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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.
American Revolution Board Games #15 Valley Forge
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American Revolution Board Games #15 Valley Forge

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This game will enable students to have fun and learn some of the key elements of Valley Forge. Valley Forge was a pivotal winter encampment during the American Revolutionary War in 1777-1778. It was a harsh and challenging period for George Washington’s Continental Army, where soldiers endured extreme hardships, including cold, hunger, and disease, but it also marked a turning point as they emerged better trained and more resilient, ultimately contributing to the American victory in the war.
Civil War Board Games #5 The Anaconda Plan
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Civil War Board Games #5 The Anaconda Plan

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This game is based on The Battle of New Orleans and General Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan in 1862. It is a game where students fight over the board by placing counters and trying to dominate the certain strategic spots. The Anaconda Plan was a Union strategy during the American Civil War to defeat the Confederacy by slowly squeezing it into submission. It aimed to block Confederate ports, control the Mississippi River, and cut off vital supply lines, like an anaconda constricting its prey.
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.
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 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 #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.
American Revolution Board Games #9 Race for the New World
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American Revolution Board Games #9 Race for the New World

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Students battle with each other for control of the New World in this board game. Spain: In the late 15th and early 16th centuries, Spain led the way in exploring and conquering the Americas under explorers like Christopher Columbus and Hernán Cortés. They established vast colonies and empires in regions that would become modern-day Latin America and the southwestern United States. France: France also explored and claimed parts of the New World in the 16th century, particularly in North America. French explorers like Jacques Cartier and Samuel de Champlain played a significant role in the establishment of territories in present-day Canada and the Mississippi River Valley. Britain: The English, later forming the Kingdom of Great Britain, began their colonization efforts in North America during the early 17th century. Jamestown, Virginia, was one of the first successful English settlements. Over time, the British established the Thirteen Colonies along the Atlantic coast, which would eventually become the United States of America. These three European powers played a crucial role in shaping the New World through exploration, conquest, and colonization, contributing to the cultural, political, and economic foundations of the Americas.
American Revolution Board Games #12 Retreat from New York
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American Revolution Board Games #12 Retreat from New York

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During the American Revolution New York came under attack from British troops and George Washington had to retreat from New York City. This is a game that shows the famous retreat, George Washington’s headquarters at Morris House, the forts Fort Lee and Fort Washington, and the island of Manhattan where the retreat took place. This game is perfect to learn about the battle and to have kids interact with the map. It can be played with counters, or you can use army men (for added engagement!)
American Revolution Board Games #11 The Battle of Long Island
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American Revolution Board Games #11 The Battle of Long Island

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This board game is perfect for teaching alongside American History. It shows the Battle of Long Island, also known as Washington’s Retreat, in which Washington had to escape the British in New York harbor. I find these games helpful for allowing kids to remember what actually happened, vs what could have happened. It also familiarizes them with real life places.
American Revolution Board Games #14 Saratoga
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American Revolution Board Games #14 Saratoga

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This board-game is a great way for students to learn about the American Revolution in a way that is interactive and tangible. They get to see the routes that the british took in order to capture Philadelphia and can truly see how an attack on Albany would have gone better with 3 fighting divisions advancing instead of 2.
American Revolution Board Games #16 Siege of Savannah
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American Revolution Board Games #16 Siege of Savannah

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This is a boardgame based on the Siege of Savannah 1779, which explores the elements of war, helping students understand about different aspects of the battle, like the French alliance, trench building and use of cavalry. To play this game and win students must get 5 icons in a row.
American Revolution Board Games #2 France Vs Britain
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American Revolution Board Games #2 France Vs Britain

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This game is ideal for learning about the battle for control of North America. It is a basic game of conquest with an added twist of ‘Rock,Paper,Scissors’ to decide who wins the battles. Background The French and Indian War (1754-1763) was a conflict between France and Britain, primarily fought in North America. France and its Native American allies contested British territorial expansion, leading to a series of battles. The war concluded with the Treaty of Paris in 1763, where Britain gained control of Canada and other French territories in North America, marking a shift in the global balance of power. This war laid the groundwork for subsequent tensions that contributed to the American Revolution.
American Revolution Boardgame #7 Lexington and Concord
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American Revolution Boardgame #7 Lexington and Concord

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The game Lexington and Concord allows students to interact with the elements of the story of “The Shot Heard Around the World” by having them go over the ideas of Sam Adams and John Hancock being pursued by the British, and General Gage searching for supplies in Concord.
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.”