Download Name: Period: DBQ Rotation Game: How did the Roman Republic

Name:
Period:
DBQ Rotation Game: How did the Roman Republic develop features that would lead to an empire?
INSTRUCTIONS: You will have a short time at each of the four “stations” (each station is a different
subject/topic) to examine the evidence of primary source documents, maps, and secondary source documents
to answer these document-based questions.
1. Read each document carefully, and make sure to notice any vocabulary words.
2. Outline each document!
3. If you have questions, write those down too, and they also may be answered for you at another station so
please work through all four!
4. Answer the questions at the end of each station’s documents. You may work as a group to read and
discuss, but you must write your own responses. Stay in the habit of writing complete sentences. You
will be graded for both your participation and your written work.
Station 1: Law & Government: How did the Roman Republic set up a system of law?
Document 1: Examples from (with background about) the Twelve Tables of Roman Law
THE TWELVE TABLES OF ROMAN LAW
(451-450 B.C.E.)
Adapted from LAWhttp://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/12tables.html
This is the earliest attempt by the Romans to create a CODE OF LAW; it is also the earliest
(surviving) piece of literature coming from the Romans. In the early days of Rome, there was an
ongoing struggle for legal and social protection and civil rights between the privileged aristocracy-the elite, highest class with wealth, land, and voting rights (patricians) and the common people
(plebeians). So a commission of ten men was appointed (in approx. 455 B.C.E.) to draw up a code
of law which would be binding on (required for) both parties and which the two consuls would have
to enforce. The commission produced enough statutes (laws) to fill TEN TABLETS, but this attempt
seems not to have been entirely satisfactory--especially to the plebeians. A second commission of
ten was therefore appointed in approximately 450 B.C.E. and two additional tablets were drawn up.
Each table included laws about the following topics:
TABLE
TOPICS
TABLE I
Procedure: for courts and trials
TABLE II
Trials, continued
TABLE III
Debt
TABLE IV
Rights of fathers (paterfamilias) over
the family
TABLE V
Legal guardianship and inheritance
laws
TABLE VI
Acquisition and possession
TABLE VII
Land rights
TABLE VIII Torts and delicts (Laws related to
injury/harm)
TABLE IX
Public law
TABLE X
Sacred (religious) law
TABLE XI
Supplement I
TABLE XII
Supplement II
Document 2: Flow chart of Roman Republic’s process of electing officials
NOW ANSWER THESE:
What important vocab do you think you should add? Write down the words and their definitions here:
Based upon the examples from the Twelve Tables, what inferences (conclusions) can you make about how
important official law was in Roman society? In other words, what social values do you see? Give two
examples in complete sentences.
Of the examples of laws from the Twelve Tables, which ones do you think are most like examples from our
current system of law in the United States? Why?
What are three similarities between these two governments of the ancient Roman Republic & the current United
States? (You should remember that, technically, the United States is a republic or representative democracy,
with no monarch, in which the people elect representatives, and is not a direct democracy.)
Station 2: Geography: How did geography affect the development of the Roman Empire?
Document 1: Map of Europe Today
Document 2: Map of Roman Republic (Pay extra attention to the key/legend!)
Document 3: Map of Roman roads
NOW ANSWER THESE:
Looking at the maps 2 & 3, what positive geographic factors could have helped the Roman Republic and the
empire after it to grow? (Think about bodies of water, location of the city of Rome, etc.)
List the modern-day countries you recognize that would have been under Roman rule. Compare maps 1 and 2 to
be accurate and complete:
“All roads lead to Rome” is a famous saying that originally described the Roman highway system as it developed
through the empire’s growth. (Technically, this is after Rome became an empire and the republic form of
government ended, but we know how Alison loves to add maps to any discussion!) Why would the Romans have
developed their road network with the capitol city of Rome as its focus? (Make sure to notice where the city of
Rome is in relation to other places.) Why would this road system be so important to unifying & maintaining
power?
Station 3: Social Class and the Roman Republic: How did the Roman Republic set up a
system of social control?
Document 1: secondary source reading from “A Brief History of Rome”
Adapted from http://www.roman-empire.net/children/history.html
A Brief History of Early Rome:
The founding of Rome goes back to the very early days of civilization. It is so old, it is today known as
“the eternal city.” The Romans believed that their city was founded in the year 753 B.C.E. Modern
historians though believe it was the year 625 B.C.E.
Early Rome was governed by kings, but after only seven of them had ruled,
the Romans took power over their own city and ruled themselves.
They then instead had a council known as the senate, made up of
patricians (of whom you will read below and find the definition next to
Document 2), which ruled over them and had the real power in Rome. From
this point on one speaks of the Roman Republic. The word “Republic”
itself comes from the Latin (the language of the Romans) words 'res publica'
which mean “public matters” or “matters of state”—which is, of course, what
the senate debated and decided.
