Download First Civilizations and Empires Rap Project Introduction: In groups of

First Civilizations and Empires Rap Project
Introduction: In groups of three or four, you will develop lyrics for a rap song about an early
civilization. You can perform it live or record it on video and play it in class. It must teach the
rest of class about your assigned civilization or empire.
Requirements of Rap: Your rap must do all of the following
1. Words in each line must rhyme (use an online rhyming dictionary, such as the one I posted
on mrxafa to help you with this. When you type in a word, the rhyming dictionary will find
words that sound the same for you. If you can't find words that match your word, type in a
word that sounds like your word (for example, instead of "Sumer," type hair or pair).
a. Your rap doesn't have to be perfect but does have to show effort.
b. Go to rhymezone.com to find a rhyming dictionary.
c. Go to youtube.com and type rap background music (or, something similar, to find
music).
d. Go to freesound.org to find sound effects.
2. It must cover all of the content for your civilization (see content below and on mrxafa).
3. All group members must write and perform an equal portion of the rap.
4. The rap must be at least four minutes long.
5. The rap must include a shout out to Mr. X.
6. Dressing up is optional but can get your group a few extra points if you put in a lot of effort.
7. Your rap must be appropriate for a classroom setting.
8. You will receive a grade for your work each day in class. This is not a homework assignment. If you do
not work in class, don't expect a good grade! You can always add more to your song by researching
details about your civilization on the Internet or in a book.
9. Your HOMEWORK while the project is being work on in class is to learn the content listed below,
starting with your group's content. You will do this over several nights.
I. Sumerian Civilization arose around 3500 B.C.E. The Bronze Age in Mesopotamia began around 3,000
B.C.E. The Bronze Age refers to the period when humans began significantly using bronze to make tools
and weapons.
A. Sumerian civilization was located in Mesopotamia, the "land between the rivers." These rivers were
the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, which flooded unpredictably from year to year. This led the
Mesopotamians to develop a somewhat negative view of their gods and the afterlife. Mesopotamia is
in the Fertile Crescent, an arc of land stretching from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea.
B. The Sumerians were the first to develop all five characteristics of civilization.
1. They were the first to develop writing. This writing evolved into a writing system called
cuneiform ("wedge-shaped writing").
2. They built ziggurats, or tiered pyramids with a temple on top. These pyramids are an example
of a large-scale public work. Sumerian city walls and irrigation systems are other examples of such
works.
3. They invented the wheel, sailboat, and plow.
4. They invented a number system based on 60 and used geometry to survey land.
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C. The Sumerians were divided into city-states that fought a lot. They were initially ruled by priests.
Priests gained power because they acted as mediators (go betweens) between humans and the gods.
Eventually military strongmen became kings called lugals.
II. Egyptian Civilization
A. Egyptian civilization developed along the predictable Nile River in northwest Africa. It was predictable
because it flooded regularly. Because of this, Egypt has sometimes been described as the "gift of the
Nile."
B. In 3100 B.C.E., King Menes united Lower and Upper Egypt starting ancient Egyptian civilization. The
main periods of Egyptian history are the Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom
C. During the Old Kingdom, pharaohs became god-kings. The most important gods were Horus, the sun
god, and Osiris, the god of the dead whose myth explained mummification (wrapping up bodies to
preserve them). Important pharaohs were entombed in pyramids, such as those at Giza near Cairo,
Egypt.
D. During the Middle Kingdom, temple priesthoods became more powerful. They ran temple
complexes, such as the most important ones built at Luxor and Karnak. Because of tomb-looting,
pharaohs began to be entombed in secret underground locations, such as the Valley of the Kings.
E. During the New Kingdom, the Egyptians built an empire stretching north to Syria and west to Libya.
The pharaoh Akhenaten made the priesthoods mad by trying to start a monotheistic (one-god) religion.
F. King Tutankhamen was the son of Akhenaten. He was not an important pharaoh. He is very
important to archaeologists and historians because his tomb was left undisturbed until it was
discovered in the 1920s.
