Lesson plan
From Slavery to
Chocolate
Students SSC 282
Global justice and activism in Mexico
Going Glocal 2013
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From slavery to chocolate
General information
This project is called ‘From Slavery to Chocolate’ and is designed by students to promote global
interconnectedness, a key aspect of global citizenship. The lesson plan is part of the educational outreach part of
the Going Glocal project. A project of University College Roosevelt to stimulate global citizenship in the province
of Zeeland, the Netherlands. The project is designed by students that participated in the Going Glocal course, as
part of their educational outreach at a school in Zeeland.
The key aspect of this lesson plan is to connect the history of slavery and colonial times to a current
consumption of chocolate and the province of Zeeland. This is something very present in the life of Dutch kids.
This program aims to make the pupils think about history, but also on current political economy issues of
chocolate. There is still child labor in the production of chocolate. The pupils will realize their life is connected to
the life of many other people in the global south.
The lesson plan consists of three lessons. All materials and additional background information is included in the
appendices.
On the website http://www.goingglocal.nl you will find examples of some of the presentations students used
during their lessons.
General objectives
- Pupils are able to tell the history of slavery
- Pupils know the connection between slavery and the Netherlands and Zeeland in particular.
- Pupils know the connection between the history of colonial times and current consumption of chocolate.
- Increase awareness of pupils about the causes, consequences and contributions of the Netherlands to slavery.
- Increase awareness of the connection of the pupil’s life to many other people in the global south.
- Promote mutual respect and intercultural dialogue between young people.
- Create global interconnectedness .
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Lesson 1 - Introduction history of Slavery –
connection with the Netherlands / Zeeland
General information
The first lesson will be an introduction to slavery, colonial times and abolishment. The role of the Netherlands
and Zeeland in particular will be highlighted in this lesson. During this lesson, pupils are introduced to the
history of slavery in connection with the Netherlands, and specifically in connection with Zeeland by ways of
film, picture and active working methods.
General objectives
- pupils are able to tell the history of slavery
- pupils know the connection between slavery and the Netherlands and Zeeland in particular.
- increase awareness about the causes, consequences and contributions of the Netherlands to slavery
Lesson plan
Warming up – (10 minutes)
To get to know the children better start with a short method where getting to know each other is the main
objective. For example: a suitable method is to let the children introduce their neighbor.
Tell them that they should ask each other different questions. The questions should be basic facts like;
What is his/her name?
- How old is he/she?
- What is his/her hobby?
The children should also voice their (positive!) opinion about their neighbor like:
- What is the most fun thing about him/her?
For the secondary school children, those questions can go more in depth like:
- What is he/she good at?
- What can we learn from him/her?
Ask why it is important to learn about slavery. Let the children write it down on a piece of paper. After the three
lessons on slavery it is interesting to discuss what they had written down and if they still agree or their view
might have changed.
Introduction – (10 minutes)
As an introduction to the history of slavery a little bit of a story about the Golden Age in The Netherlands should
be given. In order to give an impression about the time period a small game can be played.
Have three pictures of paintings next to each other and ask the children ‘what picture was painted in the Golden
Age?’
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For example:
If there is time you have the option to go into what happened during the Golden Age in the Netherlands. Make
sure to at least tell them when it was the Golden Age, why it was a ‘golden’ age and tell something about the
VOC and WIC. You can find theory about this in the appendix.
Main Part – (25 minutes)
Theory
In this part we will first address the slavery in Zeeland, you can do this via multiple ways, first of all you can just
teach the theory about Zeeland and Slavery. ( this theory is included in the appendix) another option is to do
this through the use of a picture to which you can relate a part of the theory, so, use a boat when talking about
the slave ships etc.( again see appendix) The third option is using a quiz. In the quiz the answers are made either
red or green, you will distribute green and a red card through the class, make sure that every child has both a
green and a red card. In the appendix you can find a powerpoint with such a quiz, you can see that with every
question you have a green and a red answer, the children can vote for their answer via the cards.
Make sure, especially for the older groups, that you do address the consequences of slavery for both the Dutch
as the community where the slaves were originated from, so Ghana or the ivory coast etc.
If you want to go deeper into the theory it is also possible to focuss up on the objectives of slavery, for
information check the index again.
Practice
To bring the theoretical part of the history of slavery into practice this assignment will go into debt in order to
be able to connect and sympathize with the situation of the slaves.
Therefore, a particular situation of the famous slave called Olaudah Equiano will be used as an example. Links to
websites and more information on the slave will be provided in the appendix.
Sketching the situation of Olaudah Equiano will provide the student with a more specific knowledge on the
personal experiences of the slaves and will therefore enable the student to take a different approach when it
comes to the topic of slavery.
Practically, basic information of Olaudah’s general life and his life as a slave need to be provided. It is important
to note that he is a special case since his experiences were collected in a book.
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The following exercise might be done in class (if there is enough time) or been given as homework.
If they are done, students can work on the homework assignment already
Conclusion (5 minutes)
To evaluate the lesson it is important that the students are given a chance to ask questions about the lesson.
This first lesson dealt with a lot of theoretical information that might have been a little overwhelming, especially
for younger kids. Therefore, if they do not understand everything, it is important that there is enough time for
the evaluation for questions.
To conclude this lesson, to introduce the topic of the second lesson and to raise interest in the students, it
would be a good idea to bring a bar of chocolate and ask them the following question:
“Would you be able to tell the relationship between the lesson of today and this bar of chocolate?”
This is a question that should not be answered in class but they can think of it themselves. It also leads to an
introduction for next lesson, since it immediately links with the next topic.
