World History Plays Bundle- Japan, Medieval Europe, Enlightenment, Renaissance

This purchase includes five separate class plays about the Chinese influence on Japan, King John signing the Magna Carta, the Founding of America with the help of Enlightenment philosophers, as well as the Masters of the Renaissance and The Black Death. You will also receive some questions which can be given to the class after the play is finished as well as both pdf. and .doc files. My students have enjoyed these fun and educational plays and seem to never get enough of them.

The first play is the longest and takes place in 1774. It centers around 31 year old Thomas Jefferson and 70 year old Benjamin Franklin as they discuss the impending war with England and how they should go about declaring independence. They decide to summon the spirits of deceased Enlightenment philosophers while also conversing with famous figures who are still alive to get tips on how to form a new government. This is a great intro or concluding activity during an Enlightenment unit.

The play is filled with important concepts like natural rights, responsibilities of the government, the social contract, check and balances, and women's rights.

It is also infused with humor. Students will have a great time inhabiting:

Cranky, Old Benjamin Franklin

Frustrated Thomas Jefferson

Super-British John Locke

Pompous Frenchman Jean Jacques Rousseau

Sleep-Deprived Montesquieu

Feminist Mary Wollstonecraft

Founding of America : Age of Enlightenment

The second play revolves around King John and the signing of the Magna Carta. It is loosely based on actual events and examines grievances many barons had with the King, including habeas corpus, taxation, and wartime duties, among others. The script includes 12 characters and has plenty of humorous moments.

King John and the Magna Carta

This play is centered around Prince Shotoku and the many ways China influenced Japan early on in its development as a nation. It's a great way to introduce a medieval Japan unit. It is loosely based on actual events and comedy is peppered in, as it is also designed to be both informative and entertaining.

Prince Shotoku and China's Influence on Japan


Another entertaining and informative installment to the play series. This time students get to immerse themselves in the world of the Renaissance Masters. Students will have a great time playing the parts of: 

Leonardo da Vinci

Obnoxious Housewife Lisa Gherardini 

Michelangelo Buonaratti 

Prudish Pope Julis II 

Niccolo Machiavelli 

Cowardly Duke of Florence 

William Shakespeare 

Play Critic Duncan Higgenbotham 

The witty humor and instructive subject matter will allow students to learn about Leonardo's artistic techniques, Michelangelo's philosophy on sculpture, Machiavelli's ideas on how to gain and maintain power, as well as many of Shakespeare's famous lines, all while participating in a comedic play.


Masters of the Renaissance: The (Kind Of) Historically Accurate Story

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