as a professional games researcher, critic and game inventor to explore lesser-known and experimental games.
Games covered in this entertaining title include Alquerque; backgammon; chess; Cluedo; Draughts; Fox & Geese; Go; Halma; Ludo; Monopoly; Noughts & Crosses; Oware; Pachisi; Scrabble; Snakes & Ladders; solitaire; Trivial Pursuit are included, along with many more.
A History of Board Games Other Than Chess by H.J.R. Murray
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