This lesson adopts the classic enquiry approach. You drip-feeding clues and encourage students to refine their hypotheses as they go along.
The initial question is set up at the beginning of the lesson: why was it that, after centuries of essentially refusing to be part of the international slave trade, after 1700 the Obas of Benin seem to have had a change of heart?
Students come up with their initial ideas, before considering a range of clues and hopefully revising their original theory on the basis of additional evidence.
Finally,they are encouraged to prioritise causes/reasons, answering the big question in a careful and nuanced manner.
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