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Basic 1 · History · Community History

Historical Places in My Community

In this topic you will learn about old and important places in your community.

By the end of these notes you should be able to:

  • Explain what a historical site is
  • Name historical sites in your community
  • Say why we should protect them

What you already know

  • My community

Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.

Strand
History as a Subject
Sub-strand
Community History
Indicator
B1.1.4.2.1 – State the similarities and differences between the communities where learners live

Introduction

In Yaw's town, there is a very old chapel. It was built long ago, before his grandfather was born. It is a historical site.

1. What is a Historical Site?

Historical site: An old place that tells us about the past.

2. Examples

  • an old chapel or mosque
  • an old post office
  • a chief's palace
  • a sacred grove or forest
  • a castle or fort on the coast
An old chapel, a chief's palace and Cape Coast Castle
Figure 1: Historical sites Draw a historical site you know.Photos: Treysam, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Samaru Samaru, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Rjruiziii, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

3. Protecting Historical Sites

  • Do not write on the walls.
  • Do not throw rubbish there.
  • Listen to the guides and elders.

Did you know?: Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle are very old. People visit them from all over the world.

New words

historical
About the past.
site
A place.
chapel
A small church building.
grove
A small group of trees, sometimes sacred.

Summary

  • A historical site is an old place that tells us about the past.
  • Old chapels, palaces and castles are historical sites.
  • We should protect historical sites.

Class activity: Site Sketch

  1. Look at photographs of historical sites in Ghana.
  2. Sketch one site.
  3. Tell the class what it was used for long ago.

You need: Printed photographs of local Ghanaian communities, Sketch map of the local area, Exercise books

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

  1. 1. Which is a historical site?

    • A. An old castle
    • B. A new phone
    • C. Today's newspaper
    • D. A football
    Show answer
    Answer: An old castleCastles are very old.

  2. 2. How can we protect a historical site?

    • A. Keep it clean
    • B. Write on its walls
    • C. Throw rubbish
    • D. Break it
    Show answer
    Answer: Keep it cleanClean sites last longer.

  3. 3. Cape Coast Castle is a historical site.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: TrueIt is very old.

  4. 4. Writing on old walls protects them.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: FalseIt damages them.

  5. 5. An old place that tells us about the past is a historical ______.

    Show answer
    Answer: siteSite means place.

  6. 6. Name one historical site in Ghana.

    Show answer
    Answer: E.g. Cape Coast Castle, Elmina Castle, an old chapel.These are old places.

Homework

  1. Ask an elder to name an old place in your community.