3. How was trade unequal in the past?

Activity 1 - What is inequality?

Activity Tasks

Define - What does the concepts 'equality' and 'inequality' (disparity) mean?
Group Work - Get into pairs or small groups. Each group will have a number between 1-4. Each group will have five minutes to mind-map what they know already about their corresponding question:
1. What types of inequality are there?
2. What causes inequality?
3. What effect does inequality have on people, societies, and the planet?
4. Is inequality a bad thing?
Share - Meet with another group of the same number, and share your ideas, filling in any new ideas onto your mind-maps.

Activity Tasks

Define - If you know what inequality is, what might 'economic inequality' mean?
Think/Pair/Share - In what ways could trade between countries be unequal? Consider first this definition:
1. Trade - the exchange of goods and services between countries
Discuss - To what extent is economic inequality in today's world caused by events from history? Can you think of any examples on trade inequality from the past?

Activity Tasks

Select - You will be researching a historical commodity trade from the past to work out who benefitted and who suffered from the trade. Read the tasks instructions on this sheet and select a historical commodity trade to investigate from the table:
Research - Using the suggested sources and research table on this sheet, try to answer the nine questions by researching key relevant information:
1. What was the resource?
2. Where was resource produced?
3. When was the resource traded?
4. Who consumed the finished product?
5. Who transported and manufactured the resource?
6. Who produced or supplied the resource?
7. Who benefitted from the trade of this resource?
8. Who suffered from the trade of this resource?
9. Overall, was the… trade fair or unfair?

Activity Tasks

Discuss - For each category of relevant information below, think of an example of what this might look like for this research project, and where you might find this information:
1. Numbers - date and time, specific numbers, measurements
2. Statistics - Although technically just one form of number evidence, statistics are special enough to count as their own separate type of evidence, especially because they are so valuable at making evidence representative. Percentages, ratios, averages, ranges
3. Names - place names, people, products, organisations, movements, ideas, concepts, businesses
4. Expert Opinion - Refers to the use of someone else’s knowledge or opinion, when the author quotes or mentions a recognized expert in the field, could be given as a direct quote
5. Documentary Evidence - primary sources like laws, speeches, interviews, diaries, policies

Activity Tasks

Signup - Signup on the website www.canva.com, using your school email to setup a free account. You will be using Canva to design your infographic, illustrating your findings.
Review - Reflect upon these visual design tips to help you design your infographic. In particular, pay attention to:
1. Topic: The topic of the infographic should be specific in nature.
2. Type: The type of infographic chosen (for example, timeline or informational) should support the content being presented.
3. Objects: The objects included in the infographic should be relevant to the topic.
4. Data Visualizations: The data visualizations, tables, and/or graphs are easily to understand.
5. Style: Fonts, colors, and organization are aesthetically pleasing and appropriate.
6. Citations: Full APA citations for all sources used are included somewhere.