Decolonization · 1957-1960

Africa's wave of independence, 1957-1960

In 1957 Ghana became independent. Three years later, in the "Year of Africa", seventeen more countries followed. Students compare the 1938 and 1960 maps of Africa and meet leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah and Patrice Lumumba.

Teach it live New Open on the map
Length
50 minutes
Ages
12–15
On the map
3 steps, AD 1938 to AD 1960
Live lesson
7 rounds, 3 on the map
Worksheet
Two A4 pages, with Classroom
You need
A projector; phones for live

Live lesson · new in Classroom

Teach it live. The class answers on their phones.

Put the board on the projector. Students join with a six-digit code, no account needed, and tap the map: where was the frontier, where did the grain come from. Their pins drop in together when you reveal, and the closest student takes the round.

€19 per month: every lesson live, every worksheet, cancel anytime. Rome at its height runs live for free.

A live lesson on the projector: the class's pins on the map around Alexandria, the closest students listed beside it A student's phone: the question and a map to tap
7 rounds
3 places to find on the map, quiz questions, a class vote and a one-line answer.
About 15 minutes
Run it as the map step, or to open the discussion. You move on with the space bar.
A report
Every answer, per student and per round, to read back or print after the lesson.
1

Introduction

5 min

Read aloud

In 1957 Ghana became independent. Three years later, in the "Year of Africa", seventeen more countries followed. Students compare the 1938 and 1960 maps of Africa and meet leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah and Patrice Lumumba.

By the end of the lesson, students can

  • Explain why so many African countries became independent between 1957 and 1960.
  • Compare the maps of Africa in 1938 and 1960 and name five new states.
  • Describe the hopes and problems of new states such as Ghana and the Congo.
2

Explore the map

15 min

Project the map, or let students follow on their own devices. Each step opens the map at the right year and place.

a

AD 1938

Africa in 1938

Open the map in 1938 and zoom out over Africa. Look for countries not ruled by a European power. How many can you find?

Open this view on the map
b

AD 1960

Africa in 1960

Move the slider to 1960. Which new states can you name in West Africa? Ask the atlas: "Why is 1960 called the Year of Africa?"

Open this view on the map
c

AD 1960

The Congo

Zoom in on the Congo, the huge country in central Africa. Ask the atlas: "Who was Patrice Lumumba?" Why would such a large, rich country be hard to hold together?

Open this view on the map
3

Class discussion

15 min

Pick two or three. They run from what happened to why it mattered.

  1. The Second World War weakened Britain and France, and African soldiers had fought for them. How did the war speed up independence?
  2. Kwame Nkrumah said Ghana's independence meant little unless the whole of Africa was freed. Why did he think that?
  3. Many borders of the new states had been drawn by colonial powers in the 1880s. What problems could that cause?
  4. In Algeria and Kenya independence came only after long, violent wars. Why was the road peaceful in some colonies and violent in others?
  5. The Congo became independent with very few trained administrators, after decades of harsh Belgian rule. Why did that make the start so difficult?
4

Game round

10 min

Play one round of Rule History as Mansa Musa, ruler of the rich medieval empire of Mali. Then discuss: in 1960 a new state took the name Mali, and Ghana had also chosen the name of an old African empire. Why would new states choose names from Africa's own past?

Open Rule History
5

Worksheet

5 min

This worksheet comes with Classroom

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