DO NOW-BRAINSTORM
Before we begin our next unit, there are several concepts that I will try
to explain. But before I do that, I just want to have a conversation
about you and what some of your thoughts are about money and
power.
1. First of all, if I offered you a job right now, how many of you would be interested in
the opportunity? If I told you that there was a way for you to gain a constant
stream of income (guaranteed CASH every week without working for it) by simply
overpowering and outsmarting less savvy teenagers your age (teenagers who
would ultimately work for you),would you be interested? Do you think others
would be interested in this opportunity as well?
2. Ok. Now, you have succeeded in amassing (gaining) a ton of wealth, but socially
conscious individuals emerge and enact laws that say that what you’ve done is
WRONG. You are forced to relinquish your power and release the workers from
their forced labor. How do you maintain your wealth? Who might be willing to
continue working for you?
3. If you could run a business with free or cheap labor, how do you think this would
affect your ability to amass wealth?
BRAINSTORM (CONT.)
You have just explored the world of business and economics as it
relates to the Free World.
During the time period in the early 20th century that we now refer to
as Imperialism, most of the Western world possessed thriving
economies and military power that rivaled other parts of the
globe. However, as in our scenario above, the opportunity to
amass even greater wealth turned into a feeding frenzy and Africa
became the spoils (riches). Since the greater part of any business
is labor, Africa became a resource of free labor and resources,
eliminating much of what a normal business would have to invest
to amass its wealth.
#2 PROBING QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
Individual perspective to a Global Country
Present Day Economics (getting students to think about
-Look at tag on clothes—where is it made?
-China and other labor force nations—why is everything made there for little to no money?
-What is the largest cost of a business? (rent of building, cost of employees, creating/buying
materials, etc.)
-What goals do most powerful nations have?
-Knowledge/Power Wealth
-Goal=acquire and attain—source of that is in property
-What will you do for power? How will you get power?
Why do we want power? (to feel important/for privileges)
-what makes a country powerful?
-what makes them a #1 super-power in the world?
You want to feel like you’re the best, and will do whatever you can to get that. Countries will
do the same.
In the world, countries do the SAME thing.
SCHOOL-WIDE BENCHMARK
TEXT-FEATURES
Look
at the political
cartoon and answer the
questions in the “Notes”
section of your binder
THINGS FALL APART
By Chinua Achebe
Before we begin this novel, we need some
background information. This will help
us have a better understanding of what
the novel is all about. At your table, try to
fill in the blanks on the notes using the
word bank provided.
NOTES:
 By
the mid-1800s, most of the
European countries had industrialized.
This means that they had gone through
the Industrial Revolution. Industrialized
nations had cities, factories and
advanced technology.
NOTES (CONT.)

At the same time, many Europeans started to believe
that they were better than other nations because they
had technology that the rest of the world didn’t (factory
machines, steam rollers, train systems, weaponry, more
organized economy). This feeling of strength led
European nations to believe that because they could
take over other parts of the world, they should. This idea
is called Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism is based
on scientist Charles Darwin’s idea “survival of the
fittest”, which means that only the strongest will survive.
Europeans used this idea of Social Darwinism to justify
or defend their taking over other nations by force.
NOTES (CONT.)
 The
need for natural resources and the
idea of Social Darwinism led to the
Scramble for Africa. Many European
countries took over significant portions
of land in Africa. When one country
takes over another country by force, it is
called Imperialism. When they settle
there, it is called colonization.
NEGATIVE OUTCOMES OF
POSITIVE OUTCOMES OF
COLONIALISM/IMPERIALISM COLONIALISM/IMPERIALISM
1. Loss of independence: Africans lost control over
the large majority of their land and in many
cases lost control of all political, social and
economic decisions.
2. Loss in population_: Death- the African
population was seriously decreased by
resistance wars and new diseases such as
smallpox that arose in Africa because of
Colonization.
3. Loss in Culture: European countries did not only
take over African Land—they took over African
life completely. These changes affected
African culture, spiritual beliefs, practice and
customs. Europeans did not believe the
culture of Africa was “civilized” so they
attempted to change that during colonization.
4. War: Dividing that African continent.
Europeans created their own new boundaries
that sometimes split African tribes or forced
two warring tribes to be a part of the same
nation.
1. Humanitarian efforts improved
sanitation and brought schools
and hospitals to Africa.
2. Economic Expansion- European
colonization brought African
natural resources and products
to the international marker
where they were highly valued.
3. Increase in TechnologyEuropean industrial revolution
inventions such as railroads,
damns, telephone/telegraph
lines were brought to Africa
during the age of imperialism.
VIDEO ON THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA
NIGERIA
Things Fall Apart is set in the 1890's and portrays the clash
between Nigeria's white colonial government and the
traditional culture of the indigenous Igbo (Ibo) people.
Achebe's novel shatters the stereotypical European
portraits of native Africans. He is careful to portray the
complex, advanced social institutions and artistic
traditions of Igbo (Ibo) culture prior to its contact with
Europeans. Yet he is just as careful not to stereotype the
Europeans; he offers varying depictions of
the white man, such as the mostly benevolent
(kind) Mr. Brown, the zealous Reverend Smith,
and the ruthlessly calculating District
Commissioner.
MAP OF AFRICA
EXIT TICKET
1. What is the Scramble for Africa?
2. What is imperialism and colonialism?
3. Why did Europeans colonize Africa?
4. In your opinion, was this a good or bad thing?
5. Where is Nigeria?
6. Do you think a native Nigerian person would like
or dislike being colonized by Europeans? Why?
7. Based on the information we learned in class,
make 2 educated predictions about the novel.