Grade 7 Lesson at a Glance: Chapter 6, Lesson 4

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
Across the Centuries

Lesson at a Glance
Chapter 6, Lesson 4: The Kongo Kingdom (pp. 149-153)

The Big Idea
Framework Concept: Conflict and Values The friendly relationship between the people of the Kongo and of Portugal changed over time, as cultural beliefs and values about profit and slavery came into conflict.

Discuss with students how misunderstandings occur when people hold different beliefs about important concepts like freedom, slavery, justice, and rights. Work with students to distinguish between slavery as practiced by the Kongo people and slavery as practiced by the Portuguese.

Lesson Outline
Use the Lesson Outline to preview the content of the lesson. You may wish to print it for your students as a guide during reading.

Check for Understanding

Ask students to imagine that they are the Mani-Kongo, Affonso. Have them write a poem or parable from his point of view, recounting how the slave trade with the Portuguese caused a civil war that destroyed his country and people.
Have students be advisers to the king. They need to bring to his attention the effects of the slave trade on the country, both economic and cultural. Remind them of the flourishing trade that the Kongo had in salt, iron, copper, ivory, and raffia.

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