diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/associations.rb b/lib/active_fedora/associations.rb
index 4dcc56d14..04c236826 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/associations.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/associations.rb
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ module Associations
     autoload :HasManyAssociation
     autoload :BelongsToAssociation
     autoload :HasAndBelongsToManyAssociation
+    autoload :BasicContainsAssociation
     autoload :HasSubresourceAssociation
     autoload :DirectlyContainsAssociation
     autoload :DirectlyContainsOneAssociation
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ module Builder
       autoload :BelongsTo,           'active_fedora/associations/builder/belongs_to'
       autoload :HasMany,             'active_fedora/associations/builder/has_many'
       autoload :HasAndBelongsToMany, 'active_fedora/associations/builder/has_and_belongs_to_many'
+      autoload :BasicContains,       'active_fedora/associations/builder/basic_contains'
       autoload :HasSubresource,      'active_fedora/associations/builder/has_subresource'
       autoload :DirectlyContains,    'active_fedora/associations/builder/directly_contains'
       autoload :DirectlyContainsOne, 'active_fedora/associations/builder/directly_contains_one'
@@ -104,6 +106,23 @@ def association_instance_set(name, association)
       end
 
       module ClassMethods
+        # This method is used to declare this resource acts like an LDP BasicContainer
+        #
+        # @param [Hash] options
+        # @option options [String] :class_name ('ActiveFedora::File') The name of the
+        #   class that will represent the contained resources
+        #
+        # example:
+        #   class FooHistory < ActiveFedora::Base
+        #     is_a_container class_name: 'Thing'
+        #   end
+        #
+        def is_a_container(options = {})
+          defaults = { class_name: 'ActiveFedora::File',
+                       predicate: ::RDF::Vocab::LDP.contains }
+          Builder::BasicContains.build(self, :contains, defaults.merge(options))
+        end
+
         # This method is used to declare an ldp:DirectContainer on a resource
         # you must specify an is_member_of_relation or a has_member_relation
         #
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/associations/basic_contains_association.rb b/lib/active_fedora/associations/basic_contains_association.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d14c33dcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/associations/basic_contains_association.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+module ActiveFedora
+  module Associations
+    class BasicContainsAssociation < ContainsAssociation #:nodoc:
+      def find_target
+        uris = owner.resource.query(predicate: options[:predicate])
+                    .map { |r| r.object.to_s }
+
+        uris.map { |object_uri| klass.find(klass.uri_to_id(object_uri)) }
+      end
+
+      def insert_record(record, force = true, validate = true)
+        record.base_path_for_resource = owner.uri.to_s
+        super
+      end
+
+      def add_to_target(record, skip_callbacks = false)
+        record.base_path_for_resource = owner.uri.to_s
+        super
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/associations/builder/basic_contains.rb b/lib/active_fedora/associations/builder/basic_contains.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..828f9b325
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/associations/builder/basic_contains.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+module ActiveFedora::Associations::Builder
+  class BasicContains < CollectionAssociation #:nodoc:
+    def self.macro
+      :is_a_container
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/associations/contains_association.rb b/lib/active_fedora/associations/contains_association.rb
index 5bbf571cd..8c0ea2743 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/associations/contains_association.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/associations/contains_association.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,15 @@
-# This is the parent class of DirectlyContainsAssociation and IndirectlyContainsAssociation
+# This is the parent class of BasicContainsAssociation, DirectlyContainsAssociation and IndirectlyContainsAssociation
 module ActiveFedora
   module Associations
     class ContainsAssociation < CollectionAssociation #:nodoc:
+      def insert_record(record, force = true, validate = true)
+        if force
+          record.save!
+        else
+          record.save(validate: validate)
+        end
+      end
+
       def reader
         @records ||= ContainerProxy.new(self)
       end
@@ -27,6 +35,16 @@ def uri
           raise "Can't get uri. Owner isn't saved" if @owner.new_record?
           "#{@owner.uri}/#{@reflection.name}"
         end
+
+      private
+
+        def delete_records(records, method)
+          if method == :destroy
+            records.each(&:destroy)
+          else
+            records.each(&:delete)
+          end
+        end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/associations/directly_contains_association.rb b/lib/active_fedora/associations/directly_contains_association.rb
index 1e3ebb9ae..57441a31f 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/associations/directly_contains_association.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/associations/directly_contains_association.rb
@@ -3,11 +3,7 @@ module Associations
     class DirectlyContainsAssociation < ContainsAssociation #:nodoc:
       def insert_record(record, force = true, validate = true)
         container.save!
-        if force
-          record.save!
-        else
-          record.save(validate: validate)
-        end
+        super
       end
 
       def find_target
@@ -39,16 +35,6 @@ def initialize_attributes(record) #:nodoc:
           record.uri = ActiveFedora::Base.id_to_uri(container.mint_id)
           set_inverse_instance(record)
         end
-
-      private
-
-        def delete_records(records, method)
-          if method == :destroy
-            records.each(&:destroy)
-          else
-            records.each(&:delete)
-          end
-        end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/autosave_association.rb b/lib/active_fedora/autosave_association.rb
index dda08af65..bc5a9d787 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/autosave_association.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/autosave_association.rb
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ module ActiveFedora
   module AutosaveAssociation
     extend ActiveSupport::Concern
 
