A complete six-lesson Global Perspectives unit on one question: how should the world deal with the legacy of empire? Built for IGCSE, age 14 to 16, and easy to adapt down to Lower Secondary. It comes with teaching slides, editable worksheets, and a print-ready PDF. Answer keys and teacher notes are included.

This is a contested topic, and the unit is written to be taught as an open question, with the strongest case on each side and clear guidance to keep the focus on evidence and respect. It is built around perspectives, not personal preference. The debate motion is reparations. The two anchor voices are Sir Hilary Beckles of the Caribbean reparations body, who argues that empire’s harm still shapes the world and that amends are owed, and the historian Nigel Biggar, who argues for a balanced reckoning and caution about reparations.
The six lessons: what was empire; empire still shapes the world; the case for caution; whose perspective; a research task; a debate and reflection.
The worksheets cover the empire era and its legacy, a case sheet for each side, a perspectives grid with role cards, a research task with a source-checking tool and an evidence file, a full debate pack, a reflection sheet, and a success checklist. The depth layer adds a data sheet that flags clearly which figures are estimates and contested, an annotated source list from more than one side, three case studies including the Benin Bronzes and Zambia’s copper economy, a stretch layer, an assessment with a mark scheme, and a reading list.
Skills developed: research, analysis, evaluation, reflection, collaboration and communication. The main focus is evaluation.
Low preparation. Print and teach, or open the Word file and make it your own.

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© Adrian Scarlett 2026. Verity Education. For use by the purchasing teacher or institution only. You may print copies for your own classes. Do not share, resell, redistribute, or upload this resource to any other website or platform. All sales are also subject to the TES terms and licence. Independent resource. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge Assessment International Education. All source summaries are written for teaching and are not quotations.