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Resisting Colonialism

Driving Question: How did colonized people resist colonial control?

Empires used a variety of strategies to enforce their rule and expand their reach. Still, everywhere they expanded, empires met resistance. Colonized people resisted in many ways, from violent revolt to quieter, everyday forms of noncompliance.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Use evidence to examine the different direct and indirect strategies used to resist colonialism.
  2. Use the historical thinking practice of claim testing to identify, assess, and use authority when evaluating and making claims.
  3. Use a graphic biography to support, extend, or challenge the overarching narratives of this period.
STEP 1

Opener: Resisting Colonialism

Teaching Tools

Our Openers and Closers Guide provides more information about these short, but important activities at the beginning and end of each lesson.

STEP 2

Resistance in Ghana

Teaching Tools

For more about our historical comics, check out the Graphic Biographies Guide.

Learn how Ghanaians challenged colonial rule through everyday resistance and bold leadership. These materials highlight powerful actions taken by individuals and communities to defend their land and dignity.

Experiencing Colonialism: Through a Ghanaian Lens External link

What was it like to live as a colonial subject? Of course, there were many differing experiences, but we can get some answers by looking closely at Ghana as a case study.

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.
STEP 3

Resistance in India

Teaching Tools

For reading strategies check out the OER Project Reading Overview.

Learn what sparked the 1857 Indian Uprising and how Indian people challenged British colonial rule. This article and comic highlight the pivotal roles individuals played in challenging colonial rule.

STEP 4

Summarizing Resistance

Teaching Tools

Watch this Claim Testing video for an overview of how to support students in learning this skill.

How did people resist colonial rule? With these materials, you’ll read about creative forms of resistance across Southeast Asia, and then test claims about imperialism using real-world examples.

STEP 5

Continuity and Change Over Time

Teaching Tools

It’s hard to improve without feedback. Check on your student’s CCOT progress using the CCOT: Feedback Form.

Industrialization didn’t erase the past—it built on it. In this part of the lesson, you’ll look back at global trends from 1200 to 1914 to identify what changed and what stayed the same. Then, you’ll decide which developments mattered most and how they shaped the modern world.

STEP 6

Closer: Resisting Colonialism

Teaching Tools

The OER Project Writing Guide emphasizes the importance of informal writing in the course.

In this unit, you explored how industrialization reshaped the world. Now, use what you’ve learned to reflect on how it changed global power and sparked new movements for change.