Eleanor Roosevelt High School



AIM: ?How did the Roman Empire get its start?Do-Now: ?Fact v. OpinionA fact is a statement that can be proved. ?An opinion is a personal belief. ?Someone’s opinion might be that Roman children were unusually smart. ?However, it is a fact that the children of wealthy Romans received private lessons at home. ?To distinguish between fact and opinion, look for statements that you can check for accuracy. ?Facts can be verified, or matched to those in other sources. ?Opinions reflect the ideas of the writer. ?They cannot be verified or proved. ?A writer can support an opinion with facts, however. ?Read the excerpt by historian Michael H. Hart that follows. ?In front of each sentence, write an “F” if the statement is a fact, and an “O” if the statement is an opinion.(_____) Augustus stands out as perhaps the best example in history of a capable, benevolent despot. ?(_____) ?He was a true statesman, whose conciliatory policies did much to heal the deep divisions resulting from the Roman civil wars. ?(_____) Augustus ruled Rome for over forty years, and his policies influenced the Empire for many years to come. ?(_____) ?Under him, Roman armies completed the conquest of Spain, Switzerland, Galatia (in Asia Minor) and a large portion of the Balkans. ?(_____) By the end of his rule, the northern boundary of the Empire was not much different from the Rhine-Danube line which was to be the northern border for most of the next few centuries. ?(_____) ?Augustus was an extraordinarily able administrator and played a major role in building up a capable civil service. ?(_____) ?He revised the tax structure and financial system of the Roman state; he reorganized the Roman army; and he established a permanent navy...(_____) ?It is interesting to compare Augustus with his granduncle, Julius Caesar. ?(_____) ?Despite Augustus’ good looks, intelligence, strength of character, and military successes, he lacked his predecessor’s charisma. ?(_____) ?Julius excited the imagination of his contemporaries far more than Augustus did, and he has remained more famous ever since. ?(_____) ?In their actual influence upon history, however, Augustus was by far the more important of the two.Pax Romana Gallery WalkAs you examine the exhibits, answer the mini-questions and be sure to answer the big question for HW.BIG QUESTION: ?Was the Pax Romana Rome’s Golden Age?Golden Age = a time when a society undergoes relative peace, economic prosperity and many artistic, cultural and intellectual achievements1. ?The Colosseum: ???How does the architectural accomplishment of the Colosseum contrast with what took place there?2. Trade along the Silk Road: ?Where did the Silk Road originate? ?Under which circumstances?3. ?The Appian Way: ?Why