Sharecropping Simulation Game
Directions:
Hand out a bag containing the following:
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Transparent cups labeled “Landlord” and “Sharecropper”
10 beans in a plastic baggie
Note pads to write IOU slips
Pencil for each person
Final tabulation sheet
Have students open their bags and place the two cups on their desk.
Tell the students that they are going to play a simulation game to help understand the plight of the sharecropper.
The beans are currency that they will earn or lose according to the situations that happen in the game.
Dialogue (spoken by teacher):
Congratulations! You have just signed a contract to be a sharecropper on my land. I will provide you with living
quarters for you and your family and land on which to work. You will pay me 50% of the money from your crop,
plus a small supervisory fee. I will provide you with a mule, but you are responsible for feeding and taking care of
him. I am your landlord and what I say goes! There will be no negotiations or arguments. You should consider
yourself lucky to have an opportunity to make a living.
1. You will start the game with 10 beans in cash. Take 10 beans from the bag and place them on your desk.
2. You will need to have some supplies to farm the land. You will purchase them from your landlord at the store on
the plantation. You will need:
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Seed- 2 beans go into the landlord’s cup
Plow- 2 beans go into the landlord’s cup
Cart- 2 beans go into the landlord’s cup
Fertilizer- 1 bean goes into the landlord’s cup
3. The planting of cotton goes fine, but your family needs food to eat. Go to the landlord and purchase some:
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Flour- 1 bean goes into the landlord’s cup
Meat- 2 beans go into the landlord’s cup
Sugar- 1 bean goes into the landlord’s cup
Lard- 1 bean goes into the landlord’s cup
Beans- 1 bean goes into the landlord’s cup
Dialogue: If you run out of beans you can make purchases on credit at your landlord’s store. Simply write the
number of beans you owe (3 beans) on a small slip of paper and put it in the landlord’s cup. Don’t worry! You can
pay your landlord back after your crop is harvested.
Teacher: You will get out the die to roll for the next three rounds and a checklist of possible situations that could
impact the sharecropper.
Dialogue: The ability to harvest a good crop of cotton can be unpredictable due to situations out of the control of
the farmer (sharecropper). I am going to roll a die for each group and when your number comes up, you will have
to purchase the required supplies needed for the explained situation. We will do three rounds. Write the amount
that you owe on an IOU slip and put it in the landlord’s cup.
Number/Cost
Situation
1 (3 beans)
2 (3 beans)
A tree fell on the fence, allowing your mule to run free. You must purchase three rails to
repair the fence. Fill out an IOU if you do not have money to pay for the fence rails.
A storm has damaged your roof and you need shingles to repair the hole. You must
purchase three packs of shingles to fix the roof. Fill out an IOU if you do not have
money to pay for the shingles.
It has been a harsh winter and your wife needs medication and your kids need winter
clothes. You must purchase these supplies from your landlord.
Fill out an IOU if you do not have money to pay for the medicine and clothes.
You need to purchase hay to feed your mule. You must purchase the hay from your
landlord. Fill out an IOU if you do not have money to pay for the hay.
Your plow needs a new blade. Your landlord has a blade that you can purchase from
him. Fill out an IOU if you do not have money to pay for the new plow blade.
A portion of your field has flooded. You need to replant a portion of your crops. You
must purchase seeds and fertilizer from your landlord. Fill out an IOU if you do not
have money to pay for the cotton seeds and fertilizer.
3 (5 beans)
4 (2 beans)
5 (1 bean)
6 (5 beans)
Dialogue: Congratulations! After a year of hard work, your crop has finally come in and your landlord is going to
sell it for you. You never know what the market price of cotton will be from year to year and if you will have a poor,
an average, or an exceptional crop. Each group will row the die to see what their crop value will be. Number 1 and
2 represent a poor crop and you will be paid 20 beans. Numbers 3, 4, and 5 represent an average crop and you will
be paid 30 beans. Number 6 represents an excellent crop and you will be paid 40 beans.
Settlement Day: Today is the day that you settle your debts with the landlord. Whatever is left of yours to keep!
Remember:
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According to the contract, ½ of the crop money is owed to the landlord. Put ½ your beans in the landlord’s
cup.
Also, the landlord required 3 beans for a supervisory fee, so put 3 beans in the landlord’s cup.
You have IOU slips in the landlord’s cup, so count up what you owe and place those beans in the landlord’s
cup.
Based on the amount of beans that you earned through your crops, you either made money off your crops or you
still owe money to your landlord. Don’t worry, the landlord says that you can work another year and pay off your
debt when next year’s crop comes in!