2. Curriculum Opportunities
The Transatlantic Slave Trade could be studied as:
· A Local Study
· A History Unit based on the Slave Trade as a European Turning Point
· Part of a Unit on Britain, Europe or Africa from the seventeenth century onwards
· A Citizenship, PSHE, Social or Modern Studies Unit

Local Studies:
The slave trade trail and activities provide opportunities for children to explore how a study of the history of a locality has links with the wider world. The trail uses buildings and sites of memory as sources of evidence of Britain and Bristol's former trade and industries.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade as a European Turning Point
Many Historians now feel that the Transatlantic Slave Trade provided the wealth and venture capital for the British and European agricultural and industrial revolutions. Certainly economic historians can see the money and goods bought as a direct result of the trade- tobacco, sugar, rum, and later cotton reaching far inland, as well as being able to see that the profits from these ventures allowed other ventures to take place. There is also the importance of the many thousands of jobs created in support of the merchant fleet and related commercial activities, and the prosperity that these businesses gained because of the slave trade.

Teachers may choose to use the trail as an example of the effects of international and national trading links on a local community, or as a case study of how far the Transatlantic Slave Trade benefited Europe at the expense of Africa.

Unit on Britain, Europe or Africa from the seventeenth century onwards:
The activities provide opportunities for children to learn about some characteristic features of an earlier society and some of the ideas, beliefs attitudes and experiences of people in the past. They are designed to encourage children to make detailed observations and also to draw conclusions from them about life in the past. Children are encouraged to justify their conclusions and to make decisions on the basis of evidence. Different interpretations of the slave trade are developed as children research the different perspectives of those involved in the trade.

The trail provides opportunities for children to access a range of sources of information linked to the slave trade, including documents, pictures and buildings.

Citizenship, PSHE, Social or Modern Studies Units:
The trail and activities also provide useful material linked to the knowledge, skills and understanding within the Programmes of Study for the Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Curriculum. In particular, the trail and activities can contribute to preparing children to play active roles as citizens and to develop good relationships and respect the differences between people.