G. The most famous powerful New Kingdom pharaoh was Ramses II. He fought the Hittites, an ironworking people from Turkey, at the Battle of Kadesh (1274). This is the first great battle for which we
have good records. The battle was fought to a standstill, and the world's first peace treaty may have
been signed there. Ramses II was a great builder. His most famous construction projects may have been
the Temples at Abu Simbel. These temples were carved into the face of a cliff.
H. The Egyptians developed a writing system called hieroglyphics ("holy writing"). The Egyptians wrote
on a sort of paper made from papyrus, a plant that grows along the Nile River.
i. The Egyptians were eventually conquered by the Romans in 31 B.C.E.
III. Babylonian Empire
A. Sargon of Akkad conquered the Sumerians and created the world's first empire in the 24th century
B.C.E.
B. The Amorites, or Old Babylonians, conquered the Akkadians and established an empire with its
capital at Babylon. Babylon was one of the most famous cities of ancient times.
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C. Hammurabi was the most famous Amorite/Old Babylonian king. He is most famous for his law code
(the Code of Hammurabi). This code included 272 laws that governed everything from marriage and
property rights to murder. It was a modern law code in some ways, but at the same time, it
discriminated (treated people differently) based on social status. It also included the concept of "an eye
for an eye." For example, many violations of this law code were punishable by death.
D. The Temple of Babel was probably a Babylonian ziggurat.
E. The Assyrian Empire was a very warlike empire known for using extreme violence to conquer and
keep control of its empire. In spite of this, one famous Assyrian leader, Ashurbanipal, built one of the
greatest libraries of ancient times with over 20,000 cuneiform tablets. The Assyrians are also famous for
conquering the kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C.E. This kingdom of Israel had been part of a larger kingdom
of Israel a couple of centuries earlier.
F. Cuneiform was the most popular writing system in Mesopotamia for thousands of years. The Epic of
Gilgamesh was a great epic poem written using cuneiform. The version we study dates from the
Assyrian Empire in the 7th century (from the reign of King Ashurbanipal). An epic poem is a very long
poem that tells stories of gods and heroes. This poem tells the story of a great king who goes on great
adventures with a friend Enkidu. When his friend's death was caused by a God, Gilgamesh searched for
the key to immortality (endless life). During the story, he meets an immortal and Noah-like figure who
tells the story of a great flood. Gilgamesh eventually gets and loses the secret to immortality. In the end,
however, he learns that the true secret to immortality is to accomplish great things in this life. This is the
poem's main theme.
IV. Persian Empire
A. The Persians built the greatest Mesopotamian empire prior to that of the Romans. Their empire
stretched from northeastern India in the east to Greece in the west. The core of its empire was the area
that is now Iran. Its famous capital was Ninevah.
B. Persian King Cyrus the Great is highly admired by Jews in the Hebrew Bible. When Cyrus conquered
Babylon in the 5th century B.C.E., he allowed Jews to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild their temple.
C. The Persians used governors called satraps to rule provinces of their empire. They also had spies keep
an eye on the people and report back to the king.
D. One of the most important engineering achievements of the Persians was the Royal Road, which
connected the important cities of Susa and Sardis. Darius I ordered its construction to make it easier to
communicate with various parts of his empire. A system of messengers on horseback quickly moved
messages back and forth. Trees and rest areas with water made it easier for messengers and merchants
to travel across the Royal Road.
E. Darius II is famous for attacking the Greeks in 490 B.C.E. when the Greeks refused to submit to
Persian rule. Somehow, the much bigger Persian Empire lost. His son Xerxes tried again in 480 B.C.E.,
but lost in 479 after some tough fighting.
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F. One of the most famous structures of the Persian Empire was the Mausoleum at Helicarnassus,
otherwise known as the Tomb of Mausolus. The term mausoleum comes from it. It was a tomb for a
famous Persian satrap (governor) and his wife. It looks like a concrete monument with a temple on top.
A number of modern buildings are based on it.
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