Why did the trade in enslaved people expand in the 17th Century? [Concept: Causation]

Expansion of Slavery - The Triangular Trade

A five-part series of lessons towards the enquiry question: “Why did the trade in enslaved people expand in the 17th Century?” [Concept: Causation]

What will you get?

Four lessons:

1. The Triangular Trade
2. Justifications for Slavery
3. Slavery’s benefits to Britain
4. Extended Writing - “Why did the trade…?”

Each lesson in this bundle builds a contextual understanding for the expansion and acceptance of the slave trade across the British empire. Students will be engaged with a source-rich, adaptive scheme-of-work, which culminates in a written assessment (see Lesson 4).

All lessons are fully resourced and scaffolded for a range of abilities.

Note: This scheme of lessons should be used as a precusor to an enquiry about the experiences of enslaved Africans in Britain and the Americas. In line with recent guidance, it is vital that historically marginalised voices reemerge within the school curriculum. This mini-scheme helps build a contextual understanding of the slave trade, and why it was so popular.