The Reacting Consortium - Conclave 1492

Faith, Politics, and Power

Students are members of the sacred college of cardinals, princes of the Roman Catholic Church convened in secret to elect the next pope. They must use knowledge of the renaissance church and late-medieval Europe to advance their character's political and religious concerns in pursuit of personal power and (perhaps) the best interests of Christendom.

About the Game Game Materials About the Author Questions

ABOUT THE GAME

Details

Disciplines

History, Religious Studies

Sample Class Titles
Western Civ, World History Since 1500, Church History

Themes and Issues
Religion and Government, Politics, Diplomacy, The Papacy, Renaissance, Reformation

Era
15th Century

Geography
Europe

Notable Roles
Rodrigo Borgia, Giuliano della Rovera, Giovanni de' Medici

Primary Source Highlights
None

Level
Short Game Under Review

Player Interactions
Coalition-Building, Competitive, Factional

Mechanics
Money, Secret voting, Randomizer/Lottery/Chance Element, Physical Prop (Papal Mitre)

Chaos and Demand on Instructor
Medium Chaos; Medium Demand on Instructor

Using the Game

Class Size
This game is recommended for classes with 18-30 students.

Class Time
For this short game, 1 setup session and 1-3 game sessions are recommended.

Assignments
You can adjust the assignments based on the desired learning outcomes of your class. This game can include traditional papers, research, thesis-driven writing, and creative writing. Not all roles are required to give formal speeches.

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GAME MATERIALS

Reacting Consortium members can download all game materials below. You will be asked to sign in before downloading.

**Please fill out the Permissions Request Form before using Conclave 1492 in your class!**

Gamebook

Students need a Gamebook, which includes directions, resources, and historical content.

Download Gamebook

Instructor's Manual

The Instructor's Manual includes guidance for assigning roles, presenting historical context, assignments, activities and discussion topics, and more.

Download Instructor's Manual

Role Sheets

Students also need a Role Sheet, which contains biographical information, role-specific resources or assignments, and their character's secret victory objectives.

Download Role Sheets

Additional Resources

Resources for Introduction and/or Debrief

Eamon Duffy, Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes, 4th ed. (New Haven: Yale), pp. 177-96, 451-56.
Borgia, “A Sacred Vow” and “Wisdom of the Holy Spirit,” episodes 3-4. Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel. Written by Tom Fontana, Frank Pugliese, and Brant Englestein. Sky/Canal+/Netflix (2011). This is more for instructor info, as it would spoil the proceedings for students to watch it beforehand.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

William Keene Thompson

William Keene Thompson is Assistant Professor of History at Northwest University in Kirkland, WA.

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QUESTIONS

Members can contact game authors directly.

We invite instructors join our Facebook Faculty Lounge, where you'll find a wonderful community eager to help and answer questions. We also encourage you to submit your question for the forthcoming FAQ, and to check out our upcoming events.

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reacting@barnard.edu

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GAME MATERIALS

Please fill out the Permissions Request Form before using Conclave 1492 in your class!

**Please fill out the Permissions Request Form before using Conclave 1492 in your class!**