Fur Trade Simulation

Rules You are placed within 1 of 6 possible groups The Huron/Wendat The Iroqouis/Haudenosaunee French Traders (Coureur de bois/Voyaguers) British Traders French Merchants British Merchants Depending on which group you are in you will have a very different role/experience during this simulation.

Rules At the end of this class you will be given a duotang that contains the following items: A Character Explanation and Duties Sheet Your Groups Daily Tracking Sheet Specific Lists for your group EX: Shopping List for First Nations, Price List for Traders, or a Supply list for Merchants.

Example of a Character Sheet

Rules This Character sheet will break down what your background is, any rules you must follow (such as only communicating with hand signals), and what you need to accomplish on a daily basis. Some tasks must be completed everyday EX: The Iroquois must travel to a trading post to trade with the British everyday Some tasks must only be completed on one day EX: The British Traders must make a sign for their trading post on only the first day

Here are the Groups. Please write down what you are and who your teammates are!

Brief Overview of each Role

First Nations If you are in a First Nations Group: You are going to be spending each day hunting and preparing beavers furs for trade You will be trading with either French or British Traders (You will have a preference based on which group your tribe has an alliance with)

First Nations Because you do NOT speak English or French, you must only communicate with the Traders Via Hand Signals or Drawings However, you will have ONE member of your tribe who is a Métis, and can translate for ONE of the European Groups (English or French)

First Nations Because you will obviously NOT be hunting real beaver, there will be instead a series of challenges, trivia, and other tasks you must complete that will earn you beaver pelts that you can trade for Please note: Pretending to hunt and kill your classmates during this simulation will NOT be tolerated and will result in various consequences including completing a separate assignment outside of class.

Traders If you are in a Trader Group: You will be spending your days trading non-stop. You have to collect the goods from your Merchant teammates, and then bring them to the First Nations (or your Trading Post), where you must then trade them for furs. Afterwards you must then send the those furs back to your merchant teammates to complete the trade. You may also have other tasks to complete from time to time.

Traders You have a preferred First Nations group to trade with based on previous alliances; HOWEVER you may be willing you try and convince the others should you want to make a deal. Keep in mind, If you are the French Coureur de Bois you must go to First Nations Villages to trade If you are the British, no trades may take place outside of your Trading Posts

Merchants If you are in a Merchant Group: You are responsible for making the goods that the traders will give to the First Nations. They will tell you how much of what goods the First Nations are looking for, and you must make them for trading. Once you have made the goods you must ship them to your traders and then continue to make goods while you wait for your supply of furs to arrive.

Merchants You must keep track of how many furs you receive so as you sell them to the Hat Makers (Ms. Wells) in return for supplies to make your Metal Goods Aluminum Foil Cardboard Yarn Pipe Cleaners Etc

How Do I Win?

How do I Win? If you are a First Nations group You will be given a list of European Goods (such as 4 knives, 3 hatchets, 2 blankets, 1 gun, etc). The 1st First Nations group to trade and receive all these goods, wins. If both First Nations groups receive ALL the supplies on their shopping list before or by the end of the 3 days, then whoever has collected the most additional supplies will win…So keep trading!

How do I Win? If you are a Merchant Group You are trying to get enough beaver pelts to make 20 hats. Hats require 2 Beaver Pelts each. (2x 20 = 40) The first group to collect 40 beaver pelts (or has more) wins At the end of the 3 classes we will see which group has met their goals first (Merchants or First Nations) and that group will win the Simulation over all.

How do I Win? If you are a Trader Group: You do not care about Furs or Metal Goods. As a trader you care about one thing; doing a good job so your merchants keep paying you money to trade for them Therefore, you are instead collecting “Trader Status”. Every time you successfully complete a trade between your European Merchants and a First Nations group you will receive +1 Trader Status

How do I Win? The Traders with the most Trader Status @ the end of the simulation will be named as the “Supreme Trading Champions” BONUS: If your Merchants collect more beaver furs than the other group of Merchants by the end of the simulation…You will gain +5 Trader Status. If French Merchants have sold the most beaver furs, than French Traders receive +5 trader status.

TL:DR OF HOW TO WIN First Nations Merchants Traders Complete Shopping List before the other First Nations Group Have the most additional metal goods in case of a tie. Sell enough Beaver Furs to make 20 Hats (40 Furs) Collect more furs than the other Merchant Group Get the most “Trader Status” by making the most trades Be apart of the winning Merchant Group to gain +5 Status

FAQ’s The Simulation will run for 3 DAYS. If no group reaches their goals by the end of the 3 days, the winners will be chosen by whoever is closest to their goal. In order to help you keep track of how many Beaver Furs you have, how many goods you have, how many trades you have completed, etc; each of you will also receive a tracking sheet that looks like this

Trader Tracking Sheet

FAQ’s How each day works Start of class: Last 10 mins of class. You will move to your designated Group Area. Once Ms. Wells give’s you the “go ahead” you may start your daily procedures for the majority of class Last 10 mins of class. You will clean up your group area. Place all your goods in their designated areas and store any unused building materials. Complete your tracking/reflection sheets Hand in any left over Beaver Cards as well as your Duotangs back to Ms. Wells Possibly move desks

FAQs This is a very free-flowing simulation where YOU will be responsible for yourselves. However, that does not mean there is free reign for you to do anything you want. You have tasks you must be completing each day as a group and goals you are working towards. Failure to do so will effect your grade for this project as well as have serious consequences should you have to be talked to by myself (or any other teacher/T.A) about your behaviour during this simulation.

FAQ’s That being said, this is an opportunity for you to have fun recreating the Fur Trade. Come in with a positive attitude and you are sure to be rewarded with a good time!

FAQs There will be a reflection assignment individually completed at the end of the Simulation, which you will receive 2 classes to complete.

QUESTIONS?