Students learn about the effects of European colonialism on the nations in Eastern and Southern Africa during the years following independence. Then they research the ongoing conflicts that resulted in Uganda, Rwanda, and Sudan, drawing connections between European rule and the later ethnic and religious conflicts. Finally, students consider the unexpected consequences and effects of slavery in the United States.
Students read an introduction explaining how a wave of independence swept across Africa in the 1960s and how the lesson will focus on independence and later conflicts in Eastern and Southern Africa. They examine an analogy about an arbitrary line dividing a town into two sides that control where people live, work, and worship, then respond on a discussion wall describing how they would feel if so much of their life were controlled by that line.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives, connecting this experience to Part 1 if students completed it. Facilitate a discussion of student wall responses, explicitly linking the “dividing line” scenario to how European colonizers drew borders in Africa and previewing that students will explore the consequences of these actions throughout the lesson.
Students read selected sections from East African History (“East Africa Since Independence”) and from African Resistance, Nationalism and Independence Summary (“Struggles for National Liberation”) to learn how independence unfolded in Eastern and Southern Africa. As they read, they take notes in a two-column table comparing key information about Eastern Africa and Southern Africa. Then they respond on a discussion wall explaining how the borders drawn during European colonization affected nations after they gained independence.
Teacher MovesRemind students how to use and sort the digital note-taking table as needed. Lead a focused discussion of wall responses to deepen understanding of how arbitrary colonial borders grouped diverse languages, religions, ethnicities, and cultural traditions into single states, creating major challenges for governance and contributing to later conflicts and corruption. Before moving on, organize students into small groups and assign each group one country—Uganda, Rwanda, or Sudan/South Sudan—for upcoming research, ensuring that each country is represented.
Students watch up to minute 2:40 of the video Colonialism in Africa to see concrete examples of how colonial powers used ethnic, linguistic, and cultural differences to maintain control and how this contributed to ongoing conflicts in Uganda, Rwanda, and Sudan. They post to a discussion wall explaining how the video connects to what they learned about independence and borders in the previous scene. In their assigned small groups, students then research the conflict in Uganda, Rwanda, or Sudan/South Sudan using online sources. Each group creates a presentation that identifies the sides in the conflict, explains its causes, describes how the conflict has unfolded, and analyzes how it connects to European colonization, including at least one relevant image. Groups post or link their presentations on a shared wall using a digital tool of their choice (e.g., Prezi, timeline tools, slide presentations, or other approved formats). Finally, students review presentations about the two countries they did not research and discuss similarities and differences in the conflicts within their small groups.
Teacher MovesAfter the video, guide students in connecting its examples to prior learning about colonial borders and independence, emphasizing how colonizers exploited ethnic and religious divisions and how this contributed to long-term conflict in Uganda, Rwanda, and Sudan. Support groups as they research and design their presentations, prompting them to clearly identify the sides, causes, course of events, and colonial roots of each conflict and to select appropriate images. Monitor the posting of group products and encourage students to thoughtfully review and discuss other groups’ work, comparing and contrasting the three conflicts. If time permits, have groups present to the whole class and facilitate a synthesis discussion about patterns across the conflicts and the broader legacy of colonialism in the region.
Students read a prompt that connects the long-term, often unexpected consequences of colonialism in Africa to the long-term consequences of slavery in the United States. Drawing on what they have just learned about African conflicts, they write a paragraph on a discussion wall explaining some ongoing consequences of slavery in the United States, where they see those consequences today, and how the nation might address them to build a better future for all Americans.
Teacher MovesEncourage students to use examples from the African cases to inform their thinking about historical legacies in the United States. Review student responses and select one or more thoughtful or exemplary paragraphs to share with the class, using them to prompt a brief discussion about the enduring impacts of slavery and possible paths toward a more just future.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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