Download The Roman Republic

Name
Date
REVIEW
CALIFORNIA CONTENT
STANDARD 6.7
The Roman Republic
OVERALL OBJECTIVE: Analyze the geographic, political, economic,
religious, and social structures during the development of Rome.
Read the summary to answer questions on the next page.
The Founding of Rome, 753 B.C.: According to legend, Romulus founded Rome
near the Tiber River. The early Romans were ruled by Etruscan kings. In 509 B.C., the
Romans overthrew the Etruscan rule and founded a republic.
The Roman Republic: The new republic consisted of the powerful patricians,
or nobles, and the plebeians, or common people. In time, the plebeians won the
right to elect representatives called tribunes. They also had their own assembly.
The Twelve Tables, the law code written in 451 B.C. protected the rights of all citizens.
Three Branches of Government:
• Executive Branch—Two consuls were elected for one year. They were
chief executives of the government and commanders-in-chief of the military.
• Legislative Branch—A senate of 300 was chosen from the aristocracy.
Copyright © McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company
• Judicial Branch—Eight judges, or praetors, were chosen for one year.
End of the Republic, 46 B.C.: During a civil war, Julius Caesar, a Roman
general, won great popularity among the people. He ended the war and was named
dictator for life. He was an absolute ruler, expanded the senate, enforced laws
against crime, and created jobs for the poor. He was assassinated by senators who
feared his growing power.
The Roman Empire, 27 B.C.: Caesar’s great nephew, Augustus, became Rome’s
first emperor. Augustus had absolute power but retained the senate, consuls,
and tribunes. Under his rule, Rome expanded and enjoyed a period of peace and
prosperity.
The Roots of Christianity, A.D. 6: The Romans made the Jewish kingdom of
Judea, Jesus’s birthplace, a Roman province. Both a Jew and a Roman subject, Jesus
preached justice and compassion. Jesus’s success and popularity made enemies of the
Roman officials. As a result, he was put to death. After Jesus’s death, his disciples,
or followers, continued preaching his message.
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Name
Date
PRACTICE
CALIFORNIA CONTENT
STANDARD 6.7
The Roman Republic
DIRECTIONS: Choose the letter of the best answer.
1 Which event marked the beginning
of the Roman Republic?
3 In what way were Augustus and
Julius Caesar similar?
A the assassination of Julius Caesar
A Both upheld republican ideals.
B
the overthrow of Etruscan rule
B
Both held the title of emperor.
C
established the Twelve Tables
C
Both had absolute power.
D Both expanded the government.
2 Why was the consuls’ term of office
limited to one year?
A to allow as many people as
possible to be consuls
B
to prevent them from gaining too
much power
C
because the first consuls only
served a year
D because the consuls then became the
commanders-in-chief of the army
•
•
•
•
The Arts
Epic poetry
Arch and dome
Mosaics and frescoes
Sculpture
Use the chart below to answer
question 4.
4 Based on the chart, what are some
contributions of the Roman Empire
to future civilizations?
A architecture, language, law, religion
B
technology, law, mathematics
C
architecture, medicine, law, language
D language, astronomy, art, medicine
Legacies of Ancient Rome
Technology
Government
• Legal systems
• Use of concrete in
engineering
• Republican
forms
• System of roads
• Aqueducts
Culture
• Spread of
Christianity
• Influence of Latin on
Romance languages
Copyright © McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company
D the rise of Augustus
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