Unit 5

This unit explores the intersection of industrialization and imperialism, focusing on how competition among industrialized nations for political and economic power shaped global events. Students will evaluate the role of imperial rivalries, the shifting balance of power brought about by the Industrial Revolution, and the complex cultural, religious, and racial factors influencing imperialist policies. By examining key events, figures, and ideologies, students will develop a deeper understanding of how imperialism transformed the global landscape during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

8 - 10 Days

Standards Coding Key: 

Civ= Civics Geo= Geography Eco= Economics His= History Inq= Inquiry

Content Standards

MW.His.1.d. 

Evaluate how imperialism was shaped by rivalries between industrialized nation-states for political and economic power (e.g., Japan, Great Britain, France, Belgium, Germany).

MW.His.14.b. 

Analyze how the Industrial Revolution impacted the balance of power among nations (e.g., Opium Wars, Sino-Japanese relations prior to and post the Meiji Reformation, Crimean War, Zulu War, Mahdist War, Anglo-German naval arms race, Scramble for Africa).

Inquiry Standards (all units) 

MW.Inq.1.a. 

Explain how a question reflects an enduring issue in Modern World History.

MW.Inq.1.b.

Explain how supporting questions contribute to an inquiry and how new compelling and supporting questions emerge when engaging sources that represent varied perspectives.

MW.Inq.1.c.

Determine the kinds of sources that will be helpful in answering compelling and supporting questions, taking into consideration multiple points of view represented in the sources, the types of sources available, and the potential uses of the sources.

Aligned to District Vision of a Graduate

An Effective Communicator 

• clearly and concisely conveys information for shared understanding

  • MW.Inq.1.a.

  • MW.Inq.1.b.

  • MW.Inq.1.c.

• command of the language; written and verbal

  • MW.Inq.1.a.

  • MW.Inq.1.b.

Skilled Socially 

• uses effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills

  • MW.Inq.1.a.

  • MW.Inq.1.b.

A Critical Thinker 

• applies unbiased analysis and evaluation

  • MW.His.1.d.

  • MW.His.14.b.

  • MW.Inq.1.b.

  • MW.Inq.1.c.

• willing to adapt new information and question things

  • MW.His.1.d.

  • MW.His.14.b.

  • MW.Inq.1.a.

  • MW.Inq.1.b.

  • MW.Inq.1.c.

A Problem Solver

• can persevere and adapt

  • MW.Inq.1.b.

  • MW.Inq.1.c.

• able to determine the root cause of issues

  • MW.His.1.d.

  • MW.His.14.b.

• How did industrialization transform societies around the world?

• What were the multiple and interconnected causes and effects of industrialization?

• How did industrialization influence the development of new political, economic, and social ideologies?

• How did global competition for resources during industrialization shape economic relationships and impact societies?

• Industrialization was a transformative global force that reshaped economies, societies, and environments by introducing new technologies, production methods, and patterns of labor.

• The causes and effects of industrialization were complex and interconnected, involving technological innovation, access to resources, labor systems, and shifting economic demands.

• Industrialization spurred the development and spread of new political, economic, and social ideologies—such as capitalism, socialism, communism, and labor reform movements—reflecting responses to the rapid changes it brought.

• Global competition for raw materials and markets during the industrial era intensified imperialism and altered economic relationships, often leading to exploitation, inequality, and long-term impacts on colonized regions.

MW.His.1.d

• Imperialism

• Industrialized nation-states

• Political power

• Economic power

• Global rivalries / competition

• Key nations:

  • Japan

  • Great Britain

  • France

  • Belgium

  • Germany

• Colonization / expansion

• Military power and technology

MW.His.14.b

• Industrial Revolution / industrialization

• Balance of power among nations

• Global military and economic influence

• Conflict and war

• Key events:

  • Opium Wars

  • Sino-Japanese relations (pre- and post-Meiji Reformation)

  • Crimean War

  • Zulu War

  • Mahdist War

  • Anglo-German naval arms race

  • Scramble for Africa

• Economic and technological advantage

• Imperial expansion and competition

MW.Inq.1.a. 

• Compelling questions

• Enduring issues (conflict, power, inequality, innovation)

• Historical significance

• Continuity and change

• Global connections

MW.Inq.1.b.

• Supporting questions

• Inquiry process

• Sources (primary and secondary)

• Perspectives

• Historical evidence

• Interpretation

MW.Inq.1.c.

• Primary sources

• Secondary sources

• Point of view

• Bias

• Source type (text, image, artifact, map)

• Credibility

• Use of evidence

MW.His.1.d.

• Evaluate how rivalries between industrialized nations drove imperialism

• Analyze political and economic motivations for expansion

• Compare the actions and strategies of different nations

• Use evidence to support claims about imperialist competition

• Explain cause-and-effect relationships between industrialization and imperialism

MW.His.14.b.

• Analyze how industrialization shifted global power among nations

• Evaluate the effects of industrial and military technology on international dominance

• Assess how conflicts and wars reflected industrial-era rivalries

• Use evidence from historical events to support conclusions about power shifts

• Make connections between industrial growth, imperialism, and global balance of power

MW.Inq.1.a. 

• Explain how a question connects to an enduring historical issue

• Identify enduring issues within historical topics

• Develop compelling questions about world history topics

• Justify why a question is historically significant

• Connect past issues to present-day concerns

MW.Inq.1.b.

• Develop supporting questions that break down a larger inquiry

• Explain how supporting questions guide research

• Revise questions based on new information from sources

• Compare different perspectives found in sources

• Generate new compelling and supporting questions during investigation

MW.Inq.1.c.