Materials
Red and green cards
Printed poem for every pupil
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Lesson 2 - Bringing Chocolate to the Netherlands
General information
The second lesson will be about chocolate, how chocolate came to the Netherlands. Pupils learn about slavery
and colonization with the example of Chocolate and the involvement of the Netherlands.
General objectives
•
•
Pupils are able to tell about the (early) history of chocolate
Pupils are aware of how chocolate came to the Netherlands and how it became the product it is
nowadays
Overview
Introduction - (5 minutes)
Introduce the lecture by telling the students that today you will talk about the food of Gods. After a brief
brainstorm about the meaning, give a raw chocolate bean to each pupil. In an interactive way, discuss the flavor
and the possible origin of the bean (tree, land, country and continent). Use pictures and maps to make sure the
students have a clear picture.
Main Part – (43 minutes)
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Main Part – (43 minutes)
Origin of Chocolate (15 minutes): Using the origin of the cocoa bean as a link to this part of the lesson, bring the
pupils back in time to explain the very origin of chocolate, Meso-America. Explain, with the aid of pictures, how
the cocoa beans were used in the culture of the Aztecs & Mayans. To bring them closer to the story, have them
try the mix of pure cocoa powder mixed with water and spices (chili pepper, etc.).
Explain how this beverage called xocolatl (“bitter water”) is the product these cultures made out of the cocoa
beans they tried before.
In order for the students to realize the importance chocolate had in the pre-Hispanic civilizations the following
questions should then be asked:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Why was chocolate consumed by the Maya, Olmec and Aztecs?
Was it limited to certain people?
Are there high status foods in our culture that might be comparable?
What are some differences between the way ancients used chocolate and the way we use chocolate?
To get rid of the bitter flavour and get the pupils interested in the arrival of chocolate into Europe and the
Netherlands, give each pupil a piece of normal sweet chocolate. Discuss the change in flavour compared to the
cocoa beans and brainstorm about how this product came to the Netherlands
Colonialism & slavery (10 minutes): Explain the Spanish invasion of the Americas with a focus on Mexico and
how Cortez, the leader of the invasion, made it possible to Europeans to know about chocolate by bringing the
cocoa beans and the recipe of the xocolatl to Spain. Since the central theme of these lectures is slavery and the
darker side of colonialism, try to portray the Spanish colonial process and the relation to chocolate from a
critical perspective.
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Chocolate in Europe (15 minutes): Explain how chocolate spread across Europe and the role of the Netherlands.
Also, link this development with the situation of slavery at the time (focus on the link to slavery in Zeeland. To
accentuate the role of the people in Central America providing chocolate beans to the increasing European
demands and to introduce them to the wider idea of Western colonialism and its intrinsic inequality, carry out
the following activity:
1. Make two groups: the first group will be the producers of chocolate (3 persons), the second group will
contain the consumers (6 persons). Ask for volunteers (who dares??) and instruct both groups separate
from each other and the class. Try to put them in their roles so the message will come across correctly.
2. Put 30 “smarties” in a bowl next to the workers group. Explain that for one smartie to go from group
one to group two (in other words, for the consumers to eat one smartie produced by the workers) all
the members of the first group need to crouch taking turns the last one will give the smartie to the
consumer.
3. Every 30 seconds 1 consumer will be added to the second group, the first group stays the same, which
means the first group has to crouch more often to keep feeding the consumers and to keep them
satisfied.
At the end of the activity, brainstorm about the aim of the exercise. Explain how the situation back in time (but
also currently) was, and how it relates to the activity.
Conclusion (5 minutes)
Ask the students about the lesson and ask for their feedback. Leave room for the students to ask you questions
and suggestions as well
Materials
-
PowerPoint with pictures, etc (Needs a Beamer)
Raw Cocoa beans
Pure cocoa powder + spices (make the Xocolatl beforehand)
Normal chocolate
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Lesson 3 - Chocolate nowadays – child labor and chocolate
General information
In this third lesson the history of slavery and chocolate will be connected with the current political issues around
chocolate, child labour. The pupils will realize their life is connected to the life of other people in the global
south.
General objectives
- Increasing awareness of the connection of the pupil’s life to many other people in the global south
- Promoting mutual respect and intercultural dialogue between young people
- Breaking the GN/GS dichotomy
Overview
Introduction - (13 minutes)
Show a part of a picture and let the pupils give their first ideas, thoughts and associations with/about it. Only
one or two words. Subsequently, show them the full picture and ask what they think about it now. What has
changed?
(What do you see first and then what do you see second, what is the difference)
Example:
Everyone can decide individually whether they want to print the pictures out or show them on a screen. An idea
might be to divide the class in 2 groups and show 2 different pictures and let them discuss their experiences in
the end.
I. You could start with several questions to recap the previous lectures and determine how aware the students
are already of certain issues.
Example questions:
- Ask the students if they know where chocolate comes from. Where it is made. (Using their own knowledge and
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the knowledge from the two previous lessons).
-
Ask them if they know where their shoes, clothes etc. come from.
Ask them if they think that by using a certain product they are responsible for the living conditions of
people who made these products?
II. Show parts of a documentary in order to create a visual image of the problems
(Max 3 min.)
Options:
(a) slavery in the chocolate industry (or the other documentary) OR
(b) Tony Chocolony (see Appendix I)
III. Another option you can think about is:
- showing images of cocoa plantations used by corporations for advertisement etc. and compare them to
'real live' images of plantations
- let the children discuss about them: what do they think? In what way does that change their perception
of chocolate/it´s production (if it does at all)?
