Mercantilism:

The Game
The Mother Country has taken an interest in
your colony…
You can now no longer build any structures without receiving
manufactured goods from the mother country
You must acquire as many raw materials as possible and trade them
with the Mother Country to obtain the manufactured goods necessary
to create the largest colony possible
You must also trade raw materials for supplies that you need to survive
every turn!
Each team needs to choose a representative who will ferry goods
between the colonies and the mother country (aka Mr. S)
Costs
2 raw materials = 1 manufactured good

2 raw materials= 1 supply

To build:

Houses: 3 manufactured goods

Farms/ Fisheries: 5 manufactured goods

Fortifications: 10 manufactured goods

Harbours: 15 manufactured goods

Round 1: Gather and consume 1 supply
Roll the dice TWICE: whatever the number is is the maximum
number of raw materials you can collect for this turn

Your team must perform JUMPING JACKS to gather your

resources. If you rolled a 5 and a 4, each member of your team
must do 9 jumping jacks!
Round 2: Trade and consume 1 supply

The Mother Country will trade:

● 2 raw materials for 1 manufactured good

● 2 raw materials for 1 supply

Round 3: Build and consume 1 supply
Using your manufactured goods, you may now build structures for your
colony!

For each building, you must sketch what you have built on the piece of paper!

● Houses: 3 manufactured goods

● Farms/ Fisheries: 5 manufactured goods
● Fortifications: 10 manufactured goods
● Harbours: 15 manufactured goods
Situation 1: Consume 1 supply
Winter is approaching and your colony needs to be able to survive the
coming months.
The Mother Country will generously provide you with blankets and
warm clothing in exchange for the following materials:
3 raw materials: blankets
5 raw materials: warm clothing
As a colony, decide if you would like to trade for these items!
Situation 1 pt. 2
Roll the dice:
1-3= a tough winter! You consume 4 supplies!
4-6= it wasn’t so bad! You consume 2 supplies!

If you bought blankets OR warm clothing last turn, consume 1

less supply!
If you bought blankets AND warm clothing, consume 2 less
supplies!
Round 4: Gather and consume 1 supply
Roll the dice 3 TIMES: whatever the number is is the maximum
number of raw materials you can collect for this turn

Your team must do SQUATS for the number of raw materials you
collects (i.e. if you rolled a 3, 6, and 5 each member of your team
must do 14 squats)
The Mother Country
The Mother Country is demanding to make more money from their
colonies, the cost of trading raw materials for manufactured goods
has increased!

New exchange rate:

3 raw materials = 1 manufactured good
3 raw materials = 1 supply
Round 2: Trade and consume 1 supply

The Mother Country will trade:

3 raw materials for 1 manufactured good

3 raw materials for 1 supply

Round 3: Build and consume 1 supply
Using your manufactured goods, you may now build structures for your
colony!

For each building, you must sketch what you have built on the piece of paper!

● Houses: 3 manufactured goods

● Farms/ Fisheries: 5 manufactured goods
● Fortifications: 10 manufactured goods
● Harbours: 15 manufactured goods
 Situation 2: To Explore (consume 1 supply)
Choose 1 explorer to sponsor:

● Henry Kelsey
● Anthony Henday
● George Vancouver
● James Cook

Send your representative to The Mother Colony to correctly state

what your chosen explorer managed to accomplish about trade
(i.e. did they create a new agreement, find a new source of
high-quality fur, locate precious metals?
Situation 2: Results

If you successfully answered the question,

● Henry Kelsey: Gather 2x the amount of raw materials

next turn
● Anthony Henday: No bonus
● George Vancouver: No bonus
● James Cook: Gather 2x the amount of raw materials
next turn
Round 1: Gather and consume 1 supply
Roll the dice 3 TIMES: whatever the number is is the maximum
number of raw materials you can collect for this turn

Your team must JOG IN PLACE for the number of seconds equal
to the number of resources you collect (i.e. if you rolled a 6, 5, and
2, your team must jog in place for 13 seconds)
Round 2: Trade and consume 1 supply
Choose a representative of your colony to trade with the Mother Country

This person is responsible for trading raw goods for supplies and
manufactured goods

The Mother Country will trade:

● 3 raw materials for 1 manufactured good

● 3 raw materials for 1 supply

Round 6: Build and consume 1 supply

This is the last round!

Build as many structures as you can!

Final Tally
2 points for each house
4 points for each farm/ fishery
8 points for fortifications
12 points for a Harbour

How many points does your colony have?

 Cool down and reflect: Answer the following
questions on lined paper
Describe at least 2 significant challenges that colonizers
faced when arriving in North America. Consider the
environment, how they survived, resources, etc. 2 marks

In your own words, describe who the real winner is from

this activity: the Mother Country or the Colonies? Back up
your opinion with key ideas! 2 marks