A speech in the Roman
senate
The senate under the kings had only been there to advise the king in early
Rome. Now the senate appointed two consuls, who ruled Rome like kings,
but only for one year. This was a wise idea, as like that, the consul ruled
carefully and not as a tyrant (dictator), for he knew that otherwise he could
be punished by the next consul, once his year was up.
Rome knew four classes of people. This division was very important to the Romans.
The lowest class was the slaves. They were, as we all know, owned by other people and had no rights
at all. Remember that slaves often were people captured in war from the “losing” side, too.
The next class were the plebeians. They were free people. But they had little say at all.
The second highest class were the equestrians (sometimes they are called the “knights”). Their name
means the “riders,” as they were given a horse to ride if they were called to fight for Rome. To be an
equestrian you had to be rich.
The highest class was made up of the nobles of Rome. They were called “patricians.” All the real power
in Rome lay with them.
The Roman Republic was a very successful government. It lasted from 510 B.C.E. until 23 B.C.E.—
almost 500 years. In comparison, the United States of America only exist since 1776 C.E.—less than 250
years so far.
Document 2: sculpture of a Roman man from a specific social class: Patrician holding the
busts (sculptures from the shoulders-up) of his ancestors
NOW ANSWER THESE:
What important vocab do you think you should add? Write down the words and their definitions here:
Draw a diagram of these groups and label each section in the space below. Who benefits the most? The least?
(Think back to Greece and who was able to participate in Athens’ direct democracy!)
Why would someone want to be an equestrian? Why do you think this class was reserved for relatively wealthy
folks?
Why might this patrician be holding these busts of his ancestors? What might that symbolize in a society where
few people held true power?
Station 4: Cultural Diffusion & Religion in Rome
Document 1: Greek Influence, Etruscans, & Romans before the Republic
Adapted from http://www.fsmitha.com/h1/ch15.htm
A powerful group, known as the Etruscans, lived north of the Tiber River on the Italian Peninsula, some in cities
with paved streets and drainage. They used advanced techniques in mining and agriculture. They borrowed from
and traded with cities in Italy that the Greeks had founded. And they traded with central Europe and with others
along the coast of North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean, importing a variety of goods in exchange for the
iron and bronze items they made, such as helmets and pails. They were fierce warriors. Various Etruscan kings
conquered parts of Italy and held it as empire. And sometime around 600 B.C.E., Etruscan chiefs led an army
southward and conquered Rome and areas beyond. Rome under the Etruscans resembled a Greek city. Like
Greek cities, it had a senate: an advisory council of elders who were mainly patricians. Rome's most important
temple and meeting place was a building like a Greek acropolis, called the capitol. The capitol had a Greek-like
public assembly called the comitia -- where plebeians were a minority and outvoted.
Rome stood at crossroads of major trade routes and was a major center of trade. It had an urban center,
approximately one mile wide and four miles long, with paved streets, impressive buildings, and sewers. Under
the Etruscans, Roman crafts grew. From the Etruscans, the Romans borrowed vase styles and the use of bronze.
They also borrowed religious practices and acquired (got) a twelve-month calendar. The Romans learned from
the Etruscans what Etruscans had learned from the Greeks: the growing of grapes and olives. The Roman
alphabet (now the basis of the English language) was perhaps an Etruscan adaptation of the Greek alphabet.
Document 2: A comparison chart of ancient Greek and Roman gods
Greek Name
Roman/Latin Name
Description
Zeus
Jupiter, Jove
Lord of the Sky, Gods, and Thunder,
also Rain-god, Cloud-gatherer
Hera
Juno
Protector of Marriage
Poseidon
Neptune
Ruler of the Sea
Hades, Polydectes
Pluto
God of the Underworld and Precious Metals
Pallas Athena
Minerva
Goddess of the City, Education/Science, and War
Phoebus Apollo
Apollo
God of Sun, Truth, Music, Healing
Artemis, Orthia, Phoebe Diana
Goddess of Wild Things, Hunter-in-Chief
Aphrodite, Anadyomene Venus
Goddess of Love and Beauty
Hermes, Pyschopompus Mercury
God of Commerce and Market, Zeus' Messenger
Ares
Mars
God of War
Eros
Cupid, Amor
God of Love
Hebe
Juventus
God of Youth
Dionysus, Lycaeus
Bacchus, Liber
God of the Vine, Wine, Merriment
Pan
Inuus,Faunus
God of Flocks, Sheep
Selene
Luna
Goddess of the Moon
Helios
Sol
God of the Sun
Eris
Discordia
Goddess of Discord
Name at least four examples of cultural diffusion that occurred between the Greeks, the Etruscans, and the
Romans. Remember to use complete sentences.
Name any instances of lasting influences on modern-day society. Aim for two.