The questions and visuals shown can be combined in the introduction. The idea is to first find out how aware the
pupils are already about such issues, about the consequences of their actions, if they have every thought about
where the products they are using are coming from (including chocolate of course). Furthermore, we want to
extend their knowledge and make them aware that their actions, decisions influence other people´s life, that
not always everything is at it seems (as is shown already with the attention grabber).
Main Part – (25 minutes)
Role-play: from slavery to chocolate - production line.
Instruction:
Divide the class in 4 groups.
Each character will have a role card with key characteristics as will be given below. ( + Each character
should have a problem that needs to be solved and each group should discuss this and then have a class
negotiation to create dialogue and try and found a solution.)
-
Each group is to discuss the problem of their character for 10 minutes
Subsequently, each group decides on a spokesperson that will present their ideas.
An alternative option is to divide the class into several groups (with two teachers, 2 groups) so that
more students can participate more actively.
After the main points and first solutions are presented, the other students are allowed to contribute to
the discussion as well.
During the discussion it would be good if the students sit for instance in a circle so that everyone can see
each other.
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Characters:
Character/ role 1: farmers/ slaves
Character/role 2: intermediary
Character/role 3: chocolate corporations
Character/ role 4: Consumer
You can find the description of the characters in Appendix II
It is also possible to add further characters, which will create more and thus smaller groups of students.
One option could be to create separate groups for the slave and the farmer. But here you are
completely free to do what you think fits best with your group.
Conclusion (10 minutes)
-
What did they get from the game? What did it make them think about?
Why did we play this game?
What is the link with the picture in the beginning?
What is the link to them?
What did they think of the lesson? Any suggestions to improve?
Materials
-
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Appendix 1 Lesson 1
Background information
Golden Age
Before we can talk about slavery, the technicalities and stories we need to discover more about the time-period
that it happened in. The so-called Golden Age, when The Netherlands started to form into the country as we
know it now.
Start of Golden Age - End of the ‘eighty years war’ (tachtig jarige oorlog)
Around the end of the 16th Century (probably have to explain how that works with centuries.. this is 1570’s and
onwards) revolts against the Spanish regime over the Netherlands. At that moment it consisted out of several
(seventeen) small provinces. Including the current Netherlands, big parts of Belgium and some of Luxembourg.
Vlissingen was the first city in the Netherlands that became completely support of Willem van Oranje, the leader
of the revolt against the Spanish.
 What do you know about the 80-years-war?
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-
-
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Spanish reign over The Netherlands
Catholics and Protestants (Luther and Calvin)
Geuzen (Water warriors of the Netherlands)
Tapestry in Zeeuws Museum (World Heritage), telling the story of many battles on water around
Walcheren, made around 1603.
At the moment Antwerpen (also part of The Netherlands) ‘fell’, in 1585, many of the people in and around
Antwerpen moved towards the North. That money and knowledge became an important part of the success of
the Netherlands. Not only people from Antwerpen but people from all around the Netherlands came to this
promising land, where Willem van Oranje was trying to create a new country, with important objectives as
freedom of religion and of any opinion in general. (This is where the idea of the Netherlands as a tolerant
country comes from). The Northern Netherlands became a republic and at that moment it consisted of seven
united provinces (like the United States of America, but here the United Provinces of the Netherlands, see the
map in the document).
At this time the trade also started, from important harbours like Amsterdam, Middelburg and Leiden many
expeditions were led to get commodities from the East Indies and the West Indies. The Netherlands grew big
and important in the trading world and at a certain point they started up the VOC (1602).
Some people see the fall of Antwerpen as the start of the ‘Golden Age’, others think it is the start of VOC.
This made that even more foreigners came to The Netherlands. Not only people but also exotic goods came into
Amsterdam and other places where they were sold to others, or manufactured into other goods. This created in
many harbour places in the Netherlands (like Amsterdam and Middelburg) a very lively atmosphere. People
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came together with many different cultures in The Netherlands, to learn, trade, buy, sell, love (maybe it is nice
to tell some stories about prostitution in harbour places?). The Netherlands became richer through smart
trading, the staple market in Amsterdam, and loan systems.
Money and wealth in a place where there was freedom of belief and overall a very tolerant society: a perfect
place for a rich culture to arise. Many painters, philosophers, explorers, inventors, scientists and artists came
together in the Netherlands.
 Important people from that age
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Descartes (French philosopher, but lived in Netherlands for long periods God = good)
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Spinoza (Philosopher, God = nature)
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Jan Steen (Painter)
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Jacob Cats (Author, poet, lived in Middelburg!)
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Rembrandt van Rijn (Painter, Nachtwacht)
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Johannes Vermeer (Painter)
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Michiel de Ruyter (Admiral, sea-hero, Vlissingen)
The early start of Renaissance: philosophy, reason, many inventions, start of modern science.
How is it possible that from this ‘free and tolerant spirit’ in the whole of the Netherlands something like slave
trade arose? What was the slave trade actually? Did the ‘normal’ people in Holland know about it or see it?
VOC
VOC is the abbreviation of Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie. It was founded in 1602 in the Netherlands. It
was the first multinational in the world, and its aim was to trade with Asia. They would send ships to get spices
that were worth a lot of money in the Netherlands. There was also trade within Asia. The most important
trading post of the VOC was in Java: Batavia. One of the ships that the VOC send to Asia was named after this
trading post. You can find this ship, The Batavia, in Lelystad. It was built there after the original of 1628.
