7th Grade History

Ms. Pang
Adopted from Susan M. Pojer
Horace Greeley H.S. Chappaqua, NY
The Geography of Rome
Italy in 750 BCE
 The Etruscans
 Influenced Roman writing, religion
& architecture
 Ruled Rome between 616-509 BCE
The Myth of Rome:
Romulus & Remus
•Aeneas migrated from Troy
to Italy
•Two of his descendants,
Romulus and Remus, were
abandoned by an evil uncle
in the flooded Tiber River
•A kindly she-wolf found
them and nursed them to
health
•The boys grew strong and
courageous and in 753 B.C.,
Romulus founded the city of
Rome and established
himself as its first king
 Patricians vs Plebians

The Common People

Patricians rebelled and
Wealthy defeated the Etruscan King in
Landowners 509 BCE.
Patricians & Plebians struggled
to create a Republic of
elected officials, together.
 Tripartite
Republican Government
2 Consuls
(Rulers of Rome)

Senate
(Representative body for patricians)

Tribal Assembly
(Representative body for plebeians)
 Benefits of a
Republican Government
 Written Constitution
citizens could approve or
reject laws

 Tripartite Government
equal representation

 Checks & Balances

Political power equally
distributed between Patricians
and Plebians
Legacy of Roman Republic

• Art

• Architecture

• Engineering

• Language

• Law and Justice

The Roman Forum

The Center of Rome

 Roman Art

MOSAICS ROMAN
STYLE of
Sculpture
 Roman Roads:
“All Roads Lead to Rome”

Roman Roads
still exist
today in parts
of Europe!
They built
53,000 miles
of road!
 Roman Aqueducts

Perfected this system used to transport water.

 The Roman Colosseum

Does this OPEN AIR STADIUM remind you

of the L.A. Coliseum?
 Domes

Can you see the Roman influence in

our US Capitol building?
 Latin Root Words,
Our Alphabet,
Roman Numerals …

The Latin language used by the Romans is

a legacy that we use EVERYDAY.
Roman Law & Justice

• Natural Law
– Every person has rights

• Courts
– Judges tried to make fair decisions

• Citizenship
 Fall of Republic
the Causes
 Rome Expands their Territory

 Civil Unrest

 Years of Civil War

 Dictators fight for Power

Expansion
Rome fought with and
conquered the lands
of their neighbors,
gaining power, &
strengthening their
military.
 Civil Unrest

While Rome fought for more territory

•slaves revolted
•people didn’t like being taxed
•people didn’t have jobs
•army generals fought for power
 Civil War & Dictators

Pompey Julius Caesar

•Both men wanted to control Rome
•The Senate supported Pompey
•Civil War lasted for 3 years
 Julius Caesar
“Dictator for Life”
 Defeats Pompey

 The Senate is
threatened by
Caesar’s army

 Declares himself
Dictator for life.

 Destroys Republican
Form of Government
 “Et Tu Brute?”

 44 BCE, Senators kill

Julius Caesar hoping to
save the Republic but…
 Octavian Augustus:
Rome’s First Emperor
 After Caesar’s
murder, civil
war lasted for
another 10
years.

 Octavian
Augustus gained
power and
restored the
government.