Starter quiz
- 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
- artworks that were made by craftsmen from the ancient Kingdom of Benin ✓
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- Why are the Benin Bronzes an important part of the ancient kingdom’s heritage?
- because they are artefacts that represent the country’s history and culture ✓
- 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
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- Complete the sentence. The ______ army took the Benin Bronzes when they invaded the city in 1897.
- 'British' ✓
- True or false? Thousands of the Benin Bronzes have been housed in museums across the world since 1897.
- True ✓
- False
- Complete the sentence. To send something back to the country it came from is called ______.
- 'repatriation' ✓
- 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.
- They are worth a lot of money. ✓
- To share with everyone in the country.
- To be proud of the country’s traditions.
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Exit quiz
- What does the term 'indigenous' mean?
- the rules and laws of a country
- people living in a land from the earliest times ✓
- the official language of a country
- people who have moved to a new country
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- What is the name of the indigenous inhabitants of the Kingdom of Benin.
- Maasai
- Zulu
- Yoruba
- Edo ✓
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- Where was Benin City built?
- It was built on a plain. ✓
- It was built on a moutain.
- It was known for its impressive city planning and design. ✓
- It was capital of the Kingdom of Benin. ✓
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- What did the 500 smaller villages surrounding Benin City form?
- 'the suburbs' ✓
- What are some of the features of Benin City?
- straight roads ✓
- low walls
- square houses ✓
- networks of canals
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- Complete the sentence. Merchants and artisans typically worked and lived in the ______.
- 'city' ✓
Worksheet
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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.
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.
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
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