Around 30 similar ships would set sail to Asia each year. The journey would take approximately 8 months and it
was a dangerous expedition. There were illnesses like scurvy (‘’scheurbuik’’), for instance. It was also a difficult
expedition, as there were no GPS or decent maps yet. The navigation had to be done with the use of compasses
and with the use of old maps that were often inaccurate. The shipper would keep logbooks to determine the
direction, the distance sailed, and the time passed. The crew would consist of a lot of children. It was normal for
12year old boys to work as cabin boys. They were often taken from orphanages. Girls were not allowed to join
the journey: they had to stay at home to do housework.
The VOC later engaged in (trans-Atlantic) triangle trade, which Portugal had started in the 15th century. They
would take slaves from Africa to work on plantations in the Americas. This work force was needed as the
Europeans themselves were unsuited to the climate and the tropical diseases. Many slaves already died on the
boats due to malnutrition and diseases. The second part of the triangle was bringing such materials as sugar,
tobacco, and cotton to Europe. In its turn, Europe would bring things like textiles, rum, and manufactured goods
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to Africa, thereby completing the triangle.
The VOC was the largest trading company in the world for almost 100 years. It particularly flourished in the 17th
and 18th century. However, the VOC started to ace more and more competition and corruption, and they were
eventually declared bankrupt in 1799.
Objectives of Slavery
Slaves were brought to the New World and used mainly as labour force in plantations since there was a labour
shortage in the colonies (mainly South America and the Caribbean). The notion of European racial superiority
was used to justify slavery and thus provide colonies with cheap labour force and profit for traders. African
slaves were seen as the economically most feasible solution to this labour scarcity since it was impossible to
force other Europeans to work in plantations. Along with trade of such commodities as spices, sugar, coffee,
cocoa, textiles, gold and ivory buying African slaves and selling them in the Americas was seen as a profitable
business. Slave trade was seen as similar to trade with other commodities. High mortality and low birth rates
among the slaves (there were more male slaves than female) created a continuous need of new slave shipments
to the West Indies.
Although today we see the extreme brutality and inhumanity of slave trade and the idea that one person can
own another is unacceptable, back in the past it was a norm. The main objective was profit. Moral
considerations were excluded by the mainstream thought of the time. Slave trade contributed to the
accumulation of wealth by Dutch merchants during the so called Golden Age. Even though it is considered that
the trade of spices and other luxury goods was more profitable, slaves was an integral part of the economy and
the triangle trade: merchant ships left ports in Europe to sell their goods/exchange to slaves in Africa; then they
went to Americas with slaves in the cargo, exchanged slaves into goods from the Americas and went back to
Europe where gained big profit form the colonial goods. The commodities from the Americas (e.g. coffee,
cocoa) were produced using slave labour that made their production cheap and profitable.
Questions to discuss (more suitable for older kids):
Explain the integral role of slave trade in the economy.
How slaves were connected such commodities as coffee, cocoa, sugar (slave labour was used in their
production; slaves were basically seen as commodities themselves).
What has changed in the society and views on slavery, why?
Enlightenment, human rights – change of values. Slavery is not legally and morally acceptable anymore;
however, still exists.
History of Zeeland and its relation to slave trade
Some starter facts;
-
8 in every 10 ships participating in slave trade from Holland sailed from Zeeland.
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The first slave ship from Zeeland sailed in 1637  it was a part of the west indie compagnie
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In 1730 the WIC lost its Dutch monopoly on slave trade, the MCC jumped right into this market
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The MCC was already founded in 1720  focused on Atlantic trade and even whale fishing etc.
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The MCC participates in 113 slave trade journeys, generally 300 slaves in one journey this can differ
quite a lot though
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Interesting enough the Zeeuws Archief has an almost complete archive of all kinds of old documents
from this MCC that is why there is known so much about this.
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These documents include, prayers that were said before going out, but also financial bookings etc.
Extra
Golden Age
More information:
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TV Series: ‘De Gouden Eeuw’ (in Dutch), can be found on www.uitzendinggemist.nl
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNc0mDrA-zQ  Documentary about Dutch Golden Age in English
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TV Series: ‘Welkom in de Gouden Eeuw’ (for kids, very funny), also in Dutch.
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Books of Simon Schama, like The Embarrassment of Riches: An Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the
Golden Age
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Dutch painters from Golden Age
Things to look more into depth in:
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-
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Philosophy in Golden Age
Trade system (staple market in Amsterdam)
Eighty year’s war in Zeeland (Tapestry of Zeeland in Zeeuws Museum, I (Inge) have a book and more
information about it)
Things (movies/photos) to show in class:
- Part of an episode of ‘Welkom in de Gouden Eeuw!’ (especially for primary school)
- Map of the seven united provinces of The Netherlands
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Painting Jan Steen: ‘Het vrolijke huisgezin’ (The happy household)
 Shows a family in Golden Age, a bit messy, chaotic, rich, during a house party. In Dutch there is a saying: To
have a household of Jan Steen. (Being messy and chaotic at home )
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Willem van Oranje (the ‘Father’ of The Netherlands, leader of the protest against Spain, starter of Republic 
Royal Dutch family are descendants of him). Picture from 1579, by Adriaen Thomasz Key
History of Zeeland and its Slave trade
You can show this clip and talk about it;
http://www.schooltv.nl/beeldbank/clip/20111130_slavenhandel01
Tell these facts with regards to such a ship from the MCC one for instance, was called the ‘haast u langzaam’
you can use a picture of sorts for doing this.
