This 1862 Board Game Was the Civil War Version of Candy Land

Slate's Vault blog describes a fascinating board game made in the midst of the American Civil War. Charlton & Althrop, a publishing house in Philadelphia, produced the "Game of Secession, or Sketches of the Rebellion." It's a lot like the children's game Candy Land, except with a bit more bloodshed.
The game shows an American bald eagle strangling a snake representing Southern secessionism. It's a game of pure chance. Players take turns rolling dice. The number on the die represents the number of spaces that they can advance. Landing on some spaces sends them forward or back as the fortunes of war dictate. The final space shows a bird representing secessionism baked to a crisp.

Image: New York State Library Special Collections


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