Games in the past can be a unit study or add to your history lessons. You’ll love the other history games I have too.
Do you ever wonder about people of the past spent their days?
Backgammon is one of the oldest games known right up there with chess.
It is thought to be about 5,000 years old or more and believed to have developed in Mesopotamia which is now known as Iraq.
If you are going to study a period of history, one great way to do that is to study the way they lived, how they passed their days, and interacted with one another.
Also, you can do that through playing games.
It’s even better if you create your own version.
Today, I’m showing you how to make your own easy to create and store version of the game backgammon.
Games of the Past Ancient Mesopotamia
Nobody quite knows where the name actually came from.
However, historians believe that it came from Middle English: baec – back and gamen-game.
It possibly evolved from the Royal Game of Ur and is known as the game of kings.
There is a lot of historical literature and art that portrays people playing backgammon.
The boards that are very similar to today’s versions which we have developed and still play.
Next, add some historical facts.
And hands-on ideas to make studying about games in the past fun.
Facts about Ancient Mesopotamia
- Mesopotamia is the ancient Greek name for the region that is the modern day area that is now Iraq and parts of Iran.
- It was considered part of the cradle of civilization because so much .
- Mesopotamia means 0the land between two rivers( Tigris and Euphrates).
- Many theologies and political systems developed out of Mesopotamia.
- Here the earliest writing system, cuneiform, was created.
- The Sumerians from this area are credited with inventing the wheel.
- The first law codes like the code of Hammurabi and the Code of Urukagina were created here.
- Mesopotamia is located in the area that archaeologists call The Fertile Crescent, called so because of the rich soil beds from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
- There is very little of ancient Mesopotamia that still stands because they made their buildings out of sun-dried bricks that didn’t last as long.
- A lot of what we do know today is found out from clay tablets that were found in the library in the city of Nineveh.
Too, I’ll list some hands-on ideas below.
In addition, you’ll love these other history game resources on my site.
Other Fun History Games Resources
Look at them below.
- Easy Hands-on Fun Ancient Greek Games for Kids DIY Knucklebones
- Unit Study: French Revolution + Free Storming the Bastille Game
- 7 Super Fun History Games to Bring the Past to Life
- Free Ancient Egypt Mehen Printable Board Game (Hands-on History)
- Free Ancient Greece Go Fish Game – Ancient Greece Unit Study
- 13 Free and Fun BEST Printable History Board Game
And look below here for hands-on activities.
DIY Backgammon Game
Here is what you will need:
Finally, look below at how to make this DIY backgammon.
- File folder
- 2 colors or patterns of cardstock
- Ruler
- 30 small items- blocks, buttons, coins, flat beads, etc…
- 2- six sided dice
- Glue stick
To create the long narrow wedges (points) you want to first create a template so you only have to do the measurements once.
Then, cut cardstock down to a rectangle with the height being 5”.
This is a good length for your points on a file folder.
After measure 1” across the bottom from the left and make a small pencil mark to create your 1” width.
Next, on the top left corner mark ½” over and make a mark to create the point.
Use a ruler to draw the line from each mark at the bottom to the point at the top for the elongated triangle.
Cut your template out and use it to trace and cut 12 of each of your chosen color or patterned cardstock.
Open the file folder and glue down alternating color wedges.
Put 6 on either side of the fold. Repeat on the other side of the folder.
Allow the glue to dry completely before closing the folder.
You can use anything you have on hand for your checkers if two different colors or other identification for each player.
For example, buttons, small erasers, coins, tiny figures, checkers from another game, etc..
I found these tiny little unfinished squares and painted half (15) gold and left half unfinished.
Store them in a ziploc bag with your dice and tape to the back of your file folder if you like.
Grab several file folders and challenge your child to invent their own file folder game for today’s civilization.
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