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And it might be interesting to tell what the effects for both parties were
What were the effects for slaves; the loss of their free life, no certainty on anything
Homework Assignment
Poem
Een Surinaams gedicht van P.F. Roos
Roos werd in 1751 in Amsterdam geboren. In 1768 vestigde hij zich in Suriname. Hij werkte eerst als
ondergeschikte op een plantage. Later ging hij in Paramaribo wonen en verdiende veel geld als handelaar. In
1785 kreeg Roos een hoge functie in het bestuur van de kolonie. Roos schreef gedichten over Suriname, die in
de kolonie erg mooi gevonden werden. Hieronder volgen fragmenten uit het gedicht 'Mijn negerjongen Cicero'.
Cicero, in Afrika als vrij mens geboren, wordt gevangen en tot slaaf gemaakt. In het gedicht vertelt Cicero over
de slavernij in Suriname. De mening van Roos wordt dus door Cicero verwoord.
Ik mocht van mijn ouders dikwijls horen:
Oh jongen! Je bent vrij geboren.
Dit heugt mij van mijn vroegste jeugd.
Maar nauwelijks was ik dertien jaren,
Of ik zag mij door veroveraren
Besprongen, die mij snel, vol vreugd,
Verkochten; weg was toen mijn vrij.
Ik werd slaaf en kwam in slavernij.
Ik heb dikwijls op het schip gekreten,
Uit vrees dat iemand me op zou eten,
Te meer omdat ik jeugdig was.
Maar, toen ik, na een reeks van dagen,
Niets hoorde van die kost gewagen,
Verdween mijn schrik welras.
Ik liep, zonder kluister, frank en vrij,
Door het schip, ofschoon in slavernij.
Ik zag eindelijk Suriname's stranden;
Ik zag het schip daar, in de haven, landen,
En het anker werpen in de grond.
Toen zag ik ons, met gantse benden,
Van boord af naar een pakhuis zenden.
Hier keek ik op de plaats eens rond.
Ik zag daar slaven, vrolijk, blij
Dit gaf mij troost in slavernij.
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Ik werd verkocht ... en, pas gezeten,
Verzorgde mij mijnheer van eten.
Ik kreeg een slaapplaats, en een kleed,
Om mij, bij ontijd, toe te dekken.
Dit kon mij iets tot heul verstrekken.
Geen sterveling deed mij enig leed.
Ik dacht echter nog om het jeugdig vrij
En het nakend werk der slavernij.
Mijn eerste werk was alle dagen
Mijn meesters jas hem na te dragen,
Wanneer hij hier of elders ging.
Als ik misdeed dan kreeg ik klappen.
Maar vader kon mij anders trappen,
Wanneer de boosheid hem beving.
Ik was vrij, maar niet voor slagen,
Vrij zo min als thans in slavernij.
Ik begon nu schoenen schoon te maken,
De rok te borstelen, en te waken,
Op plichten van een herenknecht,
Ja zo, dat ik het durfde wagen
De parasol voor hem te dragen,
Met staatsie, als een kaars zo recht.
Ik vergat allengs mijn jeugdig vrij,
Gewennende aan de slavernij.
Ik begon thans mooi de taal te leren,
En kreeg ook slag om baard te scheren.
Dit was behaaglijk voor mijn heer.
Ook leerde ik haren op te maken.
Toen kreeg ik, onder andere zaken,
Van hem een broek! Een broek van leer!
Dus werd ik groots, ofschoon niet vrij;
Ik werd groots in mijn slavernij.
(...)
Ik zal u van het vrij nog meer vertellen:
Toen ik mijn meester mocht vergezellen
Naar het vrijheidminnend Nederland,
Dacht ik: zie zo! Nu zal ik leren
De vrijheidswaarde recht waarderen,
Omdat men daar de slaafsheid bant
Ik bedroog mij, want het arme vrij
Scheen erger daar dan slavernij.
Ik zag een reeks van arme blanken,
Die het opperwezen zouden danken,
Indien zij het hadden zoals wij:
Ik zag hen kruien, torsen, zwoegen.
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Ik zag hen trekken, graven, ploegen.
Behoefte heerste aan hun zij:
Toen dacht ik: ach! Is dit nu vrij?
Zo vrij is het ook in slavernij.
(http://www.schooltv.nl/slavernij/printdoc.jsp?hv=9978)
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Appendix 2 Lesson 2
Background information
De Azteken verbonden cacao met Xochiquetzal, de godin van de vruchtbaarheid. Zij dronken een
chocoladedrank, xocoatl, vaak op smaak gebracht met vanille, chilipeper en piment. De drank zou vermoeidheid
tegengaan, een resultaat van de cafeïne die een bestanddeel van de cacao is. Een Spaanse jezuïtische
missionaris, Jose de Acosta, die aan het eind van de 16e eeuw in Peru en Mexico woonde, schreef al over dat
effect. De drank werd onder andere gebruikt aan het hof van keizer Montezuma.
In 1585 werd chocolade voor het eerst op commerciële schaal van Veracruz naar Sevilla vervoerd. Chocolade
werd toen alleen gedronken, waarbij de Europeanen er suiker aan toevoegden en de chilipeper weglieten. In
1615 werd de chocoladedrank bij officiële audiënties bij de Franse koning ingevoerd, totdat het gebruik door
bezuinigingen weer werd afgeschaft. In de 17e eeuw was chocolade een luxeproduct dat vooral gebruikt werd
door de adel.
