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Ancient Rome The Fall of Rome. Roman Rap This is the Roman empire Hannibal running around setting cities on fire. Augustus be fighting so hard trying to get his power higher. He was doing his thing since the start of Pax Romana . Yeah, get it, we're talkin ' bout the Senate.
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Ancient RomeThe Fall of Rome Roman Rap This is the Roman empire Hannibal running around setting cities on fire. Augustus be fighting so hard trying to get his power higher. He was doing his thing since the start of PaxRomana. Yeah, get it, we're talkin' bout the Senate. The branch of government that was here from the beginning. Be patient, here comes inflation. Engineers are building the city with no hesitation. First came the gospel and then the gladiator Peace maker followed from a dictator Then Constantine came later Civil war's about to start Patricians are coming through Plebians need to group to get their special needs they form assemblies begging for more money and telling the senate please Democracy controls the roman empire. Date: 1/20/2012 Daily Question: What caused the fall of the Roman Empire? Warm-up Question: Read the “rap” to the right and answer – what DO YOU THINK the author of the rap saying about the Roman Empire?
What caused the fall of the Roman Empire? • In the third century C.E., Rome faced many problems. In addition to internal decay (fall apart), the invasion by the German tribes seemed to sound the death for the Roman Empire. Historians have examined both the internal conditions that weakened the expansive empire and the external force of the barbarian invasions and have presented a variety of explanations for the fall of the Roman Empire.
What caused the fall of the Roman Empire? • Assignment: • We are going to look at, break down and analyze documents (primary and secondary sources) to answer the question: • What caused the fall of the Roman Empire? • We will use the evidence we collect to write a final essay for this unit on Ancient Rome.
Document 1 • The basic trouble was that very few inhabitants of the empire believed that the old civilization was worth saving…the overwhelming majority of the population had been systematically excluded from political responsibilities. They could not organize to protect themselves; they could not serve in the army…Their economic plight was hopeless. Most of them were serfs bound to the soil, and the small urban group saw their cities slipping into uninterrupted decline. • This excerpt is from a textbook, The Course of Civilization by Strayer, Gatzke & Harbison (1961) • 1. What were the basic problems facing the Roman Empire according to the authors?
Document 2 • The decline of Rome was the natural and inevitable effect of immoderate greatness (large size)…The introduction…of Christianity, had some influence on the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. The clergy successfully preached the doctrine (principal) of patience; the active virtues of society were discouraged; and the last remains of military spirit were buried in the cloister (sacred religious place); a large portion of public & private wealth was consecrated (set apart) to the…demands of charity and devotion… • This excerpt is from The Decline of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon • 2. According to the excerpt from Gibbon, what were the two causes for the fall of Rome? Explain both.
Document 3 • First the economic factor…While the empire was expanding, it’s prosperity (wealth) was fed by plundered (stolen) wealth and by new markets in the semi-barbaric (savage) provinces. When the empire ceased to (stopped) expand, however, economic progress soon ceased (stopped)…The abundance (large quantity) of slaves led to growth of the latifundia, the great estates that…came to dominate (rule) agriculture and ruin the free coloni(farmers) who drifted to the cities, to add to the unemployment there. The abundance of slaves kept wages low. • This excerpt is from Uses of the Past by Herbert J. Muller • 3a. What economic issues does Muller identify as causes for decline? Explain. • 3b. How was slavery a cause for the decline of the Roman Empire?
Document 4 • …Part of the money went into…the maintenance of the army and the vast bureaucracy required by a centralized government…the expense led to strangling taxation…The heart was taken out of enterprising men…tenants fled from their farms and businessmen and workmen from their occupations (jobs). Private enterprise (business) was crushed & the state was forced to take over many kinds of businesses to keep the machine running. People learned to expect something for nothing. The old Roman virtues of self-reliance & initiative were lost in that part of the population on relief (welfare)…The central government undertook such far-reaching responsibility in affairs that the fiber of the citizens weakened. • This excerpt is from The New deal in Old Rome by Henry Haskell, blames the decline on the heavy taxation required to support the government expenses. • 4a. Why did the Roman government have large expenses? • 4b. What was the effect of high taxation on the people? • 4c. What effect did the establishment of a government welfare system have on the people?
Document 5 • Rome, like all great empires, was not overthrown by external enemies but undermined by internal decay…The military crisis was the result of…proud old aristocracy’s…shortage of children. (Consequently) foreigners poured into the…Roman army [and the army was] composed [mostly] of Germans. • This excerpt is from Roman without Laurels by IndroMontanelli, blames the fall on “internal decay,” specifically that of the military.. • 5. What does this author identify as the cause of problems in the military?
Document 6 • This map shows the barbarian invasions of the Roman Empire prior to 476 C.E. • 6a. According to the map above, what was the cause of the fall of the Roman Empire? • 6b. Was this a unified attack?
What caused the fall of the Roman Empire? • Political? • Religious? • Intellectual/technological? • Military? • Economic? • Social?
Assessment • Write a 1-2 page in-class essay that answers ONE of these questions using evidence from what we have been talking about in class. • What caused the fall of the Roman Empire? • Paragraph #1 – Introduction • Paragraph #2 – Explain a first possible cause • Paragraph #3 – Explain a second possible cause • Paragraph #4 - Conclusion OR • What are the major accomplishments of the Greek and Roman Empires that make them important civilizations to study? What inventions of the Greek and Roman Empires influenced the way we live TODAY? • Paragraph #1 – Introduction • Paragraph #1 – Explain the major accomplishments (at least 2) of the Greek Empire • Paragraph #2 – Explain the major accomplishments (at least 2) of the Roman Empire • Paragraph #3 - Conclusion
Assessment • “The world would not be what it is today without the accomplishments of the Greek and Roman Empires.” • AGREE OR DISAGREE? WHY? • 1 page • Open-notebook (you can use any notes we’ve taken) • Thesis – The world would not be what it is today without the accomplishments of the Greek and Roman Empires. • Body Paragraph #1 – Accomplishments of the Greek Empire that make the world the way it is now. • (at least 10 sentences) • Body Paragraph #2 – Accomplishments of the Roman Empire that make the world the way it is now. • (at least 10 sentences) • Conclusion – Based on my analysis of the Greek and Roman Empires, the accomplishments of the [Empire] were of the greatest use to the world today. • (Choose which you think contributed more to fill in the blank)
