Game:Strauss Wheel of Fortune

Many early board games, such as The Checkered Game of Life and Mansion of Happiness, had moralistic themes, combining entertainment with social instruction. These games rewarded virtue and condemned vice, teaching children important lessons as they played. A shift amongst game inventors and manufacturers, however, began to occur in the late 19th century. George S. Parker, one of the founders of the prolific Parker Brothers firm, believed that people played games for enjoyment and did not see the need to emphasize morals and values. Around the turn of the century other manufacturers began to follow suit, creating games with more entertainment than educational value. New games borrowed images from popular culture and current events, such as Nellie Bly's trip around the world and automobile travel. Additionally, manufacturers began to produce high quantities of games such as table tennis, table croquet, and ten pins, requiring dexterity and motor skills rather than a strong moral compass.