Download File - Sixth Grade!

Ancient Rome
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Romulus and Remus
 Founded Rome, according to legend
 Cared for by a female wolf
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Tiber River-foreign ships sailed up the Tiber to
Rome
Romans had a gift of learning from other
cultures.
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Republic-citizens have the right to vote, or
choose their leaders
Two groups of citizens:
1.
2.
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Patricians=wealthy and powerful
Plebeians=all other citizens (90% were plebeians)
Senate-governing body
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Made up of patricians
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Punic Wars-three wars between Carthage and
Rome
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Romans won all three
Hannibal-North African general who invaded
Italy during the second Punic War
Julius Caesar-conquered most of present-day
France, the British Isles, and Belgium
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Stabbed to death on the floor of the Senate in 44 B.C.
People were afraid he’d destroy the republic
Power struggle began, ended Roman Republic
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Augustus (ruled from 27 B.C. to A.D. 14)
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Brought order, good government, and peace to
Rome
Pax Romana=two centuries of peace beginning with
the rule of Augustus
Roman law and U.S. legal system:
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Innocent until proven guilty
Judges interpret the laws
People have rights the government cannot take away
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Major achievements of the Romans:
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Building roads
Establishing new laws
Uniting people in the Roman Empire
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Christianity=religion founded on the teachings
of Jesus
Jesus, the founder of Christianity, was born
into a Jewish family
Apostles Peter and Paul spread Jesus’ teachings
throughout the Mediterranean
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Mercenaries were hired to fight-felt little
loyalty to Rome
Constantine-united empire again in A.D. 324
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Built a new capital city over Byzantium named
Constantinople
Outlawed Christian persecution
United eastern and western parts of Roman Empire
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Visigoths captured Rome (A.D. 410)
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Cut off food supply
Robbed homes of the wealthy
Burned what they could not take
Orestes, a soldier, had his son Romulus
Augustulus, made emperor
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German ruler demanded control, Orestes refused
and was killed
Romulus sent to live with relatives in southern Italy