Articles of Confederation Pennslyvanian Survival

[Totally Ducklett 181]

Hay everypony!

 

So... this is kinda a silly topic to post here, but I thought "Why not?".

 

Let me explain. In school, we're doing sort of a "roleplay" situation for us to better understand why the Articles of Confederation didn't work. We got to guess numbers and then pick colonies. I'm assigned to Pennsylvania. We have to trade with other colonies, agree on things in congress, and deal with other countries (France, Spain, etc.) and deal with other people (colonies, American Indians, etc.) We have certain goods that we can trade to other colonies. Our goods, which I'm not sure if these are all of them, but the ones I know we have are: Corn, Wheat, Whiskey, and Specialized Labor Artisans (People who can make things for us). Obviously, Pennsylvania has more than this in real life, but no colony can be too powerful!) Whiskey and corn are unique to us. This is a very odd thing to do on a MLP forum, but since you guys are all so smart and awesome, I'd like to see what you have to say!

 

So, how do you think we can prosper with our materials?

Edited February 11, 2014 by Ducksquack

[Scootalove 10,689]

Hmm, I think other than the materials you could also say that the Articles of Confederation provided no mechanism with the states deciding to pick between the requests for either the troops or revenue. Which left their troops without funding, supplies, and even food. You will do fine.

[Totally Ducklett 181]

Oh my, sounds serious! I've noticed that our little congress can't really decide on anything... but they did get us militia

[Scootalove 10,689]

Oh my, sounds serious! I've noticed that our little congress can't really decide on anything... but they did get us militia

Exactly! But, there will be other people giving you more facts. Good luck!

[Troblems 5,617]

Whiskey is made out of buckwheat, barley, corn, and rye. You seem to only have two of those readily available, but yanno, whatever.

 

Anyways, Alcohol is especially prevalent in hard times, which the era of the Articles of Confederation would have been exactly that. Considering that tequila, vodka and many other alcohols were yet unknown to the American people, it sounds like you will have a serious monopoly on hard liquor. Use it.

 

At that point, corn would not have been a staple grain, however it would be new and exciting. That too can be used for bartering at ridiculous prices.

 

Pennsylvania was one of the later states to sign the articles, as well as being one of the larger states at the time, so use that leverage as well, see if you can't get some bribes out of it.

[Totally Ducklett 181]

I was thinking that I could trade the corn to states that had livestock, because that makes pretty good animal feed.

 

As much as I want to create a monstrous monopoly with the whiskey, I can't. The people representing the other states don't really want it. I mean, it's hard convincing a bunch of 7th graders to buy alcohol, but I'll really try to convince them to change.

 

I had a decent plan for another state to give us cotton, which then I would go to "France" and talk to them about creating their products for less than it is domestically. If that worked, our artisans would create a lot of dresses and sell them to France. Then us and the other state would split the profits. I'm not sure if that would work, though...