History is interesting and sometimes exciting, but the way it is communicated in the classroom is all too often, an incredible bore. Rote memorization of battles and dates, was to this budding scientist a real snooze. Later, in college, I was introduced to a new type of boredom, the analysis of minute details of a person’s background to discover how personality and personal experiences shaped the actions or writings that made “history”.
Well, I wish the folks at Flocabulary were around when I was young. This company makes hip-hop educational! They have hip-hop lessons for current events, writing, math and science, and yes, you guessed it, history. Their Mesopotamian rap called “We’re in that Fertile Crescent” is a work of genius. Anyone who can bust a rhyme with Nebuchadnezzar is my hero (or heroine). Some of the lyrics are below and on the official site come with hyperlinks to definitions and further information.
We’re in that Fertile Crescent
A Sumerian:
We’re chilling like it’s summer, in our Sumerian city-states,
Inventing the arch, we put it on our city gates.
We built the temples, ziggurats,
We’re swimming when it’s very hot,
In the Tigris and Euphrates, baby.
In the Tigris and Euphrates, baby.
In the Tigris and Euphrates, baby.
Each city is unique, we don’t have to wear a uniform,
But when we’re writing it, we write it in cuneiform.
Sargon:
I roll through, invading them; I’m Sargon the Great,
Empire builder for the Akkadians.
Hammurabi:
Sorry Sargon, your empire couldn’t last,
I babble on these tracks, put Babylon on the maps.
I’m Hammurabi, you can call me Papi,
Made a strict code, ’cause your laws were sloppy.
Hammurabi’s Code matches tooth for tooth,
Poke an eye out and get yours poked out too.
An Assyrian:
We’re the Assyrians, assassins,
Seriously dangerous when we’re blasting, we took your men captive.
Burnt Babylon, built a library instead,
With that old book: Epic of Gilgamesh.
What? We’re in that Fertile Crescent,
Sargon, you smell, need some Herbal Essence.
I keep it quick, like a turtle’s breakfast,
Time’s up, better learn your lessons.
Nebuchadnezzar:
Nobody ruled better, I’m Nebuchadnezzar,
Me and my Chaldeans are sharper than cheddar.
We’re so holy like Swiss cheese,
One day my wife said, “Neb, I miss trees.
This city life is too hard for me,
All is see is brown, baby, I need garden-green.”
So I built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon for my girl,
It’s one of the seven wonders of the world . . .
Check out this new Silk Road Resource and kick it old school while you cook! (Words by Laura Kelley; Rhymes by Flocabulary)