ROMEDocument-Based QuestionTaylor – World History

THE ORIGINS OF ROME Site chosen for its fertile soil and strategic location

Romans found a republic — government in which citizens elect leaders

DOCUMENT 1Not without reason did god and men choose this spot for the site of our city – the salubrious hills, the river to bring us produce from the inland regions and sea-borne commerce from abroad, the sea itself, near enough convenience yet not so near as to bring danger from foreign fleets, our situation is in the very heart of Italy – all these advantages make it of all places in the world the best for a city destined to grow great.

- Lily, The Early History of Rome1A: Identify two advantages given here that its geographic location offered Rome.1B: Choose one advantage and explain how it played a direct role in Rome’s expansion.

EARLY ROMEElected leadersDictators are

appointed briefly in times of crisis

Legion — military unit of 5,000 infantry; supported by cavalry

Army is powerful; key factor in Rome’s rise to greatness

ROME’S COMMERCIAL NETWORKEstablishes large

trading networkAccess to

Mediterranean Sea provides many trade routes

Carthage, powerful city-state in North Africa, soon rivals Rome

PROBLEMSGap between rich

and poor widens as Roman Republic growsCivil War

Military leader Julius Caesar elected consul

Caesar is named dictator for life in 44 B.C.Assassinated

PAX ROMANAUnder Augustus, Rome moves from a republic to an empire. Power no longer resides with citizens, but a single ruler

Rome enjoys 200 years of peace and prosperity known as Pax Romana

Augustus, creates lasting system of governmentglorifies Rome with beautiful public

buildingssets up civil service to administer

empire

DOCUMENT 2What territory did Rome add between 500 BC and 117

AD?

AGRICULTURE AND TRADEAgriculture most important industry in empire90% of Romans farm

Common coin, denarius, makes trade within empire easier

Vast trading network, includes China and India

Network of Roman roads links empire to Persia, Russia (Next week: Silk Road)

DOCUMENT 3A: From what three continents did trade goods come to Rome?

DOCUMENT 3B: Which good were supplied by all three areas?

ROMAN LIFE Slaves become

gladiators Worship of emperor

becomes part of official religion

Rich live well; most people are poor, receive grain from government

150 holidays and Colosseum events created to control the masses

THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY

DOCUMENT 11a: What are the physical characteristic of the Tigris and

Euphrates river valley? For example, in which direction do they flow? Where are they located?

1b: What geographic factors made this valley ideal for civilization?

THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY

We’ll come back to this topic in a couple of weeks.

THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIREInternal problems and innovations spur the division and decline of the Roman Empire

THE FALL OF ROME1. What economic problems did

Rome face?

2. Who was Constantine?

3. What role did Attila play in the collapse of Rome?

DOCUMENT 4

4a: List two negative qualities of the Huns, according to Marcellinus.4b: What does their regard for their enemy say about how the Romans likely viewed themselves.

The nation of the Huns … surpasses all other barbarians in the wilderness of life … And though [the Huns] do just bear the likeness of men (of a very ugly pattern), they are so little advanced in civilization that they … feed upon the … half-raw flesh of any sort of animal … When attacked … they fill the air with varied and discordant cries … they fight in no regular order of battle, but by being extremely swift and sudden in their movements, they disperse … spread havoc over vast plains, and … pillage the camp of their enemy almost before he has become aware of their approach.”

- Ammianus Marcellinus

5A: What group of invaders came from the greatest distance?5B: What areas of the empire were not threatened by invasion?

DOC 5

DOCUMENT 6

6A: What does feel was the underlying reason for Rome’s fall?6B: What does Gibbon find surprising about the Roman Empire?

The decline of Rome was the natural and inevitable effect of immoderate greatness. Prosperity ripened the principle of decay; the causes of destruction multiplied with the extent of conquest; and, as soon as time or accident had removed artificial supports, the stupendous fabric yielded to the pressure of its own weight. The story of its ruin is simple and obvious; and instead of inquiring why the Roman Empire was destroyed, we should rather be surprised that it had subsisted so long.

- Edward Gibbon, Historian

ROME AND THE ROOTS OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION The Romans develop many ideas and institutions that become fundamental to Western Civilization.

THE LEGACY OF ROMERomans adopt

aspects of Greek and Hellenistic cultureGreco-Roman

culture, or classical civilization

Romans borrow from Greek philosophy and

literaturePoet Virgil writes epic

Aeneid modeled after Homer’s Greek epics

THE LEGACY OF ROMELatin was official

language of Roman Catholic Church until 1900sFrench, Spanish,

Portuguese, Italian, Romanian

More than half the words in English stem from Latin

Master BuildersArch, domes, concreteCreate aqueducts—

structures to bring water into cities, towns

THE LEGACY OF ROMESystem of Law

Principles of Roman law form basis of modern legal systems

Enduring InfluenceBy preserving and

adding to Greek civilization, Rome strengthened the Western cultural tradition

Lucius Quinctius CincinnatusExtra Credit: Who am I? What is my legacy? 100 words due tomorrow.

DOCUMENT-BASED QUESTION INSTRUCTIONSRome

HISTORICAL CONTEXTOver the course of several centuries, Rome built one of the largest empires the world had ever know. By 120 A.D., the Romans controlled portions of three continents, spreading their civilizations across much of the ancient world.

ESSAY PROMPT Describe the rise of and the two biggest

reasons for long duration of the Roman Empire. Discuss the difficulties associated with such a

vast empire, and explain what led to its fall. Conclude with a detailed discussion of the

legacy of Rome.

MORE DIRECTIONSWrite a well-organized essay that includes an introduction, several paragraphs, and a conclusion. Address all aspects of the task by accurately analyzing at least four documents. Support your response with relevant facts, examples and details. Include additional outside information.

The textbook will be helpful: Chapter 6.4 and 6.5 No outside research is necessary. Use the

documents, your textbook and class notes. Respond to all three parts of the prompt. Follow the high school essay format

expectations.

Abraham Lincoln

Nov. 19, 1863

Fifth Hour

Gettysburg Address

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this

continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the

proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that

nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.

We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to

dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who

here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting

and proper that we should do this (document #3).

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot

consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and

dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor

power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember

what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for

us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which

they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for

us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that

from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for

which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly

resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation,

under God, shall have a new birth of freedom— and that government of

the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the

earth.

HIGH SCHOOL

ESSAY FORMAT

Name information

Title (not “essay”)

No word art

Paragraphs

Indents

Double spaced

Textbook-style font

10-12 size font

1-inch margins

CITE DOCUMENTS

(usually parenthetically)No bibliography needed on a DBQ