My Kingdom for a…Tulip?: Dutch Tulip Mania, 1637
How much is one tulip bulb really worth? In the Dutch Republic of 1637, the answer for many was a fortune. During the height of Tulip Mania, tulip bulbs briefly became the most valuable commodity in the Netherlands, until the market wilted just as fast as it bloomed. At the time, a single Semper Augustus bulb, known for its red and white flame-patterned petals, could sell for more than the cost of a house. In this committee, delegates will step into the Golden Age of the Netherlands, assuming the roles of florists, merchants, nobles, speculators, and members of the powerful Dutch East India Company. As contracts fly and the value of tulips rises at an unprecedented rate, delegates must navigate the chaos of an unregulated economy built not on gold or land, but on … tulips.
However, the financial frenzy will not last forever. When the bubble bursts, will those left holding the bulbs retain their fortunes? Will you try to stabilize the market, double down on your investments, or use the economic turmoil to change the course of history? What goes up must come down, and tulips are no exception.