-    ASSOCIATION_TYPES = [:has_many, :belongs_to, :has_and_belongs_to_many, :directly_contains, :indirectly_contains].freeze
+    ASSOCIATION_TYPES = [:has_many, :belongs_to, :has_and_belongs_to_many, :directly_contains, :indirectly_contains, :is_a_container].freeze
 
     module AssociationBuilderExtension #:nodoc:
       def self.valid_options
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/base.rb b/lib/active_fedora/base.rb
index 1506fd79b..1a57e58bc 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/base.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/base.rb
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ class Base
     include Versionable
     include LoadableFromJson
     include Schema
-    include Pathing
     include Aggregation::BaseExtension
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/common.rb b/lib/active_fedora/common.rb
index 7d10750f7..8e516d94d 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/common.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/common.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 module ActiveFedora
   module Common
     extend ActiveSupport::Concern
+    include Pathing
 
     module ClassMethods
       def initialize_generated_modules # :nodoc:
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/file.rb b/lib/active_fedora/file.rb
index 75e29fb5c..9bb569249 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/file.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/file.rb
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ def build_ldp_resource(id)
       end
 
       def build_ldp_resource_via_uri(uri = nil, content = '')
-        Ldp::Resource::BinarySource.new(ldp_connection, uri, content, ActiveFedora.fedora.host + ActiveFedora.fedora.base_path)
+        Ldp::Resource::BinarySource.new(ldp_connection, uri, content, base_path_for_resource)
       end
 
       def uploaded_file?(payload)
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/file/attributes.rb b/lib/active_fedora/file/attributes.rb
index 792fd94d1..5e1deebd3 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/file/attributes.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/file/attributes.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 module ActiveFedora::File::Attributes
   attr_writer :mime_type
 
+  def assign_attributes(_)
+    # nop
+  end
+
   def mime_type
     @mime_type ||= fetch_mime_type
   end
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/file_persistence.rb b/lib/active_fedora/file_persistence.rb
index 84192e3b4..efd62bcbc 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/file_persistence.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/file_persistence.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ module FilePersistence
 
       def _create_record(_options = {})
         return false if content.nil?
-        ldp_source.content = content
+        @ldp_source = build_ldp_binary_source
         ldp_source.create do |req|
           req.headers.merge!(ldp_headers)
         end
@@ -23,5 +23,13 @@ def _update_record(_options = {})
         end
         refresh
       end
+
+      def build_ldp_binary_source
+        if id
+          build_ldp_resource_via_uri(uri, content)
+        else
+          build_ldp_resource_via_uri(nil, content)
+        end
+      end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/ldp_resource_service.rb b/lib/active_fedora/ldp_resource_service.rb
index 136d59686..296ff61d4 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/ldp_resource_service.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/ldp_resource_service.rb
@@ -10,10 +10,16 @@ def build(klass, id)
       if id
         LdpResource.new(connection, to_uri(klass, id))
       else
-        LdpResource.new(connection, nil, nil, ActiveFedora.fedora.host + ActiveFedora.fedora.base_path)
+        parent_uri = ActiveFedora.fedora.host + ActiveFedora.fedora.base_path
+        LdpResource.new(connection, nil, nil, parent_uri)
       end
     end
 
+    def build_resource_under_path(graph, parent_uri)
+      parent_uri ||= ActiveFedora.fedora.host + ActiveFedora.fedora.base_path
+      LdpResource.new(connection, nil, graph, parent_uri)
+    end
+
     def update(change_set, klass, id)
       SparqlInsert.new(change_set.changes).execute(to_uri(klass, id))
     end
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/persistence.rb b/lib/active_fedora/persistence.rb
index 3ef2793ed..7a2bbeb74 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/persistence.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/persistence.rb
@@ -87,6 +87,11 @@ def eradicate
       self.class.eradicate(id)
     end
 
