The British Empire has been the subject of significant revision and reappraisal in recent years as we begin to recognise that existing frameworks for delivering lessons on empire and slavery are neither appropriate nor sufficient.
The case studies included in this free download from 40 Ways to Diversify the History Curriculum by Elena Stevens emphasise the role and agency of the enslaved in bringing about abolition (and not only through violent means). They are perfect to use during your Black History Month activities.
These case studies will help pupils ‘gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as empire’ and really engage with the concept of empire.
They aim to underline the agency and individuality of those featured and focus on particular acts of resistance or moments of challenge.
British Empire and slavery case studies
This PDF contains the following case studies that you can use in history lessons about the British Empire and slavery:
Sarah Baartman
Born in South Africa in 1789, Sarah Baartman was made to perform on the London stage as a curiosity act.
Lesson ideas
- What can we learn from colonial exhibitions about attitudes towards the British Empire in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries?
- What is the best way for us to remember Sarah Baartman?
Dido Elizabeth Belle
The daughter of an enslaved woman and a naval officer, Dido Elizabeth Belle was brought up in Britain by the Earl and Countess of Mansfield. Belle was painted alongside her companion Lady Elizabeth Murray in a portrait by David Martin.
Lesson ideas
- How accurately did David Martin’s portrait represent the lives of enslaved and formerly enslaved people in Britain?
- How did attitudes towards slavery change during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries?
Portchester Prisoners
In 1796, Portchester Castle housed 2,000 prisoners from St Lucia, including General Marinier. The captives had defended St Lucia on behalf of the French Revolutionary Army but the island was seized by the British.
Lesson ideas
- What can we learn from General Marinier about resistance to colonial rule?
- Why were enslaved men and women from the Caribbean imprisoned in Portsmouth in 1796?
Mary Slessor
Scottish missionary Mary Slessor arrived in West Africa in 1876, believing that Africans needed to be civilised through Christian education. She saved babies who had been condemned to death, as well as encouraging local trade and settling disputes.
Lesson ideas
- Does Mary Slessor deserve to be reinstated on the Scottish banknote?
- What can we learn from Mary Slessor about changing attitudes towards Africa?
The Three Kings of Bechuanaland
In 1895, three kings from the Bechuanaland Protectorate arrived in Britain, seeking support against the expansion of Cecil Rhodes’ British South Africa Company. The kings became celebrities and their visit was covered by the British press.
Lesson ideas
- Why was the visit of the three kings of Bechuanaland significant?
- Why was Cecil Rhodes so worried about the three kings of Bechuanaland?
Elena Stevens is a secondary school teacher and the history lead in her department. Her book 40 Ways to Diversify the History Curriculum is a practical, wide-ranging compendium of enquiries and case studies to help you diversify, reimagine and decolonise your history curriculum.
