Home Learning: The Transatlantic Slave Trade and Its British Legacy

Subject: History | Year: 8

Estimated Time: 60–90 Minutes Name: _________________________ Class/Set: ____________ Due Date: ____________

The Purpose

Why are we doing this? To deepen your understanding of the economic motivations behind the transatlantic slave trade, the horrific reality of the Middle Passage, and how this period of history continues to shape British cities and society today.

Instructions

1. Map: Draw or describe the 'Triangular Trade' system. You must clearly label the three stages of the journey and list the specific goods (e.g., raw materials, manufactured goods, or people) being transported at each point.
2. Analyse: Write a descriptive 'Evidence Report' (approx. 200 words) on the conditions of the Middle Passage. Use specific historical details such as the "loose pack" vs "tight pack" methods, diet, and sanitation to explain why mortality rates were so high.
3. Profile: Select one key figure from the abolition movement. You may choose Olaudah Equiano, William Wilberforce, Thomas Clarkson, or Elizabeth Heyrick. Write a short biography explaining their specific contribution to the campaign and how they helped change public opinion in Britain.
4. Investigate: Research the legacy of the slave trade in a major British city (such as Bristol, Liverpool, London, or Glasgow). Identify one specific building, street name, or monument linked to the wealth generated by the slave trade. Write one paragraph explaining why this piece of history is still debated by historians today.

Success Criteria (Checklist)

• ☐ I have correctly identified the goods exchanged in all three stages of the Triangular Trade.
• ☐ I have used 'Tier 3' historical terms such as Middle Passage, Abolition, Plantations, and Manufactured Goods.
• ☐ I have explained at least two specific methods used by an abolitionist to influence Parliament or the public.
• ☐ I have linked historical wealth to a modern-day British location.
• ☐ I have used the PEEL structure (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link) for my written paragraphs.

Challenge / Extension (Optional)

• Evaluate: The Slave Trade Act was passed in 1807, but slavery itself was not abolished in the British Empire until 1833. Research and write three reasons why it took a further 26 years to free enslaved people after the trade was made illegal.

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⚠ TEACHER’S GUIDANCE & MARK SCHEME (DO NOT PRINT FOR STUDENTS)

💡 Pedagogical Landing

• Oracy & Sensitivity: As this topic involves traumatic historical events, ensure students are reminded of the importance of respectful language.
• Contextual Depth: This task is designed to move students beyond simple empathy and towards a structural understanding of how the British economy was built on the profits of the Caribbean plantations.
• Differentiation: For lower-attaining students, provide a scaffolded map for Task 1. For higher-attaining students, push for an evaluative tone in Task 4 regarding the "Contested Heritage" debate.

Teacher’s Post-Task Briefing

1. Model Answers / Expected Outcomes

• Task 1 (Map): Europe to Africa (manufactured goods, guns, cloth); Africa to Americas (enslaved people); Americas to Europe (sugar, tobacco, cotton, rum).
• Task 2 (Analyse): High-quality responses will mention the "Zong" massacre or the Brooks ship diagram as evidence of overcrowding, lack of ventilation, and the spread of diseases like dysentery (the "bloody flux").
• Task 3 (Profile):
  • Equiano: Used his autobiography to provide a rare first-hand account.
  • Clarkson: Collected physical evidence (shackles, branding irons) to show the public.
  • Wilberforce: Led the parliamentary campaign for decades.
• Task 4 (Investigate): Students might mention the Colston Hall (Bristol), The International Slavery Museum (Liverpool), or The Harewood House (Leeds). The debate should focus on whether to remove names/statues or "retain and explain."

2. Common Misconceptions to Flag

• The "Clean Break" Myth: Students often believe the 1807 Act ended slavery immediately. It only ended the trade in people; those already enslaved remained so until 1833 (and even then, faced "apprenticeship" periods).
• The Abolition Narrative: Many students think abolition was purely a result of white British politicians being "kind." Ensure you highlight the role of slave rebellions (e.g., the Baptist War in Jamaica) and the intellectual work of Black abolitionists like Equiano.

3. Classroom Discussion Starters (The 'Journey')

• The Economic Thread: "If you removed every building in Liverpool or Bristol built with slave-trade money, what would be left of the city centres?"
• Abolition Tactics: "In the age before the internet, which abolitionist tactic was the most effective: a book, a physical object (like a shackle), or a speech in Parliament?"
• Modern Legacy: "Should we rename streets that are named after slave traders, or does that 'erase' the history we need to learn from?"