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THE ROMAN REPUBLIC AND THE UNITED STATES
Introduction
During the Roman Republic, there was a constant struggle for power between the Patricians (aristocratic landowners) and the
Plebeians (common farmers, artisans, merchants). The government of the Roman Republic is set up much like the United States. Just
like in the US, there are three branches of government; the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Each branch serves a different
purpose and helps run the nation in a different way.
What does each branch do?
Legislative—
Executive—
Judicial—
Structure of the Roman Republic
1. Legislative Branch
 Senate—300 members, aristocrats, makes laws, advises consuls, controls foreign and financial policies, elected for
life
 Centuriate Assembly—makes laws, citizen-soldiers, selects the consuls, elected for life
 Tribal Assembly—citizens group according to where they live, elected for life, also known as Tribunes, made laws
2. Executive Branch
 2 Consuls—elected by the Centuriate Assembly for 1 year, had to wait 10 years between each term, commanded the
military, chief executives of the government
3. Judicial Branch
 Praetors are judges chosen by the Centuriate Assembly to oversee civil and criminal cases, selected for 1 year, laws
were interpreted based on the 12 Tables—Rome’s legal code.
 12 Tables—Rome’s written legal code. They were written down in 451 BC and hung in the Roman Forum. This
guaranteed both Plebian and Patrician protection under the law.
Structure of the United States
1. Legislative Branch
 Congress makes laws
 Congress is made up of two houses (Senate and House of Representatives)
 Senate: 100 members (two from each state), elected every 6 years by the citizens, no term limits
 House of Representatives: number of members based on state population (currently 435 members), elected every 2
years by the citizens, makes laws
2. Judicial Branch
 Court system
 Supreme Court is the highest
 9 Justices (judges) on the Supreme Court
 Appointed for life by the President
 US CONSTITUTION:
o Laws based on the Constitution—Judicial branch interprets the laws based on whether they are
constitutional or not. All citizens, 18 years or older, non-felons can vote
3. Executive Branch
 President is the chief executive
 Elected every 4 years, can only serve two, four-year terms
 Commands the military