Monopoly is a board game that most people know and love. The objective of the game is fairly simple: purchase properties throughout the game in an attempt to drive out competitors with a land monopoly. Today, the Monopoly game board and pieces can be considered iconic, but in the early 20th century, the game was only the underdeveloped brain child of Elizabeth Magie.

On this day, February 6th, in 1935, the board game Monopoly went on sale under its present day name for the first time.  Prior to being purchased by Parker Brothers, the game had been developed by Elizabeth Magie under the name, “The Landlord’s Game.”  Magie intended the game to give an economic lesson about land value tax. Parker Brothers initially rejected the game, claiming that it was too complicated and took too long to finish, but later changed their opinion based on the game’s popularity in Pennsylvania.

Monopoly has grown into one of Parker Brothers’ most successful board game franchises.  Monopoly has been released in a variety of versions and themes and has spawned several spin-off games.  Monopoly’s popularity would become so great that U.S. and Worldwide Monopoly tournaments were held from 1973 to 2009.