• Identify types of sources useful for answering questions

• Evaluate sources for perspective and bias

• Select appropriate sources for specific inquiry questions

• Compare sources representing multiple points of view

• Explain how different sources can be used as evidence

• Justify why certain sources are more useful than others

Assessments:

Formative Assessments: 

REQUIRED:

• CFA - Unit 5

Suggested:

• Annotations and close reading analysis

• Quick writes and on-demand writing samples

• Do Nows/Bell Ringers

• Exit tickets

• 1:1 or small group conferring

Summative Assessments: 

REQUIRED:

• In development 

Suggested:

• Reading written response to text/thinking during reading assessment 

• On-demand writing assessment to revise/add to an existing story using style and craft of the author

• Performance task (see below)

• Independent Reading survey/reflection

• Book club/short story discussion observations

• Imperialism

• Colonization

• Exploitation

• Boxer Rebellion

• Ethnocentrism

• Nationalism

• Sepoy Rebellion

• British East India Trading Company

Resources:

Technology:

• Actively Learn

• Blooket

• BreakoutEDU

• EdPuzzle

• Kahoot!

• Kami

• Padlet

• SORA

• YouTube
  
  

Suggested Texts:  

• Industrial Empires OER Project  

• McGraw Hill Textbook Topic 16

Cross Cycle Tasks:

Suggestions: 

• Have students begin reading a brief connected text at the end of the academic and finish during trade cycle.

• Use Google Forms for a questionnaire or survey about upcoming topic.

• Brief writing task related to end of cycle lesson or as a discussion piece for upcoming lesson.

• Student question development about upcoming topic. Provide question starters: Classroom Question Stems by Cormier; Hess; DOK; Bloom's Taxonomy.

• Quizlet Study Sets activity.

Last day of the Cycle:

• Students meet in small groups to read and discuss upcoming text for next cycle.

First day of the New Cycle:

• Students meet in small groups to discuss reflection, response, and question posts from previous cycle (approx. 15 minutes)

1. Debate: Who Benefited Most from Imperialism?

Students take on roles as representatives from industrialized nations (e.g., Britain, France, Germany) and colonized regions. They debate the political and economic motivations behind imperialism and its consequences.

Aligns with MW.His.1.d and MW.His.4.a.

2. Case Study Analysis

Students analyze specific historical events (e.g., Opium Wars, Scramble for Africa, Mahdist War) and present how industrialization and imperial rivalry influenced the balance of power.

Includes visual mapping and timelines to show cause-effect relationships.

Aligns with MW.His.14.b and MW.His.1.d.

3. Propaganda Poster Comparison

Students examine and compare imperialist propaganda from different nations. Then, they create their own historical propaganda posters reflecting political, economic, cultural, or racial motivations.

Aligns with MW.His.4.a.

4. Document-Based Inquiry

Analyze primary sources such as excerpts from The White Man’s Burden, E.D. Morel’s writings, or letters from Dadabhai Naoroji.

Students answer guiding questions and write a reflection or short essay on how cultural and racial attitudes shaped views on imperialism.

Aligns with MW.His.4.a.

5. Interactive Map: Imperial Rivalries

Create a collaborative digital or physical map showing territorial claims by industrialized nations during the height of imperialism. Include annotations about political and economic motives.

Aligns with MW.His.1.d.

6. Historical Simulation: Berlin Conference

Simulate the Berlin Conference with students acting as representatives of imperial powers. They must negotiate over African territories, considering national interests and rivalries.

Reflect on how this simulation illustrates the global impact of the Industrial Revolution and imperial competition.

Aligns with MW.His.1.d and MW.His.14.b.

7. Comparative Essay: Pre- and Post-Meiji Japan

Write an essay comparing Japan’s status before and after the Meiji Reformation, especially in terms of industrial power and international relations.

Aligns with MW.His.14.b.

8. Resistance Movements Research Project

Students research different anti-imperial resistance movements (e.g., Boxer Rebellion, Sepoy Rebellion, Zulu War) and present how cultural, religious, or racial factors contributed to the resistance.

Aligns with MW.His.4.a.

9. Political Cartoon Interpretation

Analyze historical political cartoons related to imperialism and industrial power. Discuss symbols, stereotypes, and messages. Optionally, students create their own.

Aligns with MW.His.1.d and MW.His.4.a.

10. Museum Exhibit Curation

In groups, students curate a digital or physical “Imperialism and Power” exhibit with artifacts, maps, images, and explanatory panels. Each section reflects a theme from the standards.

Aligns with all three standards.

Use these reflective questions to enhance critical consciousness for diversity and equity for both educators and students.

• Why is it important for me and my students to be critically conscious for diversity and equity?

• How do I define diversity? How do my students define diversity? What do I need to learn? What do my students need to learn?

• How do I define equity? How do my students define equity? What do I need to learn? What do my students need to learn?

• How does my identity and my students’ identities impact my teaching and classroom practices? How does it impact my students’ learning and engagement?

• What do I know about various aspects of identity? What do I need to learn?

• What do my students know about various aspects of identity? What do they need to learn?

For information on how to support English Learners in this unit, refer to the Connecticut English Language Proficiency (CELP) Standards with Correspondences to the K-12 Practices and Connecticut Core Standards. 

Use the EL Strategies Desk Cards (Tip Sheets for ALL Classroom Teachers) for specific questioning techniques and teaching strategies to support students’ learning.