"All pupils aged between 11 and 14 will be taught about the slave trade and the British empire when term begins next month to help them understand modern-day issues such as immigration. … Schoolchildren will learn about the roles of William Wilberforce, the MP who campaigned for the abolition of slavery, and Olaudah Equiano, a former slave who drew attention to the horrors of the trade after buying his freedom and writing an autobiography. They will also be taught about the origins of the empire, with one unit looking at rise and fall of the Mughals in India and the arrival of the British. Another is titled 'How was it that, by 1900, Britain controlled nearly a quarter of the world?' Kevin Brennan, the children's minister, said: 'Although we may be ashamed to admit it, the slave trade is an integral part of British history. … It is important that children learn about this and its links to wider world history, such as the American civil rights movement - the repercussions of which are still being felt today.'"