New
New
Year 6
Benin City
I can describe what Benin City was like.
New
New
Year 6
Benin City
I can describe what Benin City was like.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- The Benin bronzes were produced in a place called Benin City, which was the heart of the Benin Kingdom.
- The Edo people built this city on a plain, which was known for the high mud walls and great ditches that enclosed it.
- Beyond the city walls roughly 500 separate villages were separated by further walls making up the suburbs of the city.
- The city was well planned with straight roads and square houses and there were even metal palm oil burning street lamps.
- Merchants and artisans worked and lived in the city, while farmers lived and worked in the surrounding rainforests.
Keywords
Edo - the Edo were the indigenous inhabitants of the Kingdom of Benin
Indigenous - indigenous refers to people living in a land from the earliest times
Plain - a plain is a large area of flat land with few trees
Suburbs - suburbs are areas on the outskirts of a city or town where people live
Common misconception
Benin City was a primitive or undeveloped society.
Benin City was a thriving metropolis with well-planned streets, organised urban spaces, and impressive architecture.
Provide students with a clear understanding of the geographical location of Benin City within West Africa. Compare ancient Benin City to modern-day Benin City and incorporate visuals such as maps, illustrations, and photographs of Benin City and its architecture.
Teacher tip
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
What are the Benin Bronzes?
artworks that were made by modern day artists to tell the history of Benin
artworks that were sold to the ancient Kingdom of Benin from the Portuguese
Q2.
Why are the Benin Bronzes an important part of the ancient kingdom’s heritage?
because they are artefacts that are very old and don’t belong to anyone
because they are artefacts that are too beautiful to throw away
Q3.
Complete the sentence. The army took the Benin Bronzes when they invaded the city in 1897.
Q4.
True or false? Thousands of the Benin Bronzes have been housed in museums across the world since 1897.
False
Q5.
Complete the sentence. To send something back to the country it came from is called .
Q6.
Which of these statements is NOT a reason requesting the repatriation of the Benin Bronzes to Nigeria?
They are a part of their historical and cultural heritage.
To share with everyone in the country.
To be proud of the country’s traditions.
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
What does the term 'indigenous' mean?
the rules and laws of a country
the official language of a country
people who have moved to a new country
Q2.
What is the name of the indigenous inhabitants of the Kingdom of Benin.
Maasai
Zulu
Yoruba
Q3.
Where was Benin City built?
It was built on a moutain.
Q4.
What did the 500 smaller villages surrounding Benin City form?
Q5.
What are some of the features of Benin City?
low walls
networks of canals
Q6.
Complete the sentence. Merchants and artisans typically worked and lived in the .
Additional material
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