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So, a group of three people were experimenting with a time machine, and were transported back to 17th century Salem. The male is wearing a red hoodie and some jeans, the female is wearing leggings and a crop top, and the other male is just wearing a letterman jacket. They get transported back with only the clothes on their backs, a calculator, and a pack of cigarettes w/ a lighter. They have to find a way to get money to get food and stuff, so my question is: With modern day skills, what job could these people do that would give them money?

DT Cooper
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    What are "modern day skills?" Also, why is hard labor not okay? Why can't they sell their cigarettes + lighter? What is their knowledge level of sciences and mathematics? Can they teach? Too broad and POB. VTCing. – Aify May 27 '18 at 22:45
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    VTC = vote to close. Your question might be put on hold (from my experience with other StackExchange websites). You also don't need to tell people to "shut up" if they're trying to understand the wording of your question. Also, you assume that in the 17th century, our modern qualifications would be not acceptable in the past. People at that time provided services to other people. There weren't too many jobs where you could "apply for" unless you're wanting to become some paladin knight for your king. Kinda like farmers today. Farmers became farmers on their own. –  May 27 '18 at 23:32
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    It all depends on what Salem they find themselves in. Salem in India was a relatively big city, so there were plenty of jobs available; do the the characters speak Tamil? Salem near Stockholm was a moderately prosperous town; there may be jobs for servants, waiters, tailors, tinkers. Do the characters spreak Swedish? Salem in America was a poor village. There may be jobs for indentured servants. – AlexP May 28 '18 at 00:10
  • @AlexP: Sorry, it’s the Salem near Stockholm – DT Cooper May 28 '18 at 00:16
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    Possible duplicate of How would people in 17th century Salem react to modern day clothing – StephenG - Help Ukraine May 28 '18 at 01:34
  • VTC as looks like a duplicate ( and note the clothing mentioned is identical despite these being two different user ids !? ) – StephenG - Help Ukraine May 28 '18 at 01:36
  • @StephenG: Sorry, I did copy the cloth, but this isn’t a duplicate, I’m asking a different Question – DT Cooper May 28 '18 at 01:57
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    I note that just 8 hours ago a respected member asked you not to use "inflammatory language" and yet here I see a mere 3 hours ago a "shut up" to another member. Most users never attract this attention to themselves. People will disagree with you at different times on WB SE and they're entitled to. You can make reasonable logical comments why you think they're wrong and that's it. Good rule : read it twice before sending it - this isn't twitter. – StephenG - Help Ukraine May 28 '18 at 02:24
  • @StephenG: I wasn’t being serious – DT Cooper May 28 '18 at 02:35
  • Glad to hear it, but remember that we can't tell that from what you type. Use a smiley if you're joking - it helps. Thanks. – StephenG - Help Ukraine May 28 '18 at 02:42
  • @StephenG: ok, I’ll make a conscious effort on do so. – DT Cooper May 28 '18 at 03:00
  • Do they know how purple artificial dyes were created? That would give them a lot of money. – Alberto Yagos May 28 '18 at 06:02

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The most fun thing they could do is to publish Sir Isaac Newtons laws of motion in their name. He presented it in 1686 so you have some time to build up a reputation in mathematics and science. Back then your college level knowledge would already be mind blowingly large for the people of that time.

Firstly, you would need to find someone who is well known, famous of well versed in maths and science. I have no idea who and I'm not going to bother doing the research for you. But you can trade your clothes to some rich person and use that money to get an audience. Present your new foundings and publish them with said rich person. Go to whatever party they are throwing to tell all their rich friends about the new discovery and then use your social skills to mingle with them. Keep releasing new theories before their time and have your name recorded down in history.

The next best thing, if you arrive at the start of the 17th century would be to release all of William Shakespeare plays before he released them.... You get the idea right? Here is a list of people who where famous in the 17th century. Just plagiarize their works before they could https://www.thefamouspeople.com/17th-century.php

Shadowzee
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    I doubt college level knowledge would allow more than babbling about gravity. Don't forget Newton also built the calculation method behind gravvity... I doubt any college graduate nowadays can calculate orbits with just paper and pen... – L.Dutch May 28 '18 at 03:37
  • @ Shadowzee If they are going back to Salem, Mass in the time of the Witchcraft Trials as I suspect, the year is 1692, or 5 years AFTER Newton published his theories. – M. A. Golding May 28 '18 at 21:00
  • @M.A.Golding I know that the year was mentioned in the other question, but it wasn't in this question. – Shadowzee May 28 '18 at 23:55