De Spanjaarden die in Amerika woonden ontdekten dat ze lekkere chocoladekoekjes konden bakken door suiker
aan de cacaopasta toe te voegen. Ze konden de bereidingswijze van chocolade bijna een eeuw lang
geheimhouden.
De eerste chocoladefabriek verrees in 1728 in Engeland. In 1760 kwamen er fabrieken in Duitsland en Frankrijk.
In 1819 werd voor het eerst Zwitserse chocolade gefabriceerd. In 1813 begon Blooker met de productie van
cacao en chocolade in Nederland, en in 1828 deed Casparus van Houten sr. een belangrijke uitvinding waarmee
op eenvoudige wijze het vet van de cacaomassa kon worden gescheiden. Deze techniek kreeg wereldwijd
navolging. Eind 18e eeuw begon chocolade in prijs te dalen, zodat ook gewone mensen het konden betalen.
De eerste eetbare chocolade zou in 1847 zijn gemaakt door de Britse Quaker Joseph Fry. De Quaker-families Fry,
Cadbury en Rowntree waren twee eeuwen in de chocolade-industrie actief.
Production
Het hoofdbestanddeel van chocolade, cacao, wordt gewonnen uit cacaobonen, het zaad van de cacaoboom.
Cacaobonen worden in jutezakken van ongeveer 70 kg geïmporteerd uit tropische streken. De cacaobonen
werden daar al gefermenteerd en gedroogd (zie bij cacaoboom). Bij aankomst worden de bonen van diverse
oorsprong gemengd, om een egale smaak te krijgen. De bonen worden vervolgens gereinigd: takjes, touw,
steentjes en dergelijke worden eruit gehaald. Daarna worden de bonen geroosterd in draaiende trommels bij
een temperatuur tot 140°C. De temperatuur en duur bepalen voor een groot deel de uiteindelijke smaak van de
cacao. De geroosterde bonen gaan vervolgens door een breker. De dop breekt open en wordt weggeblazen
zodat alleen de kern (nib) overblijft. De kernen worden in de cacaomolens fijngemalen tot een dikke vaste pasta.
Dit heet de cacaomassa. Uit dit product kan het vet onttrokken worden. Dit heet de cacaoboter. De dikke, harde
klomp die overblijft, wordt vermalen tot magere cacao, of cacaopoeder.
Cacao History (source: Wikipedia)
The cacao tree is native to the Americas. It may have originated in the foothills of the Andes in the Amazon and
Orinoco basins of South America, current day Venezuela, where today, examples of wild cacao still can be found.
However, it may have had a larger range in the past, evidence for which may be obscured because of its
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cultivation in these areas long before, as well as after, the Spanish arrived. It was first cultivated by the Olmecs
at least 1500 BC in Central America.[7]The cocoa bean was a common currency throughout Mesoamerica before
the Spanish conquest.
Cacao trees will grow in a limited geographical zone, of approximately 20 degrees to the north and south of the
Equator. Nearly 70% of the world crop is grown in West Africa. Cocoa was an important commodity in preColumbian Mesoamerica. A Spanish soldier who was part of the conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés tells that
when Moctezuma II, emperor of the Aztecs, dined, he took no other beverage than chocolate, served in a
golden goblet. Flavored with vanilla or other spices, his chocolate was whipped into a froth that dissolved in the
mouth. It is reported that no fewer than 50 portions each day may have been consumed by Moctezuma II, and
2000 more by the nobles of his court.
Chocolate was introduced to Europe by the Spaniards, and became a popular beverage by the mid-17th
century.[9] They also introduced the cacao tree into the West Indies and the Philippines. It was also introduced
into the rest of Asia and into West Africa by Europeans. In the Gold Coast, modern Ghana, cacao was introduced
by an African, Tetteh Quarshie.
The Netherlands has the highest monetary amount of cocoa bean imports (US$2.1 billion); it is also one of the
main ports into Europe.
Treating with alkali produces Dutch process cocoa powder, which is less acidic, darker and more mellow in flavor
than what is generally available in most of the world. "Dutch" chocolate has a high fat content and owes its
unique flavor to the addition of alkali.
Child Labour
The first allegations that child slavery is used in cocoa production appeared in 1998. In late 2000 a BBC
documentary reported the use of enslaved children in the production of cocoa in West Africa. Other media
followed by reporting widespread child slavery and child trafficking in the production of cocoa. According to a
report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), in 2002, more than 109,000 children were working on
cocoa farms in Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), some of them in "the worst forms of child labour". The ILO later
reported that 200,000 children were working in the cocoa industry in Côte d'Ivoire in 2005. The 2005 ILO report
failed to fully characterize this problem, but estimated that up to 6% of the 200,000 children involved in cocoa
production could be victims of human trafficking or slavery. The cocoa industry was accused of profiting from
child slavery and trafficking.[38] The Harkin-Engel Protocol is an effort to end these practices.[] It was signed and
witnessed by the heads of eight major chocolate companies, Harkin, Engel, Senator Herb Kohl, the ambassador
of the Ivory Coast, the director of the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labor, and others. It
has, however, been criticized by some groups including the International Labor Rights Forum as an industry
Chocolate and Mexico
http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/1903-did-you-know-mexico-gave-chocolate-to-the-world
Cacao was a highly valued commodity in pre-Hispanic México. The great lords of the Maya culture cultivated
large cacao plantation. They exchanged their crops for feathers, jade and other precious goods in the principal
commercial centers of Mesoamerica. The buying power of cacao was such that a dozen beans more than
sufficed to purchase a salve or procure an evening of pleasure with a prostitute. Moctezuma, who ruled a vast
22
tribute-state, collected huge quantities of cacao twice a year from vassal communities. Aztec consumers often
used cacao as currency for making their purchases in the bustling tianguis (marketplace). Some historical
accounts refer to rogues who doctored inferior beans to increase their value or counterfeited cacao beans from
avocado pits, though the risked severe punishment if caught engaging in these illicit activities.
