Surviving the Voyage: Answers to the Game

Q1: Setting – potential mutiny

Q) You are barely beyond the coast of Europe and one of the passengers, John Smith, appears to be plotting a mutiny - what should be done?

1. Turn to the closest land and drop off the troublesome Smith
2. Lock up Smith for the rest of the voyage
3. Let Smith join in your decision-making to keep peace on the ship

Captain Christopher Newport locked up Smith for the rest of the voyage, but later found out that Smith was to be one of the leaders of the new colony when he opened the sealed orders from the Virginia Company. Newport also was on the leadership council until he sailed back to England in about six weeks.

Score:

1. Lose 5 points – Wrong! Smith was selected by the Virginia Company to serve as one of the colony’s leaders.
2. Gain 5 points – Right! This is what they actually did in 1607.
3. Gain 5 points – They didn’t do this, but it might have helped the leadership of the new colony make better decisions together.

Q2: Setting – potential island for supplies

Q) After visiting two islands in the West Indies, you have yet to find any fresh water - what should you do as you approach the third island?

1. Stop wasting time and head for Virginia
2. Stop at the island and search for water again
3. Make a crude still so we can turn seawater into fresh water

They stopped at the third island and finally found the much-needed fresh water.

Score:

1. Lose 5 points – Wrong! Crew and passengers would become dehydrated before arriving at Virginia.
2. Gain 5 points – Right! They did stop in 1607 and found much-needed fresh water.
3. Gain 0 points – Nice idea, but not enough water could have been generated onboard to serve the 144 passengers and crew.

Q3: Setting – in the midst of a smaller storm

Q) What will you do as the ships are being ravaged by waves and wind?

1. Batten down the hatches and tell everyone to go below
2. Use the wind to your advantage with a full crew on deck
3. Keep smaller crew on deck to try and keep the ship intact

The best choice is 3 – someone needs to stay on deck with limited sails to ensure the ship is not broadsided by a large wave.

Score:

1. Lose 5 points – Wrong! The ship gets broadsided by a large wave and capsizes.
2. Lose 3 points –Wrong! This is too dangerous because you could lose many crew members overboard.
3. Gain 5 points – Right! A small crew is needed to ensure the ship rides straight into the waves and is not hit broadside.

Q4: Setting – in the ship’s living quarters

Q) Sea sickness has broken out in the main living area what will you do?

1. Move all the sick to one of the three ships
2. Give the sick greater rations and water to help them get well
3. Give the sick saltpeter

There is really no good choice here. There is no cure for seasickness other than dry land.

Score:

1. Gain 2 points – This solution may have helped to prevent others from getting sick from the smell of stale vomit below deck in the passenger compartment, but it could have overloaded one ship.
2. Lose 5 points – Wrong! Have you ever tried to eat or drink anything when you are seasick??
3. Gain 0 points – Saltpeter had many uses over the ages and may have been onboard at the time, but we have no knowledge that it was used to cure seasickness.

Q5: Setting – some of the food appears to be spoiling

Q) Some of the food is spoiling due to the long voyage what should be done?

1. Have a feast and live it up before it all goes bad
2. Give the food that is spoiling to some of the laborers and see if they get sick
3. Advise the crew and passengers to eat the sea biscuits after dark

The hardtack or “sea biscuits” became infested with worms and insects, which crawled out when the passengers and crew soaked the biscuits in soup or drink to soften them up for eating. As a result, they took to eating at night to avoid the gruesome sight of eating bugs.

Score:

1. Lose 5 points – Wrong! You would have run out of food at sea.
2. Lose 2 points – Food was so scarce, that you would have eaten even spoiling food.
3. Gain 5 points – Right! They started eating after dark to avoid the sight of eating the bugs that had infested their hardtack or “sea biscuits.”