Download Chapter 7 Section 1 Founding the Roman Republic

Chapter 7 Section 1
Founding the Roman Republic
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Identify the role of geography played in
Italy’s and Rome’s development
Describe the form of government of the
Roman Republic
Explain the Conflict of the orders and how
it changed the early Roman Republic
Compare and contrast the roles of citizens
and noncitizens as Rome expanded its
power
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Italy looks like a giant boot
Alps (mountains) to the north
Mediterranean Sea to south
Adriatic Sea to east
Apennine Mountains run length of country
 Not rugged; made trade & travel easy
 Unlike Greece’s mountains
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Location of Italy made it a perfect base from
which to control both the eastern & western
halves of the region
Long coast line open them up to attack from
the sea
Alps in north, separate Italy from the rest of
Europe
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Mid 700s B.C. – people called the Latins move into
west-central Italy
Region called Latium, villages unite to form Rome
Late 600s B.C. – Rome under rule of Etruscans
(from northern Italy)
 Bring written language, pave roads, sewers,
pottery, jewelry with them
 Rome prospers and grows under Etruscan rule
Blend together into one culture
Greek culture blended into Roman culture as well
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Rome was built on seven hills along the
Tiber River
15 miles inland protected it from sea
invasions
Shallow part of river made it an easy
crossing point, put Rome at center of many
trade routes
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509 B.C. – overthrow Etruscan king, Romans
vow never to be ruled by a monarch again
Set up a republic
 Form of government in which voters elect
officials to run the state
Only adult males could vote or take part in
government
Three groups of citizens help govern Rome:
Senate, magistrates, assemblies
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Senate
 Most influential & powerful of the three
 Controlled public funds & decided foreign
policies
 Sometimes acted as a court
 In emergency, propose that a dictator be
named
 Absolute ruler
 Rule for six months
 Complete command of army & courts
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Magistrates
 Elected officials
 Made up of consuls, praetors, & censors
 Consuls (chief executives): two people that served
one year terms
 Ran government, commanded army, appoint
dictators
 Could veto other consul
 Refuse to approve
 Example of checks and balances
 Preventing one part of government from
becoming too powerful
Praetors
 Helped consuls
 In times of war – commanded the armies
 In times of peace – oversaw Roman legal
system
 Censors
 Registered citizens according to wealth,
appointed candidates to Senate, & oversaw
moral conduct of all citizens
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Assemblies
 Several assemblies existed
 Citizens in assemblies voted on laws &
elected officials
 Some voted to make war or peace, other
were courts
 Elect ten officials called tribunes
 Some power over actions by the Senate
& other officials
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Early in Rome’s Republic, there were two classes:
patricians & plebeians
Patricians: powerful landowners who controlled
government, inherited their power (nobles)
Plebeians: made up most of the population,
mainly farmers & workers
 Had few rights
 Could vote, but not hold office
Plebeians over time increase their power
 Join army, hold office, form assembly, elect
tribunes
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450 B.C. – plebeians forced government to
write down laws
 Laws were engraved on tablets
 Known as the Twelve Tables
 Placed in the Forum
 Chief public square
 For all to see
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By 265 B.C. – Rome
controlled all of Italy
south of the Rubicon
Romans expand
republic
Every adult male
citizen who owned
land was required
by law to serve in
the Roman army
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Very disciplined
army
Major unit called
legion
4,500 to 6,000
citizens called
legionnaires
Later they establish
auxilia for
noncitizens
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Romans had a talent for ruling other people
Because they wanted conquered people to be loyal to
Rome
 Granted full citizenship to the inhabitants of
nearby Italian cities
 Partial citizenship to the people that lived more
distant
 Could own property & marry, couldn’t vote
Allies remained independent, but had to provide
soldiers for the Roman army
Conquered people gave up land for Roman famers,
helped them control conquered areas