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Lesson · Grade 6 · Social Studies

Why Conflicts Start: Borders, Resources and Power

  • Grade 6
  • Social Studies
  • 1 min 5 s
  • British Columbia
  • BC6-SS-17

A simple map of two made-up countries builds up one cause at a time: a border with land both sides claim, shared natural resources like a river (with a dam that leaves less water downstream), farmland and oil, and groups competing to control the government. It shows that one conflict often has more than one cause and that many disputes are settled peacefully through talks and agreements, then ends on the recap that conflicts often start over borders, resources or power.

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In one sentence

The question this lesson answers

Why do conflicts between countries or groups start?

A conflict is a serious disagreement between groups, such as two countries.

Transcript

What the lesson says

Why do conflicts between countries or groups start?

A conflict is a serious disagreement between groups, such as two countries.

Three common causes are borders, resources and power.

A border is a line that separates one country from the next.

Sometimes both sides claim the same land near a border.

Natural resources are useful things from nature, like rivers, farmland and oil.

If one country builds a dam on a shared river, the country downstream may get less water.

Power is about who controls the government and makes decisions for everyone.

Different groups in a country may compete to be in charge.

Often a conflict has more than one cause, like oil in land that both sides claim.

Many disputes like these are settled peacefully, through talks and agreements.

So conflicts often start over borders, resources or power.

Curriculum

Where this fits

British Columbia, Grade 6

Social Studies, Global issues: regional and international conflictBC6-SS-17

Previous: Countries Working Together on Global ProblemsNext: Bias and Sensationalism: One Story, Three Headlines

The outcomes and strands follow the British Columbia curriculum.

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