Trading Without Money

Barter, and why it can be hard.

Warm-up, learn, try it together, practice, then a quick check. About 15 minutes.

What children learn in Level 56

Long ago, before people used money, they traded goods and services for other goods and services. That's called barter.
Ava has apples and wants a pencil. Sam has a pencil and wants apples. They can barter! Each one has what the other wants.
But what if Sam wants stickers, not apples? Then Ava is stuck. With barter, you must find someone who has what you want, and wants what you have.
Barter has other problems. How many apples is a cow worth? And you can't cut a goat in half to buy one loaf of bread!
Here in Georgia, the Muscogee and Cherokee traded deerskins with settlers for cloth, pots, and tools, at places like Mary Musgrove's trading post.
Your turn! Sort them: barter, or using money?

Georgia Standards of Excellence in Social Studies:

SS2E3 — Explain that people usually use money to obtain the goods and services they want and explain how money makes trade easier than barter.