Aim: How can we conduct a Socratic Seminar?


Do Now: Make sure that your groups' questions are shared with me.


before we begin...

  1. Set your goals with your partner.
  2. Coaches, sit behind your partner on the outside of the circle.
  3. If you are discussing, begin looking through the questions for one you want to pose.

suggested goals

Coaches: You will be assessing your partner.

Question Focus:

questions from our class

  • Why was everyone who wasn’t a white man with money forced to do work in order to help increase America’s economy?
  • Why do societies resort to the use of slaves?
  • How does slavery help a nation's economy? How does it harm the economy?
  • Why are people so cruel when it came to the idea of wealth?
  • Why is gold so important?
  • Why do women do housework? Why is this often not counted in "labor"?
  • What is the role of women in the economy?
  • What do people lose if everyone follows the rules of mercantilism?
  • What is the role of white supremacy in the economy?
  • Why is it important to trade?
  • Why do you need a system for something so cruel?
  • How is there still slavery going on?
  • Did slavery improve the economy?
  • Why are slaves only black?
  • Why would nations spend money to bring slaves across the ocean?
  • Is America the "land of the free"?
  • If slavery never occurred would have the American economy have developed? What would be different?
  • Who is to blame for systematic oppression? Who can "fix" it?
  • What is the impact of slavery on the American economy today?
  • sources

    # Lesson
    1 The Economics of Colonization
    2 The Triangle Trade