1. How To
Build Your
Own Country

2. Have you ever wanted to just be ‘the boss’?
To make all the decisions, to say how things
ought to be run? Of course you have! Now is
your big chance…
Soon you will be getting your license to ‘drive
the earth’. You will be old enough to start
making the decisions that will affect other’s
lives on the earth that you are sharing with
them. Why don’t we practice right now? If
you could create the perfect place to live,
what would it look like? What would it be
like to live there?

3. Here is your opportunity to Create-a-
Country!
We’ve been talking this year about how
governments work. Your assignment is
to build a country from scratch,
using your imagination and the
guidelines on the following pages.
Be creative and have fun!

4. Step 1
Stake Out
Your
Identity

5. Naming Your Country
Research the origins of other countries
names.
Explore the origin of your own country
name. Then brainstorm a name for your
classroom “Micro-nation”.
 Think about what you want the name to
say about your “Micro-nation”.

6. Use one of these “official”
prefixes
Independent
Republic of …
United Federation
of…
Dominion of …
Kingdom of …
Union of …
Queendom of …
Empire of …
Sovereign State
of …
People’s Republic
of…
United States of …
Then pick a fitting description to add to it

7. Design A Flag & Choose a
Motto
Choose an emblem that best
represents your classroom Micro-
nation. Many countries have a motto
that consists of just three words. Come
up with three words that sum up your
hopes for your Micro-nation.

8. Pick a Background or create
your own, but keep it simple

9. Add a decorative motif, or
make your own and pick some
colors

10. Map it out!
Create a map of your country,
decide how large or small it
should be. Does it have a
coastline? Does it border another
country? (Maybe a real one or
another group’s country). Is your
country an island? Where in the
world is it located?

11. Make it Realistic
Decide on placement of cities and towns
Give it varied terrain: mountains, valleys,
swamps, beaches, flatlands, farmlands,
tropics, desert, etc…
Where is the capital?
Decide on size, make it comparable to a real
country, how many square miles is it?

12. Use your Map Skills
Use the skills you learned from our globe
project

13. Make a Legend
In the bottom corner give it a legend for the
terrain, and a compass rose

14. Step 2
Run the
country

15. Set up a Government
Choose which kind of government your
country will have (oligarchy, theocracy,
dictatorship, democracy, etc.)
Who will lead your country?
How will they stay in power?

16. Write a Constitution
Principles of the country
Statement about
individual’s rights
Role of constitution as law
Parts of government
How parts work together
A way to change
constitution in the future

17. Making the Laws
Make some laws that will protect your
citizens, their freedom, and their
property
How will laws be enforced?
Who decides what laws go into effect?

18. Serving the Citizen’s needs
Jobs
Health Care
Clean environment
Roads, bridges, transportation
Defense (army, navy, air force)
Education
Justice System

19. Work together with your
group on these four
elements.
Each piece should be about
one - two pages long, make
it visually interesting with
photographs, etc.

20. Each person will be creating
one major element:
Set Up Government
Write a Constitution
Make The Laws
Serve the Citizens

21. The Economy
Economy is the production, distribution,
and exchange of goods & services
Work with your group to create a
document explaining how your country
makes money, and what it does with
that money to serve the citizens
Explain what your currency is, and how
it works

22. Taxes!
Most countries use citizen’s money to
help pay for services.
Decide if you want to tax people’s
earnings (income tax) or things they buy
(sales tax). Or both.
What do these taxes pay for?

23. Holidays
You’ve worked hard up until now: take a
break
What kinds of holidays will you have,
how often will you celebrate them?
Create a document where you lay out
some festivities and why you celebrate
them
Research other holidays for inspiration

24. Step 3
Put it all
together

25. Your finished Product will
have:
A cover representing your country’s flag
All four major documents, well-written
and consistent with one another
Pictures, maps, texture to give a visual
representation of your landscape
A few pages of extras: (economy,
taxes, holidays, etc)

26. Presenting
Be prepared to present your
country to a variety of
different audiences:
(classrooms, teachers,
administrators, other grades,
etc)

27. Presenting
Each group member should be
prepared to answer a variety of
questions.
Make sure you can explain your ideas
and why they would work in a realistic
world
Have fun with it and be comfortable

28. You Rule!
So, yes, you can build your own
country even if it’s just among
friends & classmates.
Remember: be good to your
people, they are your greatest
asset. If you are mean or unfair to
your citizens they could revolt and
form their own government.
Good luck!