THE ROMAN REPUBLIC
1) What similarities and differences exist between the government of the United States and the Roman Republic? List at least five for each.
SIMILARITIES / DIFFERENCES· Both are republics
· Both have branches of government with set responsibilities and a system of checks and balances
· Both have an executive branch that serves as commander-in-chief of the army and chief executive of the government
· Both have a legal code that serves as the basis of their legal system and government
· The “high” part of the legislative branch in both governments is called the Senate / · Women can be citizens in the United States, only males could be citizens in the Roman Republic
· Two consuls served as executives in the Roman Republic, while the United States has only one president
· The legislative branch in the Roman Republic has three houses, versus only two in the United States
· In the Roman Republic, six of the “praetors”, or judges, governed provinces. In the United States, the Supreme Court is made of nine judges that hear civil and criminal appeals cases.
· In the United States, social class does not determine political status. In the Roman republic, citizens needed to be a member of the aristocracy to be in the Senate.
2) Who were plebeians and patricians? What kinds of rights did they have?
DESCRIPTION / RIGHTSPLEBEIANS / - common farmers, merchants, and artisans that made up the majority of the population / - citizens of Rome who held right to vote; able to form their own assembly and elect tribunes
PATRICIANS / - wealthy landowners that held most of the power / - had most of power and social status; could hold high political office; had authority to make laws
3) How did Rome expand? List 5 ways.
a) Defeated Etruscans and Greek city-states militarily to take over all of Italy
b) Used a variety of strategies to integrate conquered people into Rome, allowing neighboring people to become citizens of Rome and labeling other conquered people as allies of Rome, who the government would not interfere with. This kept conquered people on Rome’s side.
c) Rome’s location gave it easy access to the Mediterranean Sea. This made it easy to expand over water.
d) Roman merchants spread Roman goods over a wide area. This gave them economic power over many other civilizations.
e) The Punic Wars gave Rome dominance over the western Mediterranean, as Rome was able to take over Carthage’s land.
4) Fill in the following table on the Punic Wars.
IMPORTANT FIGURES / WHAT HAPPENED? / WHO WON?FIRST PUNIC WAR
(264-241 BCE) / NONE LISTED / - Rome and Carthage battled over control of Sicily and the Western Mediterranean / Rome
SECOND PUNIC WAR
(218-202 BCE) / - Hannibal
- Scipio / - Hannibal of Carthage attacked Rome using a route through Spain and France. Hannibal is not defeated until Scipio leads Rome on an attack of Carthage. Hannibal must defend his city and is defeated. / Rome
THIRD PUNIC WAR
(149-146 BCE) / NONE LISTED / - Rome attacks Carthage and attempts to destroy the city. In 146 BCE, Rome sets Carthage on fire and sells its citizens into slavery. / Rome