Introduction: You made it. Ten empires/time periods, countless laws and leaders, and endless people.
Now, it’s time to be master of your own empire from designing it’s location to setting up its rules and laws. As almost 8 th graders, this is also a test of your responsibility, work ethic, attention to detail, and time management skills. You can do it.
Directions: This project has several parts. You will complete each part by its due date (or before) and move on the next portion of the project until you are done or it’s summer vacation. Whichever comes first 
Part 1: The Planning. DUE June 6.
Complete the questions below about what your country/empire/city-state/nation will be. Use your imagination. The sky is the limit. Have fun. Want your country to be underground? Sure. Want your people to speak only in grunts? Why not. There are just two rules: 1. It must be logical. Don’t have tropical vegetation in a desert. 2. You must answer all the questions in as much detail as possible. This should be your very best work of the entire school year. Neat, detailed, professional. Answer on lined paper. Number the questions. Write the questions. Skip one line between the question and your response. Answer the question in the fullest detail possible. Answer all parts of the question.
1.
What is the name of your country?
2.
Where is your country located?
3.
Describe the physical geography of your country. Does it have mountains? Is it an island? Is it landlocked? Does it have multiple regions?
4.
Describe the climate and vegetation of your country. What kind of weather does your country normally get? Is it cold and snowy? Is it dry? Is it a desert? Does it have rain forests?
Remember that the climate and vegetation must be logical to the physical geography of your country.
5.
Discuss the natural resources found in your country. Do the people in your country have an abundant source, or are they required to import it? Do they have any resources to export? Do they mine for gold or diamonds or anything else?
1 person: In my country, the natural resources are water, timber and wool. We have an abundant source of those three, but lack other natural resources for our people to survive. As a result, we use those as our main export goods to other countries. However, we don’t have natural resources that will feed our population, so we need to import food goods like grains, meats, and fruits/vegetables.
2 person group: In my country, the natural resources are water, timber and wool. In our nation, we have access to water through the ocean we border, and the two lakes on the western and eastern end.
Bordering the water is a forest that runs along the length of our water sources. Our nation has ample farmland to raise sheep, so we have plenty of wool to export to other nations. We have an abundant source of those three, but lack other natural resources for our people to survive. As a result, we use those as our main export goods to other countries. However, we don’t have natural resources that will

feed our population, so we need to import food goods like grains, meats, and fruits/vegetables. We have trade agreements with other nations that grow cattle, wheat, barley, and seasonal produce.
2 person group: In my country, the natural resources are water, timber and wool. In our nation, we have access to water through the ocean we border, and the two lakes on the western and eastern end.
Bordering the water is a forest that runs along the length of our water sources. Our nation has ample farmland to raise sheep, so we have plenty of wool to export to other nations. We have an abundant source of those three, but lack other natural resources for our people to survive. As a result, we use those as our main export goods to other countries. However, we don’t have natural resources that will feed our population, so we need to import food goods like grains, meats, and fruits/vegetables. We have trade agreements with other nations that grow cattle, wheat, barley, and seasonal produce.
6.
Describe the population of your country. Where do people live? Why do they live there? Does your country have a huge population, or a very small one? Is your country’s population growing? Why or why not? Do people in your country migrate a lot or do they stay put?
7.
Describe your country’s cultural traits. What kinds of work do they do? What are their beliefs?
Do they have any interesting ways of doing things? What kinds of foods do they eat? What is the language of your country? Do they have multiple languages?
8.
Describe the religion of your country’s people. Are they Christians? Buddhists? Hindu? Your own made-up religion?
9.
Describe the social structure of your country’s people. Are there social classes in your country?
What are they? Is family important to the people of your country? If so, are nuclear or extended families more prevalent?
10.
What kind of economic system do the people of your country use? Do they use barter? A certain currency? If so, what type of currency is it? What is the money called in your country?
Do the people even use money?
11.
What kind of political system does your country have? Is it a monarchy, a republic, a caliphate, a tribe? Is your country governed by one big central government or is it run by many smaller governments at the local level?
Part 2: The Map. DUE June 11.
Create a map of your fictional country. Your map must have: a key, a scale, a compass rose, and a minimum of 10 major physical features. It must show at least one city or town—your nation’s capital. It should show any borders it has with other countries. It should be colorful, creative, and neat. It should be large enough to be seen clearly from other table groups. Minimum size is one FULL piece of computer paper. The map should FILL the page. Again, the more detail, the better.
Part 3: The Timeline. Due June 13.
Create a timeline of events of significant moments in your nation’s history. They should be inspired by major historical events. Did you write and sign a constitution? Free your serfs? Elect a leader? Crown a

king? Have a war? Suffer an invasion? Be creative! (Use your own ideas—not just copy these examples). Your timeline should have a minimum of 10 events and include a symbol/graphic/representation for each. Each entry should be descriptive. The timeline should reflect the ideas you came up with in Part 1 for the planning.
Part 4: The Display. DUE June 18.
Create a display of information about your fictional country. Be creative with the format: travel brochure/poster/billboard/commercial. The sky’s the limit. Whatever format you choose, it must show
ALL the information from the planning section.
Part 5: The Presentation
When you are all finished with the project, you will give us a mini-presentation on your empire/nation.
You’ll tell us about it—the cool things, why you chose what you did, basically telling us about the awesome project you created. This presentation is graded but is also important practice for 8 th grade
Language Arts when presentations will be common and expectations high.
A Note on Groups: If you wish, you may choose to complete this project with up to three of your fellow students. If you do choose to work in a group, be aware that my expectations increase with each additional group member. Because there are more people contributing to the finished product, that product ought to be much better. Groups with four members should pretty much astound me with their creativity, ingenuity, and depth. Extra credit is NOT available to groups.