Medieval Money, Merchants, and Morality
How does money impact our behavior? The Morgan Library & Museum’s exhibition Medieval Money, Merchants, and Morality explores how the newly widespread use of money in medieval life transformed society, often challenging and conflicting with the moral beliefs of the community.
Inspired by the exhibition, the Morgan is hosting a creative writing contest for teens. Choose an object from the Selected Images on the exhibition page and write a diary entry from the perspective of a character in the image. Who will you be? The devil or angel guiding to sin or salvation, the human with the power of the purse, the spectre of Death, or another creative choice?
Enter the Morgan’s Teen Writing contest with an original diary entry with a limit of 3,000 characters. You can describe your character’s day, state of mind, goals for the future – it’s your story!
Winners receive a $100 MasterCard gift card!
Entry Criteria:
- Identify the title of the Medieval Money artwork that inspired you in your submission.
- Participants can submit up to two diary entries per person. Character limit is 3,000 er entry.
Awards will be given in two age groups:
- Middle School (Grades 7 to 8)
- High School (Grades 9 to 12)
Entries will be judged by a panel of Morgan Library & Museum staff for originality, creative choice of perspective, and style.
Written work should be submitted in a format readable by Google Drive and/or Microsoft Word. Submissions must be written in English. Works can contain mature themes but inappropriate or graphic content is subject for removal. Four winners total will be selected and will be awarded a $100 MasterCard gift card. Prizes are non-transferable. Content will be published on the Morgan’s webpage and via our social media channels.
Morgan Teen Writing Contest Guidelines:
- Entrant must live, work, or go to school in one of the five boroughs of New York City.
- Entrant must be between 13 and 19 years of age as of the date of entry.
- Contest ends at 11:59:59 PM ET on Sunday March 10, 2024.
- Limit two entries per person, per email address.
- Winners will be notified on Friday, March 29, 2024.
- The Morgan may request a photograph of the winner to post with their writing.