Summary
In this lesson, students will explore the reasons for imperialism in Africa and the effects of colonization on the African continent. Students will analyze maps, images, and political cartoons. They also will watch a video and read an article to understand how imperialism affected the continent of Africa and African people. This is a multimodality lesson, which means it includes face-to-face, online, and hybrid versions of the lesson. The attachments also include a downloadable Common Cartridge file, which can be imported into a Learning Management System (LMS) such as Canvas or eKadence. The cartridge includes interactive student activities and teacher's notes.
Essential Question(s)
How did imperialism affect Africa?
Snapshot
Engage
Students look at two maps of Africa, one from 1878 and one from 1914, and observe what changes occurred during that period of time.
Explore
Students analyze an illustration quadrant by quadrant to explore and understand the meaning of imperialism.
Explain
Students create a paired H-chart after reading an article and watching a video about imperialism in Africa.
Extend
Students analyze political cartoons to determine the causes and effects of imperialism throughout Africa.
Evaluate
Students summarize their knowledge of how imperialism affected the continent of Africa and African people.
Instructional Formats
The term "Multimodality" refers to the ability of a lesson to be offered in more than one modality (i.e. face-to-face, online, blended). This lesson has been designed to be offered in multiple formats, while still meeting the same standards and learning objectives. Though fundamentally the same lesson, you will notice that the different modalities may require the lesson to be approached differently. Select the modality that you are interested in to be taken to the section of the course designed for that form of instruction.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
I Notice, I Wonder handout (attached; one copy per student)
Maps handout (attached; one copy per student)
Picture Deconstruction handout (attached; one copy per student)
H-chart handout (attached; one copy per student)
Imperialism in Africa reading (attached; one copy per student)
T.A.C.O.S. handout (attached; one copy per student)
T.A.C.O.S. Sample Responses (attached; for teacher use)
Political Cartoons handout (attached; optional)
Engage
15 Minute(s)
Use the attached Lesson Slides to introduce and guide the lesson.
Display slide 3 and pass out the attached I Notice, I Wonder handout to each student. Inform students that they must use the I Notice, I Wonder strategy to analyze the two maps on the following slide.
After reviewing the instructions, go to slide 4 and pass out the attached Maps handout to each student. Have students examine the 1914 map of Africa and compare it with the small inset map that shows Africa in 1878.
Allow time for students to examine the maps silently. Ask them to record their observations and questions individually on the I Notice, I Wonder handout.
Once students have finished, have a whole-class discussion about students’ observations and questions.
Go to slide 5 and use the questions on the slide to guide class discussion. Have students pay particular attention to which countries are listed in the map key. Ask students to hypothesize what historical events occurred between 1878 and 1914 that led to the changes in the two maps.
After discussing as a class, display slide 6. Read the essential question aloud: How did imperialism affect Africa?
Allow time for students to ponder the question. Then, ask for volunteers to share out their thoughts. Encourage all students to share their ideas.
Go to slide 7 and briefly read aloud the lesson’s learning objective.
Explore
25 Minute(s)
Briefly introduce the concept of imperialism and explain how European countries’ practice of imperialism caused the changes in the two maps of Africa.
Display slide 8 and pass out the attached Picture Deconstruction handout. Inform students that they must use the Photo or Picture Deconstruction strategy to analyze the illustration on the following slides, one quadrant at a time.
For each quadrant, ask students to take notes on any words, symbols, and people they see. Students should write their observations in the corresponding quadrants at the top of the handout.
One by one, move through slides 9–12 to show a different quadrant of the illustration on each slide. While students write their observations about each quadrant, have them also think about the image’s title, "The Sleeping Sickness," and what it might mean.
After showing each of the four quadrants separately, go to slide 13 to reveal the entire image. Allow time for students to analyze the illustration as a whole. On the handout, ask students to take additional notes on any details they missed in each quadrant.
Once students have filled in each quadrant, place them in groups of four and have them discuss and compare what they listed for each quadrant.
Go to slide 14. In groups or as a class, have students reflect on the activity and complete the handout.
Ask students to compare the illustration to the maps they analyzed at the beginning of the lesson. What does the illustration have in common with the maps? (If needed, return to the previous slide for students to review the image in its entirety.)