+    # Used when setting containment
+    def base_path_for_resource=(path)
+      @base_path = path
+    end
+
     module ClassMethods
       # Creates an object (or multiple objects) and saves it to the repository, if validations pass.
       # The resulting object is returned whether the object was saved successfully to the repository or not.
@@ -201,11 +206,15 @@ def assign_rdf_subject
         @ldp_source = if !id && new_id = assign_id
                         LdpResource.new(ActiveFedora.fedora.connection, self.class.id_to_uri(new_id), @resource)
                       else
-                        LdpResource.new(ActiveFedora.fedora.connection, @ldp_source.subject, @resource, ActiveFedora.fedora.host + base_path_for_resource)
+                        LdpResource.new(ActiveFedora.fedora.connection, @ldp_source.subject, @resource, base_path_for_resource)
                       end
       end
 
       def base_path_for_resource
+        @base_path ||= ActiveFedora.fedora.host + default_base_path_for_resource
+      end
+
+      def default_base_path_for_resource
         init_root_path if has_uri_prefix?
         root_resource_path
       end
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/reflection.rb b/lib/active_fedora/reflection.rb
index f247a36b9..b084442ca 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/reflection.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/reflection.rb
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ def create(macro, name, scope, options, active_fedora)
                   DirectlyContainsOneReflection
                 when :indirectly_contains
                   IndirectlyContainsReflection
+                when :is_a_container
+                  BasicContainsReflection
                 when :rdf
                   RDFPropertyReflection
                 when :singular_rdf
@@ -513,6 +515,20 @@ def association_class
       end
     end
 
+    class BasicContainsReflection < AssociationReflection # :nodoc:
+      def macro
+        :is_a_container
+      end
+
+      def collection?
+        true
+      end
+
+      def association_class
+        Associations::BasicContainsAssociation
+      end
+    end
+
     class DirectlyContainsReflection < AssociationReflection # :nodoc:
       def macro
         :directly_contains
diff --git a/spec/integration/basic_contains_association_spec.rb b/spec/integration/basic_contains_association_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ccc7d7762
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/integration/basic_contains_association_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe ActiveFedora::Base do
+  let(:model) { Source.new }
+
+  context "with a file" do
+    before do
+      class Source < ActiveFedora::Base
+        is_a_container
+      end
+    end
+
+    after do
+      Object.send(:remove_const, :Source)
+    end
+
+    it 'is empty' do
+      expect(model.contains).to eq []
+    end
+
+    it 'can build a child' do
+      child = model.contains.build
+      expect(child).to be_kind_of ActiveFedora::File
+      child.content = "hello"
+      model.save!
+      expect(child).to be_persisted
+      expect(child.uri.to_s).to include model.uri.to_s
+    end
+
+    it 'can create a child on a persisted parent' do
+      model.save!
+      child = model.contains.build
+      expect(child).to be_kind_of ActiveFedora::File
+      child.content = "hello"
+      model.save!
+      expect(child).to be_persisted
+      expect(child.uri.to_s).to include model.uri.to_s
+    end
+  end
+
+  context "with an AF::Base object" do
+    before do
+      class Thing < ActiveFedora::Base
+        property :title, predicate: ::RDF::Vocab::DC.title
+      end
+      class Source < ActiveFedora::Base
+        is_a_container class_name: 'Thing'
+      end
+    end
+    after do
+      Object.send(:remove_const, :Source)
+      Object.send(:remove_const, :Thing)
+    end
+
+    let(:model) { Source.new }
+
+    it 'is empty' do
+      expect(model.contains).to eq []
+    end
+
+    describe "creating" do
+      it 'can build a child' do
+        child = model.contains.build
+        expect(model.contains.build(title: ['my title'])).to be_kind_of Thing
+        model.save!
+        expect(child).to be_persisted
+        expect(child.uri.to_s).to include model.uri.to_s
+      end
+
+      it 'can create a child on a persisted parent' do
+        model.save!
+        child = model.contains.create(title: ['my title'])
+        expect(child).to be_kind_of Thing
+        expect(child).to be_persisted
+        expect(child.uri.to_s).to include model.uri.to_s
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "loading" do
+      before do
+        model.save!
+        model.contains.create(title: ['title 1'])
+        model.contains.create(title: ['title 2'])
+        model.reload
+      end
+
+      it "has the two contained objects" do
+        expect(model.contains.size).to eq 2
+        expect(model.contains.map(&:title)).to eq [['title 1'], ['title 2']]
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "#destroy_all" do
+      before do
+        model.save!
+        model.contains.create(title: ['title 1'])
+        model.contains.create(title: ['title 2'])
+        model.reload
+      end
+
+      it "destroys the two contained objects" do
+        expect { model.contains.destroy_all }
+          .to change { model.contains.size }.by(-2)
+          .and change { Thing.count }.by(-2)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end