Slaves, Women, and War! Engaging Middle School Students in Historical Empathy for Enduring Understanding

Research has demonstrated the benefits of using historical empathy in history classrooms to encourage historical inquiry and understanding. This article chronicles the experiences of one middle school teacher as she integrates an updated theoretical and practical model of historical empathy into an existing instructional unit on Ancient Athens to help her students develop enduring understandings of social control. Students investigate primary sources, take part in group activities, and engage in Socratic dialogue to unpack the historical context, perspectives, and affective considerations of Athenian citizens who faced propositions revolving around slavery, the rights of women, and the prospect of war with Sparta. The culmination of their efforts is a simulated debate in the Athenian Assembly in which students display their newfound understanding of Ancient Athens and the human phenomena of social control gained through historical empathy.