How would you capitalize on today's knowledge if taken back to 1500AD.

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Brigandier

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2008
4,394
2
81
I'd change a musket to a rifled barrel and tell them that rats are spreading plauge. This would make me a rich and well known man. Lastly I would introduce the idea of shaving the beaver; I am sure those medieval broads had some seriously thick, fibrous bush going on down there. Since I'd use my celebrity status to bang so many of those ladies, I'd want that taken care of.

Waxing, my friend.
 

Linflas

Lifer
Jan 30, 2001
15,395
78
91
I'd change a musket to a rifled barrel and tell them that rats are spreading plauge. This would make me a rich and well known man. Lastly I would introduce the idea of shaving the beaver; I am sure those medieval broads had some seriously thick, fibrous bush going on down there. Since I'd use my celebrity status to bang so many of those ladies, I'd want that taken care of.

Actually if you really wanted to do a 16th century woman a big favor you would "invent" the disposable sanitary napkin.
 

darkxshade

Lifer
Mar 31, 2001
13,749
6
81
I would become a "doctor". Even a layman's knowledge of medicine would be far in advance of anything they knew in the 1500's regarding bacteria and the importance of a sterile environment in dealing with common injuries.

Like what?


I considered medicine as a good route to go but then I thought how exactly would you diagnose and treat a patient? The diseases they faced in that era were pretty nasty stuff. So unless you meant to say you'd be a glorified specialist in bandaging injuries in a clean way, I'm not sure what else more you could do medicine wise if you had no prior expertise in this field.
 

nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,808
83
91
I could probably invent sliced bread. I'd need help, but I think I could reasonably invent a contraption that involved a series of evenly-spaced knives descending onto a loaf of bread.

also, I know how to distill alcohol... I could invent moonshine :D
 

Via

Diamond Member
Jan 14, 2009
4,670
4
0
Where would I be (appear)? Europe? Africa? North America?

1500 AD, so European contact with the new world had just happened. I would play that angle for sure.

Maybe I'd go back with the knowledge of precious metal deposits somewhere (such as the California Gold rush locations) and begin by making a fortune that way.
 

tk149

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2002
7,253
1
0
I'm going to man up and admit that, as an Asian guy who doesn't speak the local language, I'd be fvcked at best, and burned as some kind of devil at worst.

What happens when a whole American town gets thrown back in time?

http://1632.org/

In April of the year 2000, a six-mile sphere centered on Grantville, West Virginia was displaced in space and time to Germany and May, 1631. The inhabitants of Grantville decided to start the American revolution early; the nobility of Europe were not amused.
 

darkewaffle

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
8,152
1
81
Can't I just go back 15 years instead of all the way to the 1500s? That'd be a lot more comfortable.
 

JS80

Lifer
Oct 24, 2005
26,271
7
81
I work metal now. I'd immediately go to work as the blacksmith's apprentice. Instant roof over my head and food, and access to the best tech of the day with the ability to use that to build modern tech.

How would you do that without DIY youtube videos?
 

Brigandier

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2008
4,394
2
81
read the first sentence there sparky. :)

Lol, it's true that everyone's best bet would be to find a tradesman and apprentice under him for awhile. I'd try to find a bricklayer at first, and eventually track down the free masons. Attempt to catch their eye, and profit. Anyone that got seriously good at their trade would probably get offers from them though. It's kinda like the ultimate old school promotion.
 

chitwood

Golden Member
Aug 21, 2008
1,207
56
91
you are all kidding yourselves, not a single one of you would last a week without your cellphone, car, internets.. not to mention heat, electricity, running water
 

child of wonder

Diamond Member
Aug 31, 2006
8,307
176
106
Like what?


I considered medicine as a good route to go but then I thought how exactly would you diagnose and treat a patient? The diseases they faced in that era were pretty nasty stuff. So unless you meant to say you'd be a glorified specialist in bandaging injuries in a clean way, I'm not sure what else more you could do medicine wise if you had no prior expertise in this field.

I'd be willing to bet that someone who knows enough to ensure sanitary conditions, not to "bleed" patients to remove "bad blood," etc. would have at least as successful healing rate of conventional doctors of the time.
 

gophins72

Golden Member
Jul 22, 2005
1,541
0
76
problem is we woudln't speak the language. any language. even english is much different now than back then. as americans, we have a hard time speaking with scottish in today's age.


edit: and OP needed the disclaimer at the end of his post "I have only done this once before"
 
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sourceninja

Diamond Member
Mar 8, 2005
8,805
65
91
Just make sure you can take this with you.

