Today’s lesson will be on theTransatlantic slave trade. The lesson will start with a warm-up question in order to get students focused on the subject. We will then watch a short video that explains what the Transatlantic slave trade was, how it work, and who was involved. Students will be given a graphic organizer to go along with an interactive map that catalogues slave ships from the 1500’s to the 1800’s. Students will pick two ships to investigate (see graphic organizer). We will then hypothesize why there were less enslaved people arriving at the final destinations than there were before leaving. A short video detailing enslaved peoples experiences will follow after this and students will gain a better understanding of conditions aboard slave ships. Students will then read a passage from abolition campaigner and former enslaved African Olaudah Equiano’s autobiography (1789) where he will describe his voyage as a captive on a slave ship. ​​ The lesson will end with an exit slip that is relevant to student learning.
Next Lesson(s): Discuss more in depth the economic, political, and social reasons behind the Transatlantic slave trade.
Extension Activity: Students will work with a partner or in groups of 3 to create a political cartoon depicting the Transatlantic slave trade. They will present their cartoon to the class and explain their reasoning behind it.
Essential Question(s): How did the Atlantic triangular slave trade effect enslaved peoples? How did it effect the countries that used slave labor?