World History: Imperialism

Grade Level: 10

BEFORE READING:

I. Motivation:

"Imagine for a moment that you are at home engaged in one of your favorite activities; playing a game, listening to music, or reading. So far the day is as any other. Then all of the sudden a group of individuals arrive at your front door demanding that you stop what ever you are doing. These individuals tell you that your way of life is wrong. They inform you however that they have come to your house to correct your way of life. They say it is their responsibility to change your way of living for the better. You find out that this has happened not only to you but your neighbors as well. Over time your way of life does change. These individuals, who you do not even know, have changed your government, religion, and other cultural practices, and remember these individuals told you this was for your own good." (ask class) "Now, what is going through your mind?"

II. Prior Knowledge:

"For today's lesson we will need to refresh our memories of a couple of topics. Who can tell me what a colony is?" Land or territory that is settled by individuals from a different country. "Excellent, now can someone else give us an example of a colony?" The British colonies in North America; for example Virginia and Massachusetts. Good. Another term we will need to remember while going through this lesson is the concept of nationalism. What are some themes of nationalism? The belief that ones nation or country is great and loyalty to ones nation. Great and is there anything else? The idea that ones nation is greater or needs to be greater than other nations. We also need to remember that the industrialization has been taking place and this will have a part in our lesson today. Can someone describe what occurred during industrialization."New technology was created including new machines and new types of energy." Excellent, this will be important to think about during this lesson.

III. Purpose:

"Today each of you will read the first section of Chapter 26 in your World History textbook. This section will introduce the concept of imperialism and inform each of you about the motivations behind Western Imperialism. This is important because the effects of Western Imperialism can still be seen in the continent of Africa and Asia. So in order to understand what is going on today we need to go investigate the past and see how the some of the situations is Africa and Asia came about."

"Your textbook is an expository text that will provide you with a description of imperialism and what was involved with the age of imperialism. This section is split into three parts; types of control, economic motivations, and cultural motivations. Within each section it will be important to look at the cause and effect of each."

IV. Strategy Instruction:

Graphic Organizer

"Today you will use a Tree Diagram to organize the information from the text. (model1)Can someone tell me how graphic organizers are helpful." "They let us organize the information and we are able to go back to the charts to see how the information is grouped together." "Correct, the tree diagram you will be completing today will be a visual aid for you when you are given your assignment. During your reading each of you will fill out your tree diagram. In the top section of the diagram you will write the word Imperialism and write the definition for it. The definition can be from the book but it would be more beneficial to you if you came up with your own. (model2) Then there are three sections under the term imperialism and what do you know the section for today is split into three parts; Modern Imperialism, Economic Motivations, and Cultural Motivations. Therefore each space on the diagram will be for a part of the section and you should list important information in the space provided on the diagram. For example, information about different types of control should be written in the space under the section of Modern Imperialism."(model3)

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DURING READING:

World History: The Human Journey. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2005. 662-5.

Readability: 12.0 grade level using the Flesh-Kincaid
This readability level is high due to a couple of reasons. There are some longer words in this text which will make the level high. There are unique names and places as well. These words would be difficult at first but over time with these words coming up in the text more they will not be as difficult. The graphic cues in this section are average. The vocabulary words are in bold, and there are different headings for the different sections or sub-sections. This does allow easy navigation through the text.
There will not be a differentiated text for this lesson. This section is an introduction to imperialism and it is for the entire class.

Differentiated Text for the unit

Achebe, Chinua. Things Falls Apart. New York: Anchor Books, 1959.

Readability: 12.0 grade level using the Flesh-Kincaid
This is a realistic readability level for this text. There are names of individuals and tribes in the text which are going to be difficult to read but this text is for students who are at a higher level. This text unlike World History: The Human Journey is a narrative so the students will have to be albe to follow the events in the text. Cause and effect will be a major item to focus on while going through this text. The themes in this text concerning imperialism are developed for a higher order of thinking and comprehension.

V. Text Structure:

Expository text that provides readers with a description of imperialism and what was involved with the age of imperialism. Being a history text cause and effect is also present. Therefore in each part of the section it will be important for each student to look for the cause and effect. This should aid their reading and comprehension of the material.

VI. Vocabulary

protectorate - an area that is not a colony where the local ruler is able to keep his/her title, but the area is actually ruled by an outside nation.

Protectorates were set up buy some European powers, and in these areas the local rulers kept their titles but in reality the area was controlled by the European power.

sphere of influence - this is an area where one nation has special interests; i.e. controlled imports and exports, and other nations recognized that nation's interests.

A sphere of influence was an area where a single nation had special interests and other nations agreed to not interfere with that specific area.

VII. Content

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AFTER READING:

VIII. Questioning

"Lets come back together and go over what you all have read. Lets see what we can get from this reading."

We will start out with some basic questions.
What were the different types of control used by the European powers?
There were settlement colonies and and dependent colonies. Can someone provide an example for the class? Australia was a settlement colony of Great Britain and India was a dependent colony of Great Britain. Excellent

What were the motivations for Imperialism?
There were economic motives and cultural motives. Good

How did Industrialization influence the economic motives?
With industrialization the European powers where looking for more resources and looking for places to sell their goods.
Good. The European powers needed more raw materials due to the new machines and technology that came about through industrialization. These materials could be found in Africa and Asia. They also were looking for new markets to sell their goods.
Do you understand when I use the word Market?
Yes, it is another term for a place or area to sell products. Excellent.

How did religion play a part in the cultural motives?
The Europeans wanted to Christianize the people in Africa and Asia. Why would they want to do this?
The Europeans thought the people they were coming across had no religion and believed they were helping the Africans and Asians by converting them to Christianity.

What are your thoughts about the motives for imperialism? Do agree with the idea about the "White Man's Burden" or do you think there were other factors, behind the scene, that motivated the Europeans to take control over another country?

IX. Writing

"Using your graphic organizers write up a summary about imperialism. Your summary should include three parts. One part for each motivation for imperialism, economic and cultural, and one part should be your own thoughts concerning the motivations of the Western nations."
"Any questions?" "No, okay begin writing your summaries."

X. Closure

"Your summary is homework and will be due tomorrow at the beginning of class. Remember to use your graphic organizers to assist you in your writing."
"You all did great today and I will see you tomorrow. Have a great day."

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