Grade 6 Lesson at a Glance: Chapter 6, Lesson 3

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
A Message of Ancient Days

Lesson at a Glance
Chapter 6, Lesson 3: The First Empires (pp. 168-173)

The Big Idea
Framework Concept: Conflict Strong rulers conquered and combined Mesopotamia's city-states into the world's first empires.

Discuss how city-states were combined under strong rulers to form empires. Explore how, once created, empires were vulnerable to rebellions from within and invasions from without.

Talk about why Hammurabi's Code was such an important advance. Ask students about the advantages and disadvantages of an empire based on laws rather than individual power.

Lesson Outline
Use the Lesson Outline to preview the content of the lesson. You may wish to print it for your students as a guide during reading.

Check for Understanding

Ask each student to make a list of 10 ways a ruler from Mesopotamia might use to keep an empire together. Then draft a law code from your list.
Have students work in groups and use the sample items from Hammurabi's Code to come up with a code of laws for your classroom. Share and discuss.

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