The role of tax in ancient societies
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Introduction
- Mediterranean world – Egypt, Greece or Rome
- Asia world – India or China
Students develop questions to investigate and then work in groups to investigate the who, what, how and why of tax in the ancient society they are studying. Groups communicate their findings as a museum display and students individually develop a historical explanation and a bibliography of the sources they consulted.
Achievement standard
By the end of Year 7, students suggest reasons for change and continuity over time. They describe the effects of change on societies, individuals and groups. They describe events and developments from the perspective of different people who lived at the time. Students explain the role of groups and the significance of particular individuals in society. They identify past events and developments that have been interpreted in different ways.
Students sequence events and developments within a chronological framework, using dating conventions to represent and measure time. When researching, students develop questions to frame a historical inquiry. They identify and select a range of sources and locate, compare and use information to answer inquiry questions. They examine sources to explain points of view. When interpreting sources, they identify their origin and purpose. Students develop texts, particularly descriptions and explanations. In developing these texts and organising and presenting their findings, they use historical terms and concepts, incorporate relevant sources, and acknowledge their sources of information.
Content descriptions
Historical Knowledge and Understanding
One of the following, depending on the ancient civilisation studied:
Significant beliefs, values and practices of the ancient Egyptians, with a particular emphasis on ONE of the following areas: everyday life, warfare, or death and funerary customs (ACDSEH033).
Significant beliefs, values and practices of the ancient Greeks, with a particular emphasis on ONE of the following areas: everyday life, warfare, or death and funerary customs (ACDSEH036).
Significant beliefs, values and practices of the ancient Romans, with a particular emphasis on ONE of the following areas: everyday life, warfare, or death and funerary customs (ACDSEH039).
Significant beliefs, values and practices of Indian society, with a particular emphasis on ONE of the following areas: everyday life, warfare, or death and funerary customs (ACDSEH045.
Significant beliefs, values and practices of Chinese society, with a particular emphasis on ONE of the following areas: everyday life, warfare, or death and funerary customs (ACDSEH042).
Historical Skills
Use historical terms and concepts (ACHHS206).
Identify and locate relevant sources, using ICT and other methods (ACHHS208)
Locate, compare, select and use information from a range of sources as evidence (ACHHS210).
Identify and describe points of view, attitudes and values in primary and secondary sources (ACHHS212).
Develop texts, particularly descriptions and explanations that use evidence from a range of sources that are acknowledged (ACHHS213).
Use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written) and digital technologies (ACHHS214).
Teacher resources
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Writing paragraphs in History
Student learning resources
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Class museum of tax
Sources recording table
Writing paragraphs in History
Writing a bibliography in History
Bibliography example for History
Suggested activity sequence
This sequence is intended as a framework to be modified and adapted by teachers to suit the needs of a class group.
- Select an appropriate ancient society for students to investigate.
- Explain to students that they will be:
- conducting a group investigation
- creating a museum display illustrating the role of tax in the ancient society they are studying
- developing a historical explanation
- writing a bibliography of the references they consulted.
- Brainstorm as a class what information students might need to find out about the role of taxation in the ancient society students are studying.
- Use a grouping strategy to organise students into groups of 4.
- Students collaboratively complete part 1 and part 2 of the investigation. To complete the task, groups will need the recording table. Groups should be given at least 3 lessons for research and 3 lessons to create their museum display.
- Explicitly teach how paragraphs are structured using the Writing paragraphs in History – Visualiser and/or refer students to How to write paragraphs in History – Model.
- Students individually complete part 3 of the research task. They will need:
- Students write a historical explanation of the role of tax in the ancient society they investigated and construct a bibliography listing the sources they consulted.