The era of imperialism was, at its core, a great, ironic contradiction. The allegedly enlightened Europeans were behaving in barbaric fashion, while the supposed “barbarians” of China, Africa, and India were protesting in a very enlightened fashion. In this activity, students will create a grid that compares points of view between imperialist Europeans and the inhabitants of the lands they wished to colonize. This activity should be focused on discovering and using primary source documents, and the grid should include POV statements from China, Africa, and India.
The storyboard above uses the following comparisons:
Before beginning this activity, teachers may want to make sure students comprehend the difference between perspective and point of view.
Extended Activity
One way to extend this activity is to ask students to use their research to write a one-page response paper or create a traditional storyboard that addresses the following question:
“What does the development of imperialism say about how deeply the Enlightenment actually had an impact on European policy making?”
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that compares the views of imperialists and the indigenous people they colonized.
Assign students roles as either imperialists or indigenous leaders and facilitate a structured debate to deepen understanding of historical perspectives. Debates encourage students to research, defend positions, and respectfully challenge opposing arguments, reinforcing critical thinking and empathy.
Guide students to use library databases, digital archives, and curated classroom resources to find authentic documents from the era. Model search strategies and source evaluation so students can distinguish between biased and reliable information.
Break down challenging primary source language together and teach students to paraphrase key ideas in their own words. This builds comprehension and helps students express nuanced perspectives clearly in their grid or debate.
Invite students to illustrate each point of view using drawings, comic strips, or digital art. Visual storytelling makes abstract ideas more concrete and memorable, supporting diverse learning styles.
Imperialist points of view focused on justifying colonization as a civilizing mission, while indigenous perspectives highlighted resistance, loss of autonomy, and defense of local cultures and rights.
Students can analyze primary source documents from both imperialists and indigenous leaders, such as speeches or letters, and organize their findings in a comparative grid to highlight contrasting viewpoints.
Teaching both sides helps students develop critical thinking, understand historical bias, and recognize the impact of imperialism on diverse societies.
Examples include Rudyard Kipling (imperialist) vs. Chief Machemba (Africa), William Melbourne vs. Lin Zexu (China), and Herbert Kitchener vs. Ram Mohun Roy (India).
Have students create a comparison grid using direct quotes from both imperialist and indigenous figures for different regions, then summarize and illustrate each perspective to deepen understanding.