How profitable can you make your canal? 1825-1841 The Canal Game How profitable can you make your canal? 1825-1841

You might want to make these symbols coloured, and put them on a key.

1825 Your canal opens and each town you pass through provides $100 of traffic. A rumour of war causes a boom in iron traffic, collect $100 revenue for each iron ore square you pass through.

1826 Each town provides $100 of traffic, except towns C, I and G where… The iron boom pushes traffic profits up to $200!!!!!

1827 Each town provides $100 of traffic A cotton boom brings traffic profit of $200 for each cotton mill you pass Woo Hoo!

1828 Each town provides $100 of traffic, Use of coal in the iron industry increases your profit on the coal trade… …$200 profit for each coal-field square you pass through

1829 A severe winter causes harbours at X, Y and Z to freeze. And much of your canal as well, this cuts out all traffic profits. In the spring, water from melting snow and ice causes severe flooding at town G… if you pass G repairs to your canal will cost $900.

1830 Each town provides $100 of traffic, except towns I and G which… …have benefited from the coal and iron boom… they provide $300 each Heavy storms cause flooding on navigable rivers. It costs you $100 in repairs for each square of navigable river you use

1831 Towns I and G provide $300 each of traffic, all others $100 Cotton boom continues, producing $200 of traffic per mill. 1831 Coal and iron boom continues, producing $200 of traffic per coal or iron square

1832 Towns I and G provide $300 each of traffic, all others $100 The move to the cities increases the demand for stone so collect $200 of traffic for each limestone square you pass. The harbour at Y silts up after heavy storms; …if you use this port you must pay $1,000 to dredge it clear

1833 Towns I and G provide $300 each of traffic, all others $100 An integrated approach wins customers. If your route includes at least two squares of coal-field and at least one of iron ore, then collect a bonus revenue of $1,000. Dry weather affects all river users; If you follow any navigable or ordinary river you have to pay an extra $100 per square for water rights

1834 Towns I and G provide $300 each of traffic, all others $100 Steady trade in coal and iron provides $100 per square for each. Good building stone is in demand so.... …traffic profits $200 per square of limestone quarry. Cotton trade in depressed state

1835 There is a sharp slump in trade, many are unemployed and traffic falls. Traffic profits only $100 per town. There is a dock strike at Port X; This stops traffic and it costs you $500 to provide new labour if you use that port.

1836 Trade recovers Towns I and G provide $300 each of traffic, all others $100 A coal-boom with increasing use of steam power yields profits from you of $200 per coal-field square

1837 Towns A and H are being left behind by industrialisation and yield only $50 traffic profits each. Towns B,C, X, Y and Z yield $100 each D, E & F $200 I and G… $300 Railway construction causes an industrial boom $500 for each iron square, $300 for coal $200 limestone The general prosperity increases the demand for cotton - $200 per mill A group of merchants at Port X are planning to build a railway; try to discourage them with $500 in bribes. You must pay $1,000 to improve your canal if you serve this port.

Towns A and H are being left behind by industrialisation and yield only $50 traffic profits each. Towns B,C, X, Y and Z yield $100 each D, E & F = $200 I and G = $300 Railway construction continues to stimulate industry, Profits are $500 per iron square, $300 per coal $100 per limestone 1838

The first railways open in your area The first railways open in your area. This means that towns D,E,F,G,H,I and Y … …no longer provide enough traffic to make a profit Other towns yield a profit of $100 A new use has been found for limestone where slow transport is acceptable… …it provides $200 per square 1839

1840 More railways have opened. The only towns to provide traffic for the canal are now A, B, C and Z. At Port Z the Canal Company owns many acres of land near the docks which are wanted by the railway company; accepting that you are bound to go out of business soon, if you go to Z you can sell this land for $2,500

Only isolated town B is left without a railway and provides $100 of traffic… …but a branch line will soon be opened to it. There is not enough traffic left for any of the canals to be profitable. It is the end of the Canal Age (gasps of shock) the end of the game. Repay the bank loan, plus 25% interest Work out your profit or loss… & evaluate your success or failure. 1841

Review of the Canal Game How well did your business do? Were you able to pay off all debts and make a profit? What factors helped your business succeed? What factors hindered your success? How did others groups increase their profits? If you could play again, how would you change your route? What have you learned about being a Capitalist businessman? What have you learned about the industrial revolution? Can you make any links with today’s economy?