Download Discuss how invasions throughout the empire led to the fall of Rome

The Fall of Rome
Daily Lesson and Discussion Notes: 1-2
Objectives:
 Explain
how poor leadership, a declining
economy, and attacks by Germanic tribes
helped weaken the Roman Empire
 Discuss how invasions throughout the empire
led to the fall of Rome
 Identify the contributions of Rome in fields
such as government, law, language, and the
arts
Objective 1:
 Explain
how poor leadership, a declining
economy, and attacks by Germanic tribes
helped weaken the Roman Empire
I. The Decline of Rome
(pages 145-147)
A. After
Aurelius’s
death,
Commodus
and the
Severans ruled
Rome.
B. After the Severans’ rule ended,
Rome’s leadership grew weak, and the
government grew corrupt.
C. With a weak government, the
economy worsened and law and
order broke down.
D. Inflation, or rapidly increasing prices,
occurred because money became less
valuable. Many people began to barter, or
exchange goods without using money.
E. Invaders began pushing into the empire’s
territory, and the Roman government could
not pay Roman soldiers.
F. Emperor Diocletian tried to establish
reforms, or political changes, that would
improve the political and economic
situation.
G. Emperor
Constantine tried to
stop the empire’s
decline. He moved
the capital city to
Byzantium, and the
city later became
known as
Constantinople.
Objective 1: Explain how poor leadership, a
declining economy, and attacks by Germanic
tribes helped weaken the Roman Empire
Poor leadership: Rulers were weak, ineffective, and corrupt;
there was no system for choosing a new emperor; talented people
refused to serve in the government
 Social problems: few people attended school; large part of
population was now enslaved; disease and famine spread
 Economy: many wealthy citizens refused to pay taxes; people
purchased few goods; businesses closed; government put less gold
in coins leading to inflation
 Invasions: Roman government could no longer pay Romans to
fight in army – had to rely on non-Romans who were not loyal

Objective 2:
 Discuss
how invasions through out the empire
led to the fall of Rome
II. Rome Falls
(pages 149-151)
A. Theodosius became emperor after
Constantine’s death. After Theodosius
died, the empire was split into two
separate empires: the Western Roman
Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire.
B. The Visigoths feared the Huns and asked
Rome for protection. In exchange, Rome
required the Visigoths to be loyal to them.
C. The Visigoths
rebelled against
the Romans and
beat the Romans
at the Battle of
Adrianople.
D. More Germanic groups invaded
Roman territory. E. The Visigoth leader
Alaric and his soldiers
captured the city of
Rome and burned it.
F. The Vandals overpowered Rome’s
territories in Spain and northern Africa.
Then they entered Rome and destroyed
buildings.
G. Odoacer was a Germanic leader who
took control of Rome’s government from
the emperor Romulus Augustulus. This
event marked the end of the Western
Roman Empire.
H. A band of
Visigoths killed
Odoacer and set
up a kingdom in
Italy.
I. The Eastern Roman Empire continued
to prosper after the fall of the Western
Roman Empire. It became known as the
Byzantine Empire.
Objective 2: Discuss how invasions
throughout the empire led to the fall of
Rome
 Numerous
invasions by Germanic peoples led
to the fall of Rome in 476 AD
Objective 3:
 Identify
the contributions of Rome in fields
such as government, law, language, and the
arts
III. The Legacy of Rome
(pages 152-153) A. The laws and
government of the
United States today
were influenced by
the laws and
government of the
ancient Romans.
B. The alphabet of the Latin language is
used throughout the Western world today.
Many European languages stemmed from
Latin. Many English words come from
Latin.
C. Western architecture uses styles of the
Romans, such as domes and arches.
D.
Christianity
began and
spread in the
Roman
Empire.
Objective 3: Identify the contributions of
Rome in fields such as government, law,
language, and the arts
Government: the best form of government is a republic
made up of equal citizens; a republic works best if citizens
participate in government
 Law: Roman ideas about law still exist – all people are
equal under the law; we expect our judges to decide cases
fairly; and we consider a person innocent until proven
guilty
 Language: Latin became the basis of many languages; the
Latin alphabet is used throughout the Western world


Art/Architecture: Roman architectural styles – domes and
arches – are still used in public buildings (state capital
buildings, Washington D.C.) today