The First Liberian Civil War (1989 - 1997)

Grade 12 · History

Semester 1 | Period 1 | Week 1

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Subject: History

Semester: 1

Period: 1

Week: 1

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

Topic: The First Liberian Civil War (1989–1997)
Sub-topic: Beginnings & Causes of the War

 

Learning Objectives

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

  1. Describe the background leading up to the Liberian Civil War (1822–1989).
  2. Explain at least 4 causes of the war (political, economic, social/ethnic, external).
  3. Construct a simple cause-and-effect chart linking different factors to the outbreak of war.

 

Previous Knowledge

Students already know:

  • Liberia’s founding history and settlement by freed slaves.
  • The difference between colonialism and independence.
  • Basic understanding of conflict as learned in civic education or social studies.

 

Instructional Materials

  • Textbook: Liberian History for Senior Secondary Schools, Book 3.
  • Teaching aids: Timeline chart (1822–1989), Liberia map, pictures of war period, chalkboard/whiteboard.
  • Students’ materials: Notebooks, pens/pencils.

 

Lesson Development – ABC Model

A – Anticipation (Warm-up / Starter)

Time: 5–10 minutes

Activity:

  • Teacher asks:
  1. “What comes to your mind when you hear the word civil war?”
  2. “Can people of the same country really fight each other? Why or why not?”
  • Teacher writes responses on the board in 4 categories: Political, Economic, Social, External.

Teacher’s Role:

  • Facilitate brainstorming, guide discussion, and correct misconceptions.
  • Introduce key words: civil war, coup, insurgency, resource curse.

Learners’ Role:

  • Share ideas and prior knowledge.
  • Participate actively in warm-up.

 

B – Building Knowledge (Main Lesson Body)

Time: 25–30 minutes**

Teacher’s Role

  • Deliver mini-lecture on background to the war (1980 coup, 1985 elections, Doe’s government).
  • Explain the four broad causes (Political, Economic, Social/Ethnic, External).
  • Provide examples for each cause.
  • Draw a Cause-and-Effect Web on the board.

Learners’ Activities (Expanded):

  • Take notes from teacher’s explanations.
  • Work in pairs to list at least 2 causes per category (P/E/S/E).
  • Share findings aloud in class.
  • Help complete the class cause-effect chart.

Assessment Checks:

  • Oral questions during lesson:
    • “What political events before 1989 caused resentment?”
    • “Why would unemployment push people to support war?”
    • “Which neighboring countries played a role in the war?”

Notes (Expanded & Detailed):

  • Background to 1989:
    • 1980 coup by Samuel Doe; overthrow of Americo-Liberian dominance.
    • 1985 disputed elections → opposition anger.
    • Widespread corruption and abuse of power.
  • Causes of the War:
    • Political: Americo-Liberian vs Indigenous divide; authoritarian regime of Doe; lack of fair elections.
    • Economic: Unemployment, inequality, corruption, misuse of national resources.
    • Social/Ethnic: Tensions between Krahn, Gio, Mano, Mandingo; discrimination; revenge killings.
    • External: Neighboring countries (Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso) supported rebels; Cold War politics reduced U.S. support.
  • Examples:
    • Doe’s favoritism towards Krahn people caused resentment.
    • Resource wealth (rubber/iron ore) not shared fairly.
    • Charles Taylor trained and equipped abroad before 1989 incursion.

 

C – Consolidation (Conclusion & Assessment)

Time: 5–10 minutes

Summary:

  • Teacher reviews the four categories of causes with the class.
  • Recap key takeaway: Civil wars are caused by a mix of political, economic, social, and external factors.

Evaluation Method (Expanded):

  • Exit Slip/Quiz: Students write short answers to:
  1. State one political cause of the Liberian Civil War.
  2. Mention one economic and one social cause.
  3. Name one country that supported Charles Taylor.
  • Teacher collects responses, quickly reviews, and provides oral feedback.

Assignment (Expanded):

  1. Interview a family or community elder: ask them what they believe was the biggest cause of the war. Write a half-page report.
  2. Create a poster/diagram showing at least 8 causes of the war grouped under Political, Economic, Social, and External.

Follow-up Activity:

  • Next class, students will present their posters and discuss how different causes interacted to make war inevitable.

 

Differentiation / Inclusive Strategies

  • Struggling Learners: Provide a partially filled PESE chart (Political, Economic, Social, External) to complete.
  • Advanced Learners: Challenge to connect Liberian war causes to other African conflicts (e.g., Sierra Leone).
  • Students with Disabilities: Provide large print notes, oral discussion options, and peer support for activities.

 

Teacher’s Reflection (After Class)

  • What worked well? ___________________________________________
  • What needs improvement? ____________________________________
  • Students’ engagement level: □ High □ Medium □ Low
  • Next steps: Reinforce the causes using real testimonies and prepare learners to explore Major Players in Week 2.