In the 1650's an enterprising Frenchman devised a method for milling cacao into solid cakes, which greatly
simplified preparation of the tasty beverage. He opened a specialty shop in London to sell this novel product,
although at 10 to 15 shilling per pound, it was a luxury item only the rich could afford. Well-heeled Europeans
soon flocked to fashionable chocolate houses in London, Amsterdam and other continental capitals. The English
further improved chocolate, ca. 1700, by adding milk to the drink. Finally, in the mid-19th century, the Swiss
invented a blending process that permitted the creation of chocolate candy.
http://chocolatestore1.blogspot.nl/2011/11/history-of-mexican-chocolate.html
The cacao tree, which chocolate comes from, originated in Mesoamerica. Native Peoples used the cacao tree to
produce a potent drink that is a far cry from the modern sweet incarnations of chocolate today. Historians
disagree over where exactly in Mesoamerica the trees first appeared, but what they do agree on is that people
first began to prepare cacao for human enjoyment in Mexico. Native Peoples used cacao beans to make drinks,
as religious offerings, and they were even used as a form of currency. Nowadays, when people think of Mexican
chocolate, they picture the cinnamon-scented variety commonly used in many Mexican style dishes and
beverages.
The chocolate prepared in Mexico in pre-European Mexico possessed a strong, sour taste different from modern
chocolate. It is well-known that Native Peoples prized this chocolate and used it in a variety of dishes and drinks.
The first known large-scale "farmer" and consumers of chocolate were the Mayans, who inhabited Central
Mexico.
The Aztecs, who rose to dominance after the Mayans, inherited the Mayan affinity for chocolate, which became
even more culturally significant for them than it had for the Mayan people. Chocolate was a symbol of power
and authority to the Aztecs, and people even used cacao beans as currency. The cacao beans were so valuable,
that counterfeiting by filling cacao shells with clay was not uncommon.
The most popular use of the cacao bean in pre-European Mexico was to produce a chocolate drink. To make the
drink, producers fermented, toasted, and ground the cacao bean into a powder which provided the drink's base.
Often, people used different spices such as chilies, anise seed, allspice, and vanilla to add flavor. While this drink
was a favorite among the rich, it was also religiously significant. The Aztecs gave the drink to human sacrifices to
purify them. The Spanish also quickly developed a taste for chocolate not long after their arrival in Mexico. They
then introduced it to Europe where a hot chocolate like drink became very popular.
Modern Mexican chocolate still retains many qualities of its predecessor. Makers still use some of the same
spices as the Aztecs, as well as cinnamon and sugar to produce a chocolate with a unique flavor, texture, and
aroma. It provides the base for hot chocolate beverages and serves as a key ingredient to several Mexican dishes
such as Mole. Mexican chocolate is best recognized when sold in the form of small solid discs. The Spanish
began the practice of storing chocolate in the shape of discs in the 1500s, and it continues to today. The modern
world owes thanks to Mexico's long history with chocolate for providing one of the world's favourite treats.
23
History of chocolate
600
The Maya Indians moved from their home in Guatemala to the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.
They brought with them cacao from the rain forest. In Guatemala the Maya established large
plantations to grow cacao.
1000
The people in Central America began using the cacao beans as money. Drawings have been
found showing pictures where 10 beans could buy a rabbit or 100 beans could buy a slave. In
one Mexican drawing a basket of 8000 beans was used to show the number 8000. The beans
were also used to make a bitter drink. This drink was used to treat coughs and fever.
1200
The Aztec's began to rule Mexico. The Aztecs demanded payment in the form of taxes from
the Aztecs with cacao beans. The Aztecs used the cocao bean for a drink. They added flowers,
vanilla, and honey to their drink.
1502
Christopher Columbus was given his first drink of xocoatl (chocolate) on his fourth voyage to
America. Although he did not like the drink he took some of the cacao beans back to his
homeland as an unusual item to show the people at home.
1519
Hernán Cortéz was a young Spaniard who went to Cuba to find his fortune. He heard stories
of gold in Mexico and South America. In 1519 Cortéz left Cuba to find this gold. With 300
Aztecs to every one of Cortéz's men the Spanish fought. After 3 battles the Indians gave up.
They could not compete against the guns and horses. The Spaniards also wore metal armor.
More than this the Indians were afraid of the "god-like" warriors. On November 8, 1519
Cortéz reached Mexico City and was received by Montezuma, the Aztec emperor. Cortéz
captured Montezuma and began to rule the empire through him. The Spaniards made the
Aztecs work in the mines looking for gold and silver. This gold and silver was shipped back to
Spain. Cortéz also recognized the value of the cacao bean to the Aztecs. He established a
cacao plantation in the name of Spain.
1585
The first commercially grown shipment of cacao beans grown in South and Central America
was taken to Spain.
1828
Coenraad Van Houten, a Dutch chocolate maker, invents a hydraulic press that is used to
make cacao powder.
