For Teachers: Lessons
Parallels in England and the Yangzi Basin of China in the 1800s
Sarah Chrichton, Herbert Lehman High School, Bronx, New York
Class Activities
- Anticipatory Set:
Students start with an anticipation set: "What are the features of a modern economy?"
This can be conducted as a "think, pair, share" activity. Students have five minutes to brainstorm on their own, two minutes to discuss with partners next to them, and five minutes to share their thoughts with the whole class. - Show the interactive for China and Europe: New Units of Analysis.
- "Why is it unfair to compare England and all of China?"
- Ask students to skim the section China and Europe: 1500-1800
- Provide students with an organizer (see template below) and tell them they are searching for features of a modern economy and the reasons why those features are significant. Students should work with their partner.(20—30 minutes)
- Review students’ findings and create a "master organizer" on the SmartBoard.
- Pose the next essential question: "Why did England begin industrialization but the Yangzi Basin did not?"
- Review the term "industrialization." Elicit definitions from students and distill them into a class definition on the SmartBoard.
- View the interactive Comparing Core Areas.
Invite a student to come to the Smart Board and navigate through the interactive.- Geographically, what advantages do both of these regions have in common?
- What industries do England and the Yangzi Basin have in common?
- What products are specialties of the Yangzi Basin?
- What resources does England have that the Yangzi Basin does not?
- How do you think resources played a role in England’s industrialization?
- View map: New World: Both Periphery and Market
This map is located in the section "China and Europe, 1780-1937" under "What Happened?" – scroll to the final section under this topic.
• What other resources has Europe gained access to by the 18th century?
- Concluding discussion:
• Discuss the role of resources and geography in industrialization