Time+Travel+Cheat+Sheet.jpg
 

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
Lol, it's true that everyone's best bet would be to find a tradesman and apprentice under him for awhile. I'd try to find a bricklayer at first, and eventually track down the free masons. Attempt to catch their eye, and profit. Anyone that got seriously good at their trade would probably get offers from them though. It's kinda like the ultimate old school promotion.

Almost any of us would lead the world in medicine. Just boiling water would go a long way to prevent many ailments. Hygiene is another. They knew nothing of microbes, you do. they knew nothing of transmission you do. Best thing would be convince them that you're a doctor to get things started and go from there. Not a friken brick layer. Those boys knew how to work we don't and would be quickily fired.
 

Perknose

Forum Director & Omnipotent Overlord
Forum Director
Oct 9, 1999
46,554
9,905
146
I'd do two things. I'd breed dogs and horses for money. And, since Gutenberg was only a few decades dead but neither he nor his invention had gained much popular fame yet, I'd take my breeding profits and use them to buy/construct several printing presses and become the media mogul of the 16th century!

Four words: Religious porn, profusely illustrated. :biggrin:
 

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,908
2,141
126
I've often thought about this, and I think I would do pretty well. I know how to make penicillin. I know how to make precision tools such as thermometers, barometers, microscope, telescope, compass, etc.

The main problem would be getting raw materials. Also as mentioned, the language barrier would be difficult to overcome- you would have to learn a whole new language, all the while not exposing yourself as being "weird."

If I could bring some kind of rechargeable information device (like a Kindle or something) to keep an encyclopedia, I'd be set :) I think I could make a hand cranked dynamo to recharge it.
 

Chaotic42

Lifer
Jun 15, 2001
33,932
1,113
126
I'd probably become a doctor. My current job existed then, but it wouldn't be any fun to do, I'd imagine. I'd have to stay low and avoid the Catholic Chruch.
 

darkxshade

Lifer
Mar 31, 2001
13,749
6
81
I'd be willing to bet that someone who knows enough to ensure sanitary conditions, not to "bleed" patients to remove "bad blood," etc. would have at least as successful healing rate of conventional doctors of the time.

Not that I know enough about medicine of that time but if there are any "conventional doctors" already, then you're not setting yourself apart. What would you accomplish simply by knowing what not to do because that's only half the solution IMO. So you know not to bleed bad blood... a patient comes to you say with a bad rash of some sort, what do you do? How do you diagnose them? How do you treat them? How do you protect yourself from infection? You may be as clean as you can be but it's not like there were any had latex gloves or clean rooms for you to operate in. Acquiring [anti-bacterial] soap was probably a challenge in of itself.
 
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Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
I've often thought about this, and I think I would do pretty well. I know how to make penicillin. I know how to make precision tools such as thermometers, barometers, microscope, telescope, compass, etc.

The main problem would be getting raw materials. Also as mentioned, the language barrier would be difficult to overcome- you would have to learn a whole new language, all the while not exposing yourself as being "weird."

If I could bring some kind of rechargeable information device (like a Kindle or something) to keep an encyclopedia, I'd be set :) I think I could make a hand cranked dynamo to recharge it.

I can read 16th century English just fine.
 

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
I'd probably become a doctor. My current job existed then, but it wouldn't be any fun to do, I'd imagine. I'd have to stay low and avoid the Catholic Chruch.

That's where power is at, that's who will save you for actually being able to read when 99.99% can't, that's who will have to save you from ignorant mobs who see's silver and gold in your white teeth and being a foot taller than everyone.
 

PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,747
579
126
Almost any of us would lead the world in medicine. Just boiling water would go a long way to prevent many ailments. Hygiene is another. They knew nothing of microbes, you do. they knew nothing of transmission you do. Best thing would be convince them that you're a doctor to get things started and go from there. Not a friken brick layer. Those boys knew how to work we don't and would be quickily fired.

It's true about the hard work thing. All of would most likely be fired for being lazy and weak. But I don't see how I can just show up and claim to be a doctor when most people will assume I'm a strangely dressed retard. They'll continue to take the sage advice of the established medical professions who bleed them with leeches and give them elixirs that contain arsenic or lead as cures because they have nice robes, references and sound intelligent.

It's true the basic knowledge of germs and sanitation would be the most easily implemented and beneficial things your average person sent back in time would know though. I just don't know how you could get into a good position to leverage it. Maybe I could sell my sneakers and teeth to get started.