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Sharecropping Simulation Activity

This document simulates the life of a sharecropping family in the post-Civil War Southern United States. Students taking on roles in a sharecropping family must decide their family name and members. They will then roll dice to determine the quality of their plot of land and yearly profit margins affected by market prices and other random events over four years from 1866 to 1869. The goal is to earn enough money to get out of sharecropping, which trapped families in cycles of poverty through debts owed to landowners. Advantages over slavery included some independence, but disadvantages included lack of true ownership or means to improve their situation.

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984 views

Sharecropping Simulation Activity

This document simulates the life of a sharecropping family in the post-Civil War Southern United States. Students taking on roles in a sharecropping family must decide their family name and members. They will then roll dice to determine the quality of their plot of land and yearly profit margins affected by market prices and other random events over four years from 1866 to 1869. The goal is to earn enough money to get out of sharecropping, which trapped families in cycles of poverty through debts owed to landowners. Advantages over slavery included some independence, but disadvantages included lack of true ownership or means to improve their situation.

Uploaded by

api-282568260
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Directions: The purpose of this activity is to simulate the life of a sharecropping

family.
Goal of a Sharecropper
As a sharecropper your goal is to GET OUT OF SHARECROPPING! You dream about
owning your own land someday.
Sharecropper: A tenant farmer especially in the southern US who is provided with
credit for seed, tools, living quarters, and food, who works the land, and who receives an
agreed share of the value of the crop minus charges
Phase One: Family and Land- During the simulation, your group will become your
Sharecropping family. Together you will all be struggling to earn enough money to leave
Sharecropping. What will the last name of your family be? Remember that most former
slaves had taken the last name of their original master. The oldest person in group gets
to decide the last name. Write down your last name and the names of all family
members below.
Your family's last name is ____________________

Family Members: (list names in table)

Phase #2
Directions: Quality of Soil
So, hows that plot of land you picked out? ROLL THE DICE ONCE! This roll
symbolizes the quality of soil on your "share" of the land. If you roll a 1, write a number
-3 in the soil column for all four years. If you roll a 2, write a -2 in all four years. If you
roll
Dice Role
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6

Soil Quality (Only Role Once)


-3
-2
-1
0
1
2

Directions: Profit Margins (This represents the fluctuation in agriculture


commodities)
Roll the Dice Once During Each Round. Write the correct profit margin down.

Dice Role
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
Debt Owed

Profit Margin
-1
0
1
2
3
4

Soil/Climate Yield Profit Margin based on


Factor
Market Prices

Surprises

Yearly
Totals

(This is debt (Teams


roll
only (Different rolls for each
(Add each
you have ONCE!
year.
(Team pulls from
already
of the year
Write the same
Teams must roll once for
the surprise
accrued.)
rows
number for all
each of the 4 years. See

spaces. See
Directions below.)

1866

-4

1867

-4

1868

-4

1869

-4

Directions
above.)

bags)

(same as
above)
(same as
above)
(same as
above)

Grand Total:

The number in your grand total is in dollars. (-3 is -$3.00... +2 is $2.00 etc...)
Write your total dollar amount of debt or earnings here:

$______.___________

across)

Look at the graphic below: Sharecropping Cycle of Poverty Graphic

Next, as a group, complete the table below.


Sharecropping- Advantages over
Slavery

Sharecropping - Disadvantages over


Slavery

Sharecropping Contract
For $4 dollars per year, I will allow you to farm a portion of my land and I will supply
the materials. At the end of the year, the full payment of $4 will be due. If you are
unable to pay the $4, you will need to continue to work the land until you pay off the
debt.
You are expected to take care of your portion of the land. In addition you will be
responsible for certain jobs such as repairing fences on your land and taking care of
mules loaned to you. You will be responsible for any missing or broken tools at the end
of the year.
You will receive the following:
-40 acres of land
-Seeds
-Farm Tools These will need to be returned at the end of the year
- One Mule
-Additional Horses or Mules will cost additional money or work for the owner.
You will owe $4 in debt and need to return the animals and tools at the end
of the year.

To receive your dice, you must agree to the terms.

I agree to the following terms listed above.

Signature: __________________________

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