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Welcome to a fun new way to teach history. Get those kids out of their seats and into some board games with these fun, interactive games.

Welcome to a fun new way to teach history. Get those kids out of their seats and into some board games with these fun, interactive games.
Ancient Greece Board Games #1 - Greek and Phoenician Colonies
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Ancient Greece Board Games #1 - Greek and Phoenician Colonies

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In this game, students will learn about the Greek and Phoenicians colonizing parts of Europe, Africa and Asia and how they spread their culture across the known world. In this game, students pick up cards, trade them, and collect them to win the game. They also collect cards on a special player board to keep track of ho fast they are advancing. There are special cards that help move the game along, as well as the players being forced to trade in order to move forward.
Ancient Rome Board Game #9 - Barbarian Invasions (social studies, history)
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Ancient Rome Board Game #9 - Barbarian Invasions (social studies, history)

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In this game, students play for domination of the game board map by placing counters and rolling the dice to see what happens. The Barbarian Invasions of Rome, occurring between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD, were a series of migrations and invasions into the Roman Empire by various Germanic tribes and other groups. This period marked the decline of Roman power and the transformation of its world. 3rd Century Crisis (235-284 AD): The Roman Empire faced internal turmoil, economic instability, and pressure from external tribes. Germanic tribes and others started to press on the Empire’s borders, exploiting its weaknesses. Gothic Wars (Late 3rd Century): The Goths, a Germanic people, began their invasions in the late 3rd century, crossing the Danube and fighting Roman forces in several battles, including the Battle of Naissus (circa 268-270 AD). Hunnic Pressure (4th-5th Century): The Huns, migrating from the east, pushed other tribes westward towards Rome’s borders. Their arrival in Europe around the late 4th century caused a significant push of Germanic tribes into Roman territories. Fall of the Western Roman Empire (5th Century): The Visigoths, under Alaric, sacked Rome in 410 AD. Other groups like the Vandals, Suebi, Burgundians, and Ostrogoths also established kingdoms within former Roman territories. The traditional date marking the fall of the Western Roman Empire is 476 AD, when the last Roman emperor of the West, Romulus Augustulus, was deposed by the Germanic king Odoacer. This period, characterized by the fragmentation of Roman authority and the establishment of Germanic kingdoms in its territories, led to the transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages in Europe.
Ancient Rome Board Game #8 Roman Tetrarchs (social studies, history)
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Ancient Rome Board Game #8 Roman Tetrarchs (social studies, history)

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In this game, play with 2-4 players, finding out about the decline of the Roman empire, and how things began to go downhill. Students will learn a little about how they tried to address some of these issues later in the Roman Empire. The period of internal turmoil preceding the reign of Diocletian, known as the Crisis of the Third Century (roughly 235-284 AD), was a time of immense instability and nearly led to the collapse of the Roman Empire. This crisis was characterized by a combination of military anarchy, economic collapse, plague, and external invasions. During this period, the Roman Empire saw over 20 emperors in just 50 years, most of whom met violent ends. The empire was also plagued by civil wars, as rival generals vied for the throne, and external threats from Germanic tribes, Persians, and others pressed on its borders. The economy was in disarray, suffering from severe inflation and a breakdown in trade, while the plague further decimated the population. Diocletian, who ruled from 284 to 305 AD, implemented a series of reforms that fundamentally transformed the structure of the Roman Empire, stabilizing it and ending the crisis. His reforms touched on various aspects of the empire, including its administration, military, economy, and even its religious life.
Ancient Rome Board Game #6 - Augustus and the Pax Romana (social studies)
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Ancient Rome Board Game #6 - Augustus and the Pax Romana (social studies)

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In this game, students pick up information cards and play them on a board to try to get 5 counters in a row. Augustus, originally named Octavian, was the first emperor of Rome, reigning from 27 B.C. to A.D. 14. After the assassination of his great-uncle and adoptive father Julius Caesar in 44 B.C., Octavian rose to power through a series of political maneuvers and military victories. He defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C., which left him as the unchallenged ruler of Rome. In 27 B.C., he was awarded the title “Augustus” by the Roman Senate, marking the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire. Augustus implemented significant reforms that stabilized the empire, secured its borders, and initiated a period of relative peace and prosperity known as the Pax Romana, or “Roman Peace.” This era lasted for more than two centuries and is characterized by a reduction in large-scale warfare, increased security for trade routes, and a flourishing of arts and culture. Augustus’ reign laid the foundations for this period, which allowed the Roman Empire to expand and prosper, reaching its zenith in terms of territorial extent, economic prosperity, and cultural achievements.
Ancient Rome Board Games #5 - Octavian vs Mark Antony (social studies, history)
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Ancient Rome Board Games #5 - Octavian vs Mark Antony (social studies, history)

