Download Rome`s Republic

Aim: Rome’s Republic
Citizens of Rome
Patricians
Plebeians
•
Men who farmed,
traded, and made
things for a living.
•
Most Romans were plebeians
•
Had the right to vote and the
responsibility to pay taxes and
serve in the army.
•
•
Could not hold public office
Lower social status (couldn’t
marry patricians).
•
•
•
•
Members of Rome’s noble
families.
Wealthy landowners
Owned large farms and had
plebeians work on the land for
them.
Had the right to vote and the
responsibility to pay taxes and
serve in the army.
Governing the Republic
•
•
•
•
They elected representatives, people who acted for them.
Not all Roman votes were equal.
The more powerful the man was, the greater his vote had.
Rome had a tripartite, or three part government.
**one group ran the government, another
group made the laws, and a third group acted
as
judges.
• Government had checks and balances to prevent one
group from gaining too much power.
Rome’s Republic
500 B.C.
Consuls-Officials
Senate
Assembly of Centuries
Two patricians
Chosen every year
Army commanders
Power to veto
Ordered arrests
proposed new laws
Legislative or lawmaking body
Oldest and most powerful
300 patrician males
Served for life
Controlled $
Communicated with
other governments
Elected consuls and praetors
Passed laws
Controlled by patricians
Rome’s Republic
287 B.C.
Dictator-used in
emergency situations
Praetors
Tribunes
Interpreted law and
acted as judges
Elected by citizen assembly
Represent plebeians-protect
their rights
Consuls-Officials
I patrician & 1 plebeian
Chosen every year
Army commanders
Power to veto each other
Ordered arrests
proposed new laws
Senate
Legislative or lawmaking body
Oldest and most powerful
300 male citizens (both plebeians
and patricians)
Served for life
Controlled $
Communicated with
other governments
Citizen Assembly
Elected consuls and praetors
Passed laws
Consuls veto consul’s actions
All citizens
Reforms made to the Republic
Senate became more powerful
• Proposed laws
• Held debates
• Approved building programs
Plebeians gained more rights
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Set up own body of representatives called the Council of the Plebs
Elected Tribunes
Veto government decisions
Could marry patricians
Could become councils
Males had equal political standing
Could pass laws (287 B.C.)
Written Laws
• The plebeians protested because only the
patricians knew what the laws were.
• As a result, the plebeians wrote the twelve tables
on bronze tablets and posted them in the city’s
forum.
• In the forum (marketplace), senators met and
citizens pleaded their cased before the cases.
• Innocent until proven guilty, defend themselves
against judge.
Answers
1. A
2. A
3. D
4. B
5. C
6. D
7. C
8. B
9. A
10. A
11. D
12. B
13. C
14. B
15. C
16. C
17. E
18. B
19. A
20. d
21. B
22. C
23. E
24. A
25. D
26. C
27. A
28. B
29. C
30. A