Forms of Government Simulation Role-Play

I think this lesson perhaps would benefit from stricter regulations: the total amount of soldiers you are allowed to have, the amount of time each solution would take, whether or not kings could force someone into work without pay, etc. Great bones for a lesson, but I feel as if I was answering a lot of questions on the fly about those sort of topics that should be more concrete.

My students were engaged and began to understand how different forms of government can have real consequences.

I am wondering if each group is assigned a different form of gov't? Or do the groups continually rework their solution based on reconsidering the problem now that their form of gov't has changed? I want to do this but am unclear on the steps. Thanks!

My class really enjoyed working together on the challenges and trying to imitate the different styles of government accurately. However there was a question about what happens between Problem 1 and Problem two. They wondered if the soldiers they hired from Problem one could be retained and carried over to help with problem two. Because it was assumed that soldiers were kept indefinitely, there was little chance that money would become a problem. I think if it were noted that soldiers retire after the second problem it might illustrate the fact that you should not put all your eggs into one basket,or you should not throw all your resources at one problem. It was a very engaging and active classroom activity and I believe they will remember it.