Discuss the illustration’s title, "The Sleeping Sickness," and what it suggests about the way Africa and its people were treated during this time period. Have students write what they think the word imperialism means at the bottom of the handout and explain how it relates to the image’s title.
After having a class discussion about the illustration and its title, ask students to identify some characteristics of imperialism based on the illustration and the maps they analyzed earlier.
Use what students share out regarding the characteristics of imperialism to create a list on the classroom board for everyone to see.
Explain
20 Minute(s)
By the end of this activity, students should be able to define "imperialism" and explain how it affected the continent of Africa and African people.
Have students work in pairs. Display slide 15 and pass out the attached H-chart handout to each student.
Explain the Paired Texts H-chart strategy. Inform students that they must watch a video and read an article about imperialism in Africa before summarizing each on their H-charts. At the end of the lesson, students must write a third response in the middle of their H-charts to answer the essential question: How did imperialism affect Africa?
Go to slide 16 to play the video, titled "European Imperialism in Africa." After the video, ask students to discuss it with their partners and summarize what they have learned on the right side of their H-charts.
Go to slide 17 and pass out the attached Imperialism in Africa reading to each student. As they read, ask students to highlight, circle, or underline three main ideas.
Once students have finished reading, ask them to compare their main ideas with their partners and summarize what they have learned on the left side of their H-charts. Remind students to hold on to their H-charts for use at the end of the lesson.
Extend
20 Minute(s)
In this section of the lesson, have students analyze political cartoons to reinforce and enhance their understanding of how imperialism affected Africa.
Inform students that political cartoons are drawn with the intention of making an artistic statement about a political or historical event. Explain that political cartoons use images to convey opinions, and these images often have a deeper meaning than they appear to have at first glance.
Display slide 18 and inform students that they must analyze three political cartoons about imperialism in Africa. Explain the T.A.C.O.S. strategy and pass out the attached T.A.C.O.S. handout to each student.
One by one, move through slides 19–21 and give students time to analyze each political cartoon using the T.A.C.O.S. strategy. You may allow students to work in pairs to complete the handout.
Once students have finished analyzing the cartoons, have a whole-class discussion about the meaning of each.
Evaluate
20 Minute(s)
Display slide 22 and ask students to revisit their H-charts from earlier in the lesson. Have students reflect on what they have learned and write an answer to the essential question: How did imperialism affect Africa?
Students should write their responses in the middle of the H-chart. Remind students that they can draw from their video and article summaries, as well as their political cartoon analyses, to help them respond to the essential question.
Once students have finished, you may collect their H-charts to assess students’ understanding of the lesson content. If you wish, you may also collect any of the other handouts completed throughout the lesson.
Resources
Bainbridge, D. (n.d.). The mad scramble for Africa [Cartoon]. Colormefree. Tumblr. https://colormefree.tumblr.com/post/4681580543/legallypresent-the-mad-scramble-for-africa
DrRandomFactor. (2012). Flag map of colonial Africa (1913) [Image]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_map_of_Colonial_Africa_(1913).png
Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.). Imperialism. Definition, history, examples, & facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/imperialism
Facing History and Ourselves. (n.d.). Colonial presence in Africa [Map]. Facing History and Ourselves. https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/image/colonial-presence-africa
HistoryTubeTV. (2009, February 16). European imperialism in Africa [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJe1W_HIWmA
K20 Center. (n.d.). I Notice, I Wonder. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/180
K20 Center. (n.d.). Padlet. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/1077
K20 Center. (n.d.). Paired Texts H-Chart. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/132
K20 Center. (n.d.). Photo or Picture Deconstruction. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/140
K20 Center. (n.d.). T.A.C.O.S. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/1196
Polyp. (n.d.). Africa unfair trade mining minerals gold [Cartoon]. Polyp. https://polyp.org.uk/cartoons/wealth/polyp_cartoon_africa_unfair_trade_mining_minerals_gold.jpg
Ross, G. (1911, October 25). The sleeping sickness [Digital print]. U.S. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.27783/
Sambourne, E. L. (1906). In the rubber coils. Scene—The Congo "free" state [Cartoon]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Punch_congo_rubber_cartoon.jpg
South African History Online. (n.d.). Imperialism and socialism in the context of Africa. South African History Online. https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/imperialism-and-socialism-context-africa
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