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In this game, students will play each other and try to win by playing game cards and competing on a map. They either play as Mark Antony or Octavian. Background The civil war between Mark Antony and Octavian, which took place from 32-30 BC, was the final conflict of the Roman Republic. It followed the assassination of Julius Caesar and the defeat of his assassins. The war was essentially a power struggle for control of Rome. Octavian (later Augustus) accused Mark Antony of usurping power and betraying Rome through his alliance and relationship with Cleopatra VII of Egypt. The conflict culminated in the naval Battle of Actium in 31 BC, where Octavian’s forces decisively defeated those of Antony and Cleopatra, leading to their eventual suicides and Octavian’s undisputed rise to power, marking the transition from Republic to the Roman Empire.
Ancient Rome Board Games #4 - Cleopatra (social studies, history, ancient world)
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Ancient Rome Board Games #4 - Cleopatra (social studies, history, ancient world)

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Cleopatra: instructions for activity Games to play Mix and Match cut out all the cards place the cards with text in a pile face down, and the cards with pictures in a grid so you can see them all. - In a group of 2-4, students pick up a card, read it, and match it to the picture. The stories are numbered on the picture cards so that you can know the order. Memory place all the cards in a grid, face down 2-3 players pick up 2 cards per turn and try and find a match - when they get a match, they collect it and keep it in their pile Timeline use the pictures and text cards to order the 2 stories from beginning to end Background Cleopatra VII Philopator (69 BCE – 30 BCE) was the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. She is known for her intelligence, political acumen, and for having relationships with two Roman leaders, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, to protect her kingdom from Roman expansion. Her reign was marked by political and romantic alliances with these figures, leading to the eventual Roman takeover of Egypt followed by her death (traditionally said to be by snake bite) after Mark Antony’s defeat by Octavian, the future Emperor Augustus. Cleopatra remains a figure of fascination in history, literature, and art for her life’s drama and her role in shaping the course of Western history.
Ancient Rome Board Games #3 - Rome: Caesar's Civil War (social studies, history)
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Ancient Rome Board Games #3 - Rome: Caesar's Civil War (social studies, history)

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In this game, students play as either Caesar or Pompey to take control of Rome. They learn about events in the civil war that led to Caesar establishing control of the Roman Empire. The Roman Civil War between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great, from 49 BC to 45 BC, was a crucial con3ict marking the end of the Roman Republic. It began when Caesar de’ed the Senate’s order, led by Pompey, to disband his army and return to Rome. Instead, Caesar crossed the Rubicon River with his army in 49 BC, initiating a war for control of the Republic. The decisive battle occurred at Pharsalus in 48 BC, where Caesar’s forces overwhelmingly defeated Pompey’s. Pompey 3ed to Egypt, where he was assassinated. Caesar later defeated another Roman senator named Scipio in Africa. Caesar’s victory consolidated his power in Rome, leading to his dictatorship. However, his rule was short-lived, as he was assassinated in 44 BC, setting the stage for the rise of the Roman Empire under Augustus.
Ancient Rome Board Games #2 Rome: The Punic Wars (Carthage, social studies)
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Ancient Rome Board Games #2 Rome: The Punic Wars (Carthage, social studies)

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In this game, students play as either Rome or Carthage to battle against each other in a printable board game. Students use a dice to gain troops, move around the board, and capture the capital cities. To battle each other’s troops, they must win a rock, paper, scissors battle. The Punic Wars were a series of three conicts fought between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian Empire from 264 BCE to 146 BCE. The term “Punic” is derived from the Latin word “Punicus,” which means Carthaginian.
Ancient History Board Games - Rome #1 - Dominate the Peninsula (social studies)
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Ancient History Board Games - Rome #1 - Dominate the Peninsula (social studies)

