The End of Empire
Driving Question: Why did so many colonies achieve independence after 1945?
The end of empire was shaped by global forces as much as local resistance. See how Cold War rivalries, economic shifts, and growing unrest challenged imperial power after World War II.
Learning Objectives:
- Use the historical thinking practices of contextualization and causation to analyze connections between the Cold War and decolonization.
- Use evidence to compare the roles women played in anticolonial movements around the world.
Opener: The End of Empire
Revisit the Question Parsing Tool to help figure out what prompts are asking you to do.
Winds of Change
Empires began to break apart after World War II. The process of decolonization was shaped by global competition and local resistance as independence movements seized their moments.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- How does this article distinguish between decolonization and the end of empire?
- How did World War II contribute to the collapse of empires?
- What postwar global changes encouraged decolonization?
- Why were local political movements so effective in gaining independence?
After you read
Respond to these questions: Do you think the legacies of empire can ever be fully dismantled? Why or why not?
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- What was the Cold War?
- What was decolonization?
- How did the Cold War and decolonization overlap?
- How might a person living in a colonized or decolonizing country have viewed these two conflicts?
After you read
Respond to this question: Do you think a nation can truly decolonize if its independence is shaped by superpower agendas?
Women and Decolonization
Discover the roles women played in challenging imperialism. These materials highlight how gender shaped both colonial rule and independence movements across the globe.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- Why were African women often left out of official colonial records?
- How did colonial rule change women’s roles?
- Why did colonial rulers rely on “warrant chiefs”?
- How did European ideas about gender shape policies toward African women?
- How did Egyptian women respond to the exile of anticolonial leaders?
After you read
Respond to these questions: The author argues that colonialism often harmed women more than men. What evidence supports this idea? Do you agree? Why or why not?
Closer: The End of Empire
Coming Soon!
