The aim of this lesson is to introduce the concept of slavery and explore how systems of slavery have existed in different societies throughout history.

The lesson begins by introducing students to the concept of slavery and challenging them to consider how and why slavery has existed across different periods and societies. Students explore the historical context of slavery and consider how attitudes towards slavery have changed over time.

Students then investigate the reasons why the transatlantic slave trade was justified by many people at the time. Through a series of differentiated activities, they categorise the different arguments used to justify slavery and are challenged to evaluate which reasons were considered most important and why people held these views.

Students also examine a range of historical sources relating to slavery, covering a broad period from the Ancient Egyptians through to the present day. They use the evidence to identify similarities and differences in the experiences and treatment of enslaved people and record their findings using a summarisation pyramid.

The lesson encourages students to question historical attitudes towards slavery and consider how interpretations and understanding have changed over time. It includes historical interpretations, video clips and opportunities for structured debate, allowing students to develop and challenge their own ideas.

The lesson is fully enquiry-based, with a key question introduced using a lightbulb enquiry at the beginning and revisited at the end, allowing students to demonstrate how their thinking and understanding have developed.

Included in this lesson:
Fully editable PowerPoint
Slavery through the centuries
Arguments used to justify slavery
Categorising and evaluating historical arguments
Changing attitudes towards slavery
Summarisation pyramid activity
Historical interpretations
Retrieval practice activities
Suggested teaching and learning strategies
Differentiated materials

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