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In this game, students play one on one in a printable board game to dominate the peninsula of Rome. They play cards and move on a map to achieve this. Rome’s conquest of the Italian Peninsula occurred over several centuries, starting in the 4th century BCE and culminating in the 1st century BCE. Rome, initially a small city-state, expanded through military campaigns and alliances, gradually bringing neighboring territories under its control. The process involved conflicts with other Italian city-states, such as the Samnites and Etruscans. Rome’s military prowess, political institutions, and ability to integrate conquered peoples into its society played crucial roles in the success of its conquest, ultimately leading to the establishment of the Roman Republic as a dominant power in the region.
Chinese Dynasty Board Game #10 - The Qing: Opium Wars (social studies, history)
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Chinese Dynasty Board Game #10 - The Qing: Opium Wars (social studies, history)

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In this game students play against each other to control the trade in Asia. They must pick up cards and collect them on their player boards in order to win the game. The Opium Wars were two conflicts in the mid-19th century between China and Western powers, primarily Britain. The First Opium War (1839-1842) was triggered by China’s attempts to suppress the opium trade, which Britain was using to balance trade deficits. The war ended with the Treaty of Nanking, which opened several Chinese ports to British trade and ceded Hong Kong to Britain. The Second Opium War (1856-1860), involving Britain and France against China, led to further trade concessions and the legalization of the opium trade. These wars significantly weakened China and marked the beginning of the country’s “Century of Humiliation.”
Civil War Board Games #11 The End of Slavery (Social Studies, American History)
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Civil War Board Games #11 The End of Slavery (Social Studies, American History)

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In the lead up to the Civil War, the United States was divided on slavery. Many Northern states began to abolish slavery, some gradually, some constitutionally, some through new state laws, some through court cases. Eventually all of the northern states gradually got rid of slavery. In this game, students will collect cards, trade, and try to win 3 state cards one they “free” a state from slavery.
Civil War Board Games #6 Antietam
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Civil War Board Games #6 Antietam

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This game is all about the Civil War battle of Antietam. It is ideal for learning about the locations of the capitals, the boundaries of the Confederacy and the United States in the 1860s, and it’s a quick, fun game!
Civil War Board Games #1 The Civil War Begins
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Civil War Board Games #1 The Civil War Begins

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This game is all about the Civil War supply chain, which can be connected to lessons about men having to fight and women having to take on all the jobs back home. It is ideal for learning about the locations of the states, the boundaries of the Confederacy and the United States in the 1860s, and it’s a quick, fun game!
Civil War Board Games #7 King Cotton Checkers
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Civil War Board Games #7 King Cotton Checkers

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This game is set during the Civil War when the Confederacy could not sell their cotton to England and France, because the Union was blockading their ships from leaving port. This is a perfect game to go with a Civil War lesson about this topic.
Civil War Board Games #9 Gettysburg
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Civil War Board Games #9 Gettysburg

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In this board game students are able to familiarize themselves with the events and location of the Battle of Gettysburg. The Battle of Gettysburg was a pivotal conflict during the American Civil War, fought from July 1 to 3, 1863, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It marked the largest battle in North America and resulted in a Union victory. General George G. Meade led the Union Army, while General Robert E. Lee commanded the Confederate Army. The battle’s outcome halted Lee’s invasion of the North and is considered a turning point in the war. It resulted in heavy casualties, with over 50,000 soldiers killed, wounded, or missing.
Civil War Board Games #2 The Underground Railroad
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Civil War Board Games #2 The Underground Railroad

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In this game, students will be able to interact with aspects of the Underground Railroad while holding onto some of the ideas that were central to understanding the times… The Underground Railroad was a secret network of safe houses and routes used by enslaved African Americans to escape to freedom in the North and Canada during the 19th century. Quilts were believed to be a part of the Underground Railroad’s communication system, with certain quilt patterns and designs used to convey hidden messages and directions to those seeking refuge. While the historical accuracy of this theory is debated, the idea of quilts as a form of code has become a symbol of the Underground Railroad’s ingenuity and the quilting tradition among African American communities.
Civil War Board Games #8 Peninsula Campaign
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Civil War Board Games #8 Peninsula Campaign

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The Peninsula Campaign was a Union military operation in 1862 to capture Richmond, the Confederate capital. It involved battles in the Virginia Peninsula but ended with Union withdrawal. In this game, students can play in a group of 2 or 3 to face off against their friends in the Peninsula Campaign which involved Stonewall Jackson, Robert E Lee and George McClellan.