Dystopian Society Activity for The Chrysalids

Society has collapsed after a nuclear war and there is little that remains of civilization. You and
your group have managed to find a pocket of land where the radiation isn’t as strong. How will
you rebuild society and survive in this new world? Answer these questions and decide as a group
what your values and methods are.

Use AI sites like ChatGPT, Consensus, Elicit, and others to research answers instead of Google.
Be aware that ChatGPT’s answers may not be accurate, so double-check them on another site!

1. Research the effects of nuclear weapons on the environment and humans and consider
how the health of your group has been affected. In your society, how will you treat those
who are affected by the radiation? Will you allow those with genetic mutations or
illnesses to stay with your group? At what point will you prioritize the healthy over the
sick? How will you make sure future generations are healthy?

2. Your group needs to produce food without the technology of today. Research old farming
techniques, Indigenous hunting and gathering practices, Viking raids and any other
methods you can think of in order to feed your group. What do you think the best method
is and why?
3. What role does religion play in your society? What freedoms or restrictions will you
place on religious practices? Is it a unifying force or a tool to control people? Research
how people live in cults, churches, and religious societies like monasteries and nunneries.

4. Research different systems of government. Will it be a democracy, theocracy, or a

different form of government? Are goods shared equally with everyone or is it based on
who worked for it? Will your economy be independent or reliant on the rest of the world?
What kind of work will be done by your citizens (ex. farming, hunting, ranching, etc.)?
5. Research crime and punishments from different time periods. What sort of system (or
systems) will be needed to deal with those who break rules or those who harm others?
How will you solve conflicts with other groups (ex. diplomacy, war, etc.)? How will you
enforce the rules of your society (ex. jail, banishment, etc.)?

6. What is the goal of your society? Do you want to return to what civilization was before
the nuclear war or do you want to make a new path for humanity (ex. take over the world,
spread your religion, build your own utopia, etc.)? What are the main values and goals
that your society is working towards beyond survival? Think about the answers to the
previous questions and how they will affect your answer here.
In this section, consider how other groups have built their societies. How would the society your
group has built interact with them? Are their beliefs and methods similar or different? Would
they have strong bonds or would they be in conflict with each other?

Groups you would be friends with and why:

Groups you would be enemies with and why: