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Colonial
Independence, 1960
Subject
Area
This activity has been designed as a summary activity for “The
Emergence of the Global Village” unit in the History (HWT
4A1, HWT 4G1) curriculum. It takes the form of a conference on
Colonial Independence as it would have taken place in 1960.
Learning
Outcomes
Teaching, learning and evaluation will focus on the student’s
ability to:
- Deduce
the importance of social and political movements, such as the
antiapartheid movement, in changing the face of the modern world;
- Organize
and present ideas;
- Critically
discuss the political, economic, and social problems associated
with Decolonization.
Classroom
Development
The teacher’s role is to act as facilitator as students join
workshop groups to examine issues and individuals related to Decolonization.
Timing
Allow approximately three periods for the completion of this activity.
Student
Activity
Setting
- The year
is 1960. An international conference has been called to debate
the issue of colonial independence.
- The
conference will conclude with a panel discussion where revolutionary
political leaders and theorists representing nations and regions
of the world will present and debate their positions.
- You
will be a group member of one of the following five workshop
groups.
• Latin America (leader—Fidel Castro)
• Southeast Asia (leader—Ho Chi Minh)
• Middle East (leader—Gamal Abdel Nasser)
• Sub-Saharan Africa (leader—Nelson Mandela)
• North Africa (leader—Frantz Fanon)
- Working
on your own, research and make notes on your region and leaders’
political viewpoint.
- As a
group, discuss your findings and prepare a one page summary
of the key ideas, concerns and arguments in support of your
viewpoint regarding colonial independence.
- Select
one member of your group to play the role of your leader in
the panel discussion.
- Based
on your research and awareness of the issues, prepare questions
to ask other panelists during the plenary session of the conference.
Panel
Discussion
- Each
panelist (one representative from each group) will present the
viewpoint and arguments developed in the workshop.
- Following
the presentations, the session will be open to questions from
the floor.
- One
member of the class will act as moderator, chairing the panel
presentations and monitoring the question and answer session.
The moderator should be chosen by consensus among groups participating.
Conclusion
On the day following the panel discussion, each student will write
an in-class essay (without notes) on the issue of colonial independence.
Consider the degree of colonial independence that was justly deserved
or realistic given the climate of the times in 1960.
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