Why arguments have broken out about the Benin Bronzes
I can explain why the Benin Bronzes have caused arguments in the present day.
Why arguments have broken out about the Benin Bronzes
I can explain why the Benin Bronzes have caused arguments in the present day.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Whether or not the British Museum should return its Benin Bronzes has caused lots of arguments.
- Nigeria argues that they should be returned because they were originally taken from Benin City without permission.
- Some museums have returned looted Edo artwork to Nigeria, but British law prevents the British Museum from doing so.
- In the USA, descendants of West African enslaved people are trying to stop the return of Edo artwork to Nigeria.
- This is because some of the art was made using metals that were traded by Europeans for enslaved people.
Keywords
Descendants - descendants are people who come after someone else in a family
Ancestors - ancestors are the people who came before you in your family; they are a family's older generations
Common misconception
The Benin Bronzes were created for trade with Europeans.
The Benin Bronzes were created to serve as significant cultural and religious artefacts within the Benin Kingdom and made from the manilla used as payment for goods.
To help you plan your year 6 history lesson on: Why arguments have broken out about the Benin Bronzes, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 6 history lesson on: Why arguments have broken out about the Benin Bronzes, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 history lessons from the Benin: Why have people argued about the Benin Bronzes? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
the ruler of the Edo people
bronze and brass artefacts made by the Edo people
a country in West Africa
Exit quiz
6 Questions
someone who looks after artefacts in a museum
the people who come after someone else in a family
the people who came before you in your family