The First Liberian Civil War (1989 - 1997) and Aftermath

Grade 12 · History

Semester 1 | Period 1 | Week 5

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Subject: History

Semester: 1

Period: 1

Week: 5

School Name: ___________________________
Teacher’s Name: _________________________
Subject: History
Grade Level: Grade 12
Date: ___________________________
Week : Week 5
Period: 1
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes

Topic: The First Liberian Civil War (1989–1997) and Aftermath
Sub-topic: Elections & Social Outcomes

 

Learning Objectives

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

  1. Describe Liberia’s elections in 1997, 2000 (as a learning bridge), 2011, and 2017.
  2. Explain voter participation, outcomes, and implications of these elections.
  3. Analyze the war’s effects on different social groups (elderly, young adults, children).
  4. Discuss the relationship between family size, poverty, and post-war household economics.

 

Previous Knowledge

Students already know:

  • The role of transitional governments up to 1997.
  • The peace accords and Ruth Perry’s leadership that led to the 1997 elections.

 

Instructional Materials

  • Textbook: Liberian History for Senior Secondary Schools, Book 3.
  • Teaching aids: Election result charts (1997, 2011, 2017); photos of key leaders (Charles Taylor, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, George Weah); short case vignettes of war-affected groups; poster showing family size vs. poverty.
  • Students’ materials: Notebooks, pens/pencils.

 

Lesson Development – ABC Model

A – Anticipation (Warm-up / Starter)

Time: 5–7 minutes

Activity:

  • Teacher asks: “Why do people vote in elections? What happens if elections are not free or fair?”
  • Students share quick responses.
  • Teacher explains that Liberia’s elections after the war reflect both hope and challenges.

 

B – Building Knowledge (Main Lesson Body)

Time: 25–30 minutes

Teacher’s Role

  • Guide students through a timeline of elections (1997–2017).
  • Present short real-life vignettes of war impacts on different groups.
  • Facilitate discussion on household economics and family size in post-war Liberia.

Learners’ Activities

  • Record notes on elections, outcomes, and implications.
  • Read and analyze case vignettes in small groups.
  • Debate: “Does having a large family make poverty worse after war?”

 

Notes (Expanded & Detailed):

  1. Elections (1997–2017)
  • 1997 Elections:
    • Organized under Ruth Perry’s transitional council.
    • Charles Taylor (NPFL leader) won by large margin—slogan: “He killed my ma, he killed my pa, but I will vote for him.”
    • Outcome: Brought temporary stability but set stage for Taylor’s authoritarian rule.
  • 2000 Elections / Political Developments:
    • No major general election; included local polls, constitutional debates, and reform efforts.
    • Importance: Showed challenges of rebuilding democratic institutions in post-war context.
    • Bridge for students: compare post-1997 struggles with later democratic elections.
  • 2005/2011 Elections (focus on 2011 for this course):
    • Ellen Johnson Sirleaf re-elected as Africa’s first female president.
    • Voter participation increased; international observers praised fairness.
    • Implications: Strengthened Liberia’s democracy, but challenges remained (corruption, inequality).
  • 2017 Elections:
    • George Weah won; first democratic transfer of power in over 70 years.
    • Symbolized maturing of Liberia’s democracy.
    • Voter turnout showed enthusiasm but also frustration with slow progress.

 

  1. War Effects on Social Groups (Case Vignettes)
  • Elderly: Lost traditional family support; some displaced to camps; often dependent on aid.
  • Young Adults: Many fought as combatants; faced trauma, unemployment, lost education.
  • Children: Recruited as child soldiers; suffered malnutrition, loss of parents, disrupted schooling.

(Short class vignette example: “Sarah, 12, lost both parents and lived in a refugee camp for 5 years. Returning to school was difficult because she had to work to support her siblings.”)

 

  1. Family Size & Poverty (Household Economics)
  • Larger family sizes increased dependency ratio (more dependents per working adult).
  • Many families lost breadwinners; child labor and petty trade increased.
  • Poverty levels rose, especially in urban slums and rural war-affected areas.
  • Smaller, economically planned families were better able to rebuild livelihoods post-war.

 

C – Consolidation (Conclusion & Assessment)

Time: 5–8 minutes

Summary:

  • Liberia held key elections in 1997, 2011, and 2017 with different levels of success.
  • War affected all groups—elderly, youth, and children—leaving long-lasting scars.
  • Family size directly influenced poverty and recovery after the war.

Evaluation Method:

  • Oral Q&A:
  1. Who won the 1997 elections?
  2. What made the 2017 elections historically important?
  3. How did war affect children differently from the elderly?
  4. Explain how family size relates to poverty.

Assignment:

  1. Create a poster showing Liberia’s election timeline (1997–2017) with outcomes.
  2. Write a short story (½ page) about how the war affected one Liberian family.
  3. Interview an elder in your community about how war or hardship affected families’ size and income.

 

Differentiation / Inclusive Strategies

  • Struggling Learners: Provide partially filled election timeline and simple matching activity.
  • Advanced Learners: Analyze whether democracy in Liberia improved from 1997 to 2017.
  • Students with Disabilities: Allow oral storytelling or drawing instead of written assignment.

 

Teacher’s Reflection (After Class)

  • What worked well? ___________________________________________
  • What needs improvement? ____________________________________
  • Students’ engagement level: □ High □ Medium □ Low