Structured Academic Controversy

The Colonial Period

During the period of European colonial expansion in Africa (1880-1950), the British controlled
the area now known as Nigeria in West Africa. Your task, as a critical historian, will be to
determine whether the British involvement in West Africa was Charity or Exploitation.
For step one of this investigation, you will work in pairs to discuss the evidence supporting either
the charity or exploitation proposition. You will be assigned a side for which to gather
evidence. You and your partner will then present your evidence to the opposition. Next, you
will listen and take notes on the oppositions argument. Finally, you will discuss the issue with
the opposition to come to a cooperative understanding.

Question: Was the British colonial control of the Nigerian Colony charity or exploitation?
Team A: Charity
Team B: Exploitation
Process:
Class 1:
1. (30 minutes) Read the documents included in this packet, and - together with
your partner - select four pieces of evidence to present (see graphic organizer). You
may select more than one piece from a given document. At least three document
though must be represented in your evidence.
2. (20 minutes) Each group presents its evidence to the opposition (all people
must actively present). While the opposition is presenting, you and your partner
should write detailed notes on their evidence/argument.
Class 2:
1. (15 minutes) Each team should attempt to present the opposition's argument
back to them. Any and all misunderstandings should be addressed at this stage.
2. (15 minutes) Assigned roles can be abandoned. Work in whole tables (both
partner groups) to come to a consensus answer to the question.
3. (20 minutes) Whole class discussion/reflection on the Academic Controversy
4. (15 minutes) Start writing assignment - use partnership groups as a resource
to develop ideas (but work must be completed individually.

SAC: Colonialism 1

Worksheet and Activity Organizer

Remember that YOU are a historical investigator. That means that you view the world with a
critical eye - you arent satisfied with the surface level explanation. Sourcing the evidence you
view is then of critical importance. For each document - explain how the source note impacts
your understanding of the evidence itself. What potential biases are exposed? How do these
biases impact your use of the associated texts as evidence?

Source

Type (book,
textbook,
historical
artifact, etc.)

Author

Date

Potential Bias

SAC: Colonialism 2

Organizing the Evidence:

Use this space to write your four main points, and to take notes when the
opposition side makes their presentation
British Involvement was Charity
1.

2.

3.

4.

British Involvement was Exploitation

1.

2.

3.

4.
The Consensus
Once both sides have made their presentations - abandon your assigned positions,
and work together with your entire table to form a consensus opinion. Your whole
SAC: Colonialism 3

table consensus must draw upon specific pieces of evidence in supporting your
assertions.
Outline your consensus below:

SAC: Colonialism 4

Document 1: The Treaty of Lagos (1852) (Modified)

Note: The Treaty of Lagos, between the British government and the Emir of Lagos was the result
of a military campaign conducted by the British in West Africa. The campaign had the aim of
halting the slave trade. Importantly though, this document represents the formal start of British
control over the area which is present-day Nigeria.

Article V
Europeans or other persons now engaged in the Slave Trade are to be expelled
from the country; the houses, stores, or buildings hitherto employed as slavefactories, if not converted to lawful purposes within three months of the conclusion
of this Engagement, are to be destroyed.
Article VI
The subjects of the Queen of England may always trade freely with the people of
Lagos in every article they wish to buy and sell in all the places, and ports, and
rivers within the territories and Chiefs of lagos, and throughout the whole of their
dominions; and the King and Chiefs of Lagos pledge themselves to show no favour
and give no privilege to the ships and traders of other countries which they do not
show to those of England.

SAC: Colonialism 5

Document 2: Excerpt from The Dual Mandate in British Tropical Africa (1926)
(Modified)
Note: This book was written by Frederick Lugard, a British lord and the governor general of the
Nigerian Colony from 1914-1919. Lugard was a celebrated explorer and well known heroic
figure in British society. He was regarded as an effective administrator.

...so in Africa today we are repaying the debt, and bringing to the dark places of the
earth, the abode of barbarism and cruelty, the torch of culture and progress, while
ministering to the material needs of our own civilization. In this task the nations of
Europe have pledged themselves to co-operation by a solemn covenant. British
methods have not perhaps in all cases produced ideal results, but I am convinced
that there can be no question but that British rule has promoted the happiness and
welfare of the primitive races. Let those who question it examine the results
impartially. If there is unrest, and a desire for independence, as in India and Egypt,
it is because we have taught the value of liberty and freedom, which for centuries
these peoples had not known. Their very discontent is a measure of their progress.
We hold these countries because it is the genius of our race.

SAC: Colonialism 6

Document 3: Excerpt from Native Administration and-Political Development in

British Tropical Africa (1943) (Modified)
Note: Written by Lord Malcolm Hailey, this book served to detail the strategy of indirect
governance and its effect. Hailey was a long serving colonial administrator. He wrote many
influential guides on how best to govern colonial possessions.

The use of traditional native authorities as agencies of local rule is now so widely
extended that it must necessarily occupy the chief part of our attention. Their value
depends largely on the care taken in ascertaining the real seat of indigenous native
authority before making the grant of those statutory powers which mark the
position of a native authority as part of the machinery of our administration. It is of
great importance that administrative officers should in their personal contact with
native authorities have regard to the traditional position occupied by the council or
elders. There is also the risk that the native authority may seek to avoid taking its
proper share of responsibility on the ground that it is "working under government
orders."

SAC: Colonialism 7

Document 4: Excerpt from Africa and the New Globalization (2008) (Modified)
Note: This excerpt is taken from an academic paper written by George Klay Kieh, a Liberian
(African) historian and politician. The papers main focus is the economic development of the
African continent and how colonial exposure altered that trajectory. This specific passage
details the practices of the Niger Company - the privately owned entity that effectively governed
Nigeria in its early colonial period.

On July 10th, 1886, The Royal Niger COmpany was granted a Royal Charter to
develop the resources of Nigeria, acquired in the Treaty of Berlin, for the British
economy. Part of the conditions for offering the Royal Niger Company exclusive
rights to such enormous territories was that the Company would provide the
resources needed to exploit and export the resources. In creating this charter, the
British government did not engage in voluntary or mutually beneficial exchanges
with African land owners. Instead, the Royal Niger Company was often involved
in the confiscation, usually through force, of African lands. Through this process,
land that was owned communally by African ethnic groups was captured and the
all rights of it transferred to European business enterprises.

SAC: Colonialism 8

Post Controversy Assignment:

In two paragraphs reflect on the British colonialism Structured Academic Controversy. Use this
reflection as an opportunity to assess both your participation in the Structured Academic
Controversy and the form of the lesson itself. Questions to consider:
1. Were you happy with the side you were initially assigned to? If so, why what
made your position easy to support? If not, what made the assigned position particularly
difficult?
2. What was different about this lesson from the debates we have had in past
classes? Did you find this format better or worse for developing your knowledge as a
historian?
3. Were there perspectives missing from the provided documents? If so, what
additional resources would have made for a more complete understanding of the
question?
4. Do you feel that you bring any latent (hidden) biases to this question? If so, do
you feel you were conscious of them during this project?
As always, your work must follow the rules from the Writing Checklist. Please work with your
partner and table in discussing these questions. But your writing must be completed individually.

SAC: Colonialism 9