Download STUDY GUIDE – ROME Name three ways that the geography of the

STUDY GUIDE – ROME
1.
Name three ways that the geography of the Italian peninsula and Rome in acted as natural defenses for the
Romans.
a. _________________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________________________________
2. How was the geography of the Italian peninsula similar to that of Greece?
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3. How was the geography of the Italian peninsula different from that of Greece?
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4. What are the two legends about the founding (beginning) of the city of Rome?
a. __________________________________________________________________________________
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b. __________________________________________________________________________________
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5. What aspect of Greek culture influenced the Romans? ___________________________________________
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6. The Romans learned to cultivate (grow as crops) grapes and olives from the Greeks. Why was this important
for Rome?
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7. What did the Romans learn from the Etruscans? _________________________________________________
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8. Why were the Romans opposed to having a king? _______________________________________________
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9. Once they revolted against the Etruscan rulers, the Romans declared themselves a republic. How does a
republic work? ___________________________________________________________________________
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10. What is another term (name) for a republic? ____________________________________________________
11. What civilization gave the Romans the idea that males should participate as citizens in their government?
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12. Describe the three areas of the Roman government, and compare them to our US government.
a. Executive___________________________________________________________________________
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b. Judicial____________________________________________________________________________
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c. Legislative__________________________________________________________________________
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13. Define patrician and plebeian
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14. In the early days of the Republic, how were the political rights of the plebeians different from the political
rights of the patricians? _____________________________________________________________________
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15. How did the plebeians gain more political rights? ________________________________________________
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16. What was the role of a dictator in the Roman Republic? ___________________________________________
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17. Why was Cincinnatus a hero to the Romans, and to many early Americans? __________________________
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18. What were the Twelve Tables? ______________________________________________________________
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19. Why were the Twelve Tables put in the Roman Forum? __________________________________________
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20. List 4 principals of the American legal system that started with the Roman legal system.
21. In the early days of the Roman Republic, Rome expanded its control until it ruled the entire Italian peninsula.
What strengths and good decisions made this possible? ___________________________________________
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22. What was a legionary? _______________________________
23. What was the unintended consequence of roads built so that soldiers could move quickly to put down
rebellions? _______________________________________________________________________________
24. Who fought who in the 3 Punic Wars? ________________________________________________________
25. Who won all three Punic Wars? _________________________
26. Who were the Carthaginians and where was Carthage?
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27. What was the cause of the first Punic War? ____________________________________________________
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28. Why did the Carthaginians have an advantage at the start of the First Punic War?
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29. Describe two ways the Romans overcame the Carthaginians’ advantage.
a. __________________________________________________________________________________
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b. __________________________________________________________________________________
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30. Give examples of Hannibal’s leadership that earned him the reputation as a great general during the Second
Punic War.
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31. What was the result of the Third Punic War for the Carthaginians?
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32. What was a latifundia? ______________________________________________________________________
33. What kind of labor was often used to grow crops on a latifundia? _____________________________
34. After the Punic Wars, many farmers who owned small farms were poor or in debt, unable to feed their
families. Why?
a. _________________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________________________________
35. When farmers left the farms and moved to cities to find a job, they were often unemployed. Give one
reason. __________________________________________________________________
36. Explain the term “bread and circuses.” _______________________________________________________
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37. What was the purpose of “bread and circuses?” _________________________________________________
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38. Paying poor men to be soldiers gave Rome a permanent, professional army. Describe two negative (bad)
unintended consequences of this change.
a. _________________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________________
39. What was a triumvirate? ____________________________________________________________ Did it
work? _______________
40. What does the term “crossing the Rubicon” mean today? _________________________________________
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41. Why was it significant when Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River? ________________________________
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42. How did Julius Caesar gain power? ___________________________________________________________
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43. List three of the reforms Caesar made in Rome when has was in power.
a. __________________________________________________________________________________
b. __________________________________________________________________________________
c. __________________________________________________________________________________
44. Caesar’s reforms helped which social class? ____________________________________________________
45. Why did some Romans think Caesar wanted to be king? ___________________________________________
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46. What group was responsible for Caesar’s murder? ___________________________________________
47. Why were Romans, including the Roman Senate, willing to accept Caesar Augustus as an emperor, which
meant the end of their republic (a representative democracy) ? ____________________________________
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48. What is one advantage in having a king rather than an emperor, at least when the king dies?
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49. List three positive accomplishments of the first emperor, Caesar Augustus.
a. __________________________________________________________________________________
b. __________________________________________________________________________________
c. __________________________________________________________________________________
50. What was the Pax Romana, and how long did it last? ____________________________________________
51. During the time of the Roman Empire, the Romans called the Mediterranean Sea mare nostrum, which
meant “our sea.” Why? __________________________________________________________________
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52. What did the Romans do during the time of empire to improve trade?
a. _________________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________________________________
d. _________________________________________________________________________________
53. What happened to the cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii in A.D. 79? _______________________________
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54. Why are Pompeii and Herculaneum such important resources to historians studying ancient Rome?
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55. What did the Romans build in the lands the conquered? ____________________ connected by
_____________ to the rest of the empire.
56. Describe what an aqueduct was, both its purpose and how it worked. _______________________________
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57. How did arches and piers help deliver water to Roman cities?
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58. What social institution made possible the Roman standard of living? _____________________________
59. Where did Romans worship their gods? __________________________________________________
60. Why build cities in conquered areas?
61. The Romans put many arches in a row to make a barrel vault. How was the barrel vault used in their
buildings? ______________________________________________________________________________
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62. What was the most popular form of entertainment for many in the Roman world?
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63. What is assimilation? ____________________________________________________________________
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64. How did the Romans achieve assimilation? ___________________________________________________
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65. After the end of the Pax Romana, what problems weakened the Roman Empire?
a. ________________________________________________________________________________
b. ________________________________________________________________________________
c. _______________________________________________________________________________
d. ________________________________________________________________________________
e. ________________________________________________________________________________
66. Why was the Roman Empire divided into two parts in A.D.395?
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67. What were the two parts of the empire called, and what were their capitals?
a. __________________________________________________________________________________
b. __________________________________________________________________________________
68. Compare the end of the Western Roman Empire with what happened in the Eastern Roman Empire.
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69. Why is AD 476 often seen as the end of ancient history?
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70. How did the Eastern Empire changed after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire (include the name
change).
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