RENAISSANCE ALUM MONOPOLY GAME

Alum is a transparent mineral salt essential to the manufacturing of fast, vivid dyes. It is also used in glass-making and tanning of animal hides. Up until 1460 nearly all European supplies of alum came from Asia transported in Genoese ships. But in 1460 huge new deposits were discovered near Civitavecchia on the coast of Italy. The numerous Italian city-states, and the various banking and merchant families that controlled much of the political and economic life of these mini-states, scrambled to exploit this valuable find.

You are invited to participate in a simulation game that recreates this challenging business scenario during the Renaissance. You will be divided into bankers, commercial houses, shippers and exporters. You must try to acquire as m any gold florins as possible. You might even try to drive your competitors out of business and achieve a monopoly.