Monopoly is one of the fascinating board games of the 1900s. Originally seen as The Landlord's Game in 1904, years of "tinkering and development" brought about Monopoly in the 1930s.(Costello 60) It was in the 1930s that society embraced it. If it was not for society's need of such a game that allowed people to escape from the difficult depression era, it is possible that the game Monopoly might have passed with time. Another artifact that originated in the 1930s that might not have developed into the huge success that it is today is Life magazine.(Koenig) "Life never would have succeeded if not for the willingness of society to embrace it. They embraced it because it satisfied their needs, and reflected their tastes at the time"(Koenig).

Both Life and Monopoly show how an artifact can become an important part of one era and develop into the heart of society for years to follow. Life's popularity came about due to its focus on the hard times of the depression era, while Monopoly's popularity emerged due to its granting of release from the troubled times through entertainment. Today, both Monopoly and Life can serve as reminders of the past, for both of them were shaped by the depression era and grew due to their tremendous success during the era. When we sit and play Monopoly, today, we can picture the game being played in the 1930s or the 1940s and experience the history without needing to even leave our own house.