International Organizations & Liberia

Grade 12 · History

Semester 1 | Period 2 | Week 10

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Subject: History

Semester: 1

Period: 2

Week: 10

School Name: ___________________________
Teacher’s Name: _________________________
Subject: History
Grade Level: Grade 12
Date: Week 10
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Week & Period: Week 10, Period II
Topic: International Organizations & Liberia
Sub-topic: League of Nations and United Nations

 

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

  1. Explain the circumstances of Liberia’s admission into the League of Nations in 1919.
  2. Describe the forced labor scandal of the 1930s and its consequences for Liberia in the League.
  3. Discuss Liberia’s role in the United Nations since 1945, including peacekeeping missions such as UNMIL.
  4. Assess the overall impact of membership in international organizations on Liberia’s political image and sovereignty.

 

Previous Knowledge

Students already know:

  • Liberia’s relations with Europe and the USA (Week 9).
  • How foreign policy is formulated and executed (Week 8).
  • Liberia’s early struggles for international recognition.

 

Instructional Materials

  • History textbooks (senior secondary level)
  • Handouts with excerpts from League of Nations reports on Liberia (1930–34)
  • Timeline chart of Liberia’s membership in the League and UN
  • Photographs/documents of UNMIL in Liberia
  • Map showing UN peacekeeping deployments in Africa

 

Lesson Development – ABC Model

A – Anticipation (Starter)

Time: 5 minutes

Teacher’s Role:

  • Ask guiding questions:
  1. “Why do you think small countries like Liberia join international organizations?”
  2. “Can membership in such organizations affect a country’s sovereignty?”

Learners’ Role:

  • Share quick responses (e.g., “to get support,” “for protection,” “to trade,” “to avoid isolation”).
  • Teacher lists answers on the board to build context.

 

B – Building Knowledge (Main Lesson)

Time: 25–30 minutes

Teacher’s Role:

  • Deliver content in three main parts: League of Nations, UN membership, and UNMIL case study.
  • Use charts, documents, and visual aids for clarity.
  • Encourage discussions and comparisons.

Learners’ Activities:

  • Take guided notes.
  • Analyze an excerpt from the League’s 1930 forced labor report.
  • Discuss: “Did international intervention help or hurt Liberia in the 1930s?”
  • Group task: List three benefits and three challenges Liberia faced as a UN member.

 

Detailed Notes

  1. Liberia and the League of Nations (1919–1945)
  • Liberia admitted in 1919 as a founding African member (post-World War I peace system).
  • Membership increased Liberia’s global recognition.
  • 1930 Forced Labor Scandal:
    • League investigated claims of slavery and forced labor in Liberia (workers exported to Fernando Po).
    • Findings embarrassed Liberia, nearly leading to international trusteeship.
    • President Edwin Barclay implemented reforms to avoid sanctions.
  1. Liberia and the United Nations (from 1945)
  • Liberia became a founding member of the UN after WWII.
  • Supported decolonization movements in Africa (1960s).
  • Advocated for racial equality and independence of African states.
  1. United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL, 2003–2018)
  • Deployed after Second Liberian Civil War (2003 Accra Peace Agreement).
  • Role: disarm combatants, rebuild institutions, support elections, and maintain peace.
  • UNMIL withdrew in 2018, considered one of UN’s most successful peacekeeping missions.

Impact of Membership

  • Positive: Gave Liberia international support, legitimacy, post-war peacebuilding aid.
  • Negative: Periods of foreign interference (League crisis, heavy UN involvement).

 

C – Consolidation (Conclusion & Evaluation)

Time: 7–8 minutes

Summary (Teacher):

  • Liberia joined the League of Nations in 1919, but the forced labor scandal of the 1930s damaged its image.
  • As a UN founding member in 1945, Liberia supported global peace and African liberation.
  • The UN’s direct involvement (UNMIL) helped Liberia restore peace after its civil wars.
  • International organizations shaped Liberia’s sovereignty, image, and stability.

Evaluation (Oral Questions):

  1. When did Liberia join the League of Nations?
  2. What was the forced labor scandal about?
  3. Why was UNMIL deployed to Liberia?
  4. Mention one benefit and one drawback of Liberia’s membership in international organizations.

 

Assignment

  1. Write short notes on:
    Liberia’s admission to the League of Nations (1919)
    ii. Forced labor scandal (1930s)
    iii. UNMIL in Liberia (2003–2018)
  2. Essay (1 page): “The UNMIL mission was both a blessing and a limitation for Liberia.” Discuss.
  3. Research Task: Find out two other African countries that joined the League of Nations and compare their experiences with Liberia’s.

 

Differentiation / Inclusive Strategies

  • Struggling learners: Guided worksheet with fill-in-the-blanks.
  • Advanced learners: Critical analysis — “Did Liberia benefit more from the UN than from the League of Nations?”
  • Learners with disabilities: Provide large-print copies and verbal summaries; assign peers for group work.

 

Teacher’s Reflection (After Class)

  • What worked well? __________________________
  • What needs adjustment? _____________________
  • Participation: □ High □ Medium □ Low