Extra
-
-
Cacao in Zeeland:
Van Wijk, E. (1998). Chocolademolens en de Fak Brouwers. De Wete, 27(2), p. 2-11.
http://www.hkwalcheren.nl/UserFiles/File/DeWete_27_2_Chocolademolens.pdf
http://www.dutchcocoa.com/
Grivetti, L. E. & Shapiro, H. (Eds.). (2009). Chocolate: history, culture, and heritage. Hoboken, NJ: John
Wiley and Sons, Inc.
http://www.rogerschocolates.com/chocolate-history-timeline.php
http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/chocolate/the-history-of-chocolate.asp
http://worldcocoafoundation.org/about-cocoa/history-of-cocoa/
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-
http://www.crossing-borders-fair-trade.com/chocolate-slavery.html
http://www.geschiedeniszeeland.nl/tab_themas/themas/slavernij/?lng=nl
http://www.zchocolat.com/chocolate/chocolate/history-of-chocolate.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_slavery
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_chocolate
http://www.middleboro.k12.ma.us/Middleboro/CHOC/Chocolate.htm
http://www.dutchcocoa.com/en/the-history-of-cocoa.html
http://www.foodispower.org/slavery_chocolate.php
http://www.antislavery.org/english/campaigns/cocoa_traders/default.aspx
Docu: http://www.ftm.nl/video/slavernij-in-de-cacao-teelt.aspx
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Appendix 3 Lesson 3
Background information
Information: Tony's Chocolonely
What is it:
Tony's Chocolonely is a brand that produces guaranteed "slave free" (without child labor or slavery)
produced chocolate products that are available in the Netherlands.
History of the product:
After the television show "Keuringdienst van Waarden" had shown that no chocolate manufacturer who
had signed the Harkin-Engel Protocol lived up to the agreements that were made in 2001 (For example that
from 2005 onwards only slave-free chocolate appeared on the market), Teun van de Keuken with the motto "if
you can not beat them, join them" produced 'own' slave-free chocolate to put on the market, namely Tony's
Chocolonely.
The name refers to that employee Teun van de Keuken, who reported himself to the police on the 22nd of
March 2004 for complicity in slavery, because he had eaten chocolate of which a portion of the cacao was
reasonably plausible to have been produced by child slaves. Eventually his case was declared inadmissible in
2007, but nationally and internationally much attention was drawn for slavery and its abolition (even though the
hearing was private and no media was allowed during).
Clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgwYcEabBls (0:54 - 1:20 & 3.22-3.47)
Note that all clips on Tony's are in Dutch and only partly in English sometimes - just as the one above. The story
the Tony clips all show is the case of Teun: from reporting himself and having to prove that there is slavery
involved in the production of the chocolate he ate, to the hearing and the disappointing inadmissibility of the
case.
Extra (role cards – characters)
Character 1
Juan Carlos
45 years old
Peru
Farmer only cacao
Salary 2 euro’s per day
Your character is Juan Carlos a 40 year old farmer in Peru. He, his wife and 4 children live on a small farm in the
West of Peru. When he was younger his dad used to tell him stories about the farm he and his granddad used to
have. It was a small farm, but they had all kind of crops that they sold to the other people in the village.
Nowadays Juan just grows cacao, because he couldn’t compete with the low prices of the recently opened
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supermarket in the village. Unfortunately, also the amount of money he received for the Cacao decreased year
after year. To keep the family running his wife and kids have side jobs, but this means that Juan has to work on
the farm by himself. Yesterday he heard that the prices of cacao dropped even more. In the evening all the
farmers from the nearby villages sat together and discussed their problems. They agreed that something needs
to change as they are no longer able to provide for their families.
Character 2
Fernando
31 years old
Peru
Intermediate at “Chocolate Dream”
Salary 20 euro’s per day
Your character is Fernando a 30 years old tradesman who grew up in a middle class family in Lima, the capital.
After his study he lived for a couple of years with his family on the countryside. When he got his job as
intermediate between the farmers and “Chocolate Dream” a big corporation in Lima, his connection with the
farmers in the western-region of Peru one of the biggest reason. Because of his background Fernando does not
always feel comfortable with negotiating about the cacao prices. He knows how hard it is for the farmers to
provide for their families, but he also understands that the big corporations need to make profit and that if
these farmers do not sell the cacao for the price he offers, “Chocolate dream” will buy it somewhere else. If he
would no longer do it, the company will find somebody else and his career will be over. On the other hand the
farmers also have a choice. If they no longer want to produce cacao for these low prices, they can just look for a
better job?
Character 3
Henry
50 year old
United States of America
CEO Chocolate Dream
200 euro’s per Hour
Henry is a 50 years old CEO of the big chocolate corporation “Chocolate Dream”. In sixties he grew up in the
suburbs of Los Angeles. He worked his way through high school and university and started to work as an intern
for “Chocolate Dream”. He worked his way to the top and is CEO from 2008 onwards. He is aware that the
farmers receive a small amount of money for their cacao, but well for 2 euro’s you can buy much more in Peru
than in the US. Besides he just made some big investments in equipment and the stockholders want their 10%
dividend at the end of the year. Also in case “Chocolate Dream” would like to pay the farmers more, the
competitors on the market will not. This would be disastrous for the company as he would have to increase the
price of the chocolate.
Character 4
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Ilse
15 years old
The Netherlands
Student (consumer of chocolate)
Parents
Ilse is a 15 year old girl who lives in Haarlem, The Netherlands. She is in the third grade of secondary school and
loves chocolate. She has heard some stories about people getting little to no money for the production of cacao,
but she still eats chocolate everyday. Fair trade chocolate is two times the normal Price, and besides who knows
whether these stories are really true? You hear so many stories about fair trade which is not fair and stories
which are exaggerated. What difference does one person not eating chocolate actually make?
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