FC.006 The Rise of Hydraulic Civilizations

When I first started teaching, this was a topic that especially seemed to bore students. So I came up with a fanciful turnip god named Mambatu around whom early farmers would build a temple and a city. It's probably the most excitement the turnip has ever incited in kids. Over the years, I've had a class that made a clay version of Mambatu, another that kidnapped him for a ransom, and various secret societies dedicated to him. While this specific scenario is fictional, the basic processes it describes are not. The current version is illustrated to visuallly show the gradual evolution of early cities. While the lesson itself is appropriate for a wide age range, the Mambatu scenario is obviously geared to younger students.



This is a self-contained PowerPoint that develops slide by slide while other notes for the students scroll down the side. It can be run as a timed presentation on its own, presented slide by slide for discussion, or integrated into your other lectures. There are also extensive pictures with captions mixed in to illustrate the lesson and capture students’ interest. This packet also contains a student reading, flowchart, and the author’s own research notes which contain lots of details and interesting trivia to spice up your class.
NOTE: I’m in the process of converting all the Powerpoints to a new color scheme over the next year. If I haven’t converted this Powerpoint to the new color scheme, I’ve included the whole flowchart in the newer color scheme on the second slide, so you can convert the other slides. Also, if you buy the old version now, you can e-mail.me so I can give you the updated version when it’s ready, free of charge.

For more information on my flowcharts and approach to teaching history, please view my profile or visit my website at www.flowofhistory.com


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