Capitalism,
advertising and the
free market
Build-A-Business
What are we doing?
You will be getting into groups to create a
business in order to explore some of the
ideas and issues present during the 1800s
This will be a multi-step process that will
require knowledge of the material we have
discussed in class (e.g. corporations,
monopolies, laissez faire, etc.)
Guidelines & Requirements
Each group will be responsible for completing each
step of this activity in the time allotted
Your grade for this assignment will depend on how
hard you are working as well as following directions
and listening to others when it is their turn to
present
Each group is responsible for completing the
accompanying handout. (It will be turned in at the
end of class).
Step 1: Get into groups
You will become a ‘business’ and form a
group no larger than 4 (no single person
teams!)
Send one group member to pick up the
handout for this activity.
You have 2 minutes to form your groups
Step 2: Start Your Business
A) You must now decide what type of business you want to start (Hint:
it will be easiest to choose one that exists in some capacity
already…but yours will be a new version)
B) Next, name your business (Make it catchy and original)
You will announce your business to the class and take a series of
questions
Be ready to defend your business from criticism. Why is it necessary?
What sets you apart? What do you sell? How will you get funding?
Explain how much money you think you will need to start.
Explain what materials you need, production, labor, use statistics that
are realistic
(we want 20 billion to head to the moon for moon trips---not exactly
feasible and a bit ridiculous)
You have 7 minutes for this step, GO
Step 3: Marketing
You now have a business and a product
to sell…Big Deal. You need people to
buy it.
So, pretend you are an advertising
team and create a strategy to promote
your product (a motto or slogan could
be helpful). You can develop a jingle,
short commercial/skit, radio ad, etc.
You have 10 minutes for this step. GO!
Step 4- Part 1: Going Public
Congratulations, your ad campaigns were so
successful that business is bound to go
through the roof so you decide to incorporate
(become a corporation)
A) What does that mean?
B) What is this going to allow your business to
do?
Should you try and go about using horizontal integration (p.545)
Should you use vertical integration (p.545)
*Find out what this means and then explain how you are going to
do this. Refer to Rockefeller for inspiration. How would you do
this in your business?
Step 4 - Part 2: Going Public
Time to expand:
Go around the room and obtain signatures
from your fellow students pledging amounts
of stock. Each company may contribute no
more than $100 total and they may not
pledge money towards their own
corporation. Write the name of the
company clearly with the dollar amount
next to the name
You have 7 minutes. Vamos!!!
Step 5: Some Trouble
Your company has become so successful and so
large that the government is now trying to break
it up.
They are taking you to court so you need to get
prepared to stand up for your business practices.
In order to do so, you need to know what the
government is going to use against you in court
and how you can argue against it.
USE Pg. 551 to figure out what they’ll come at you
with
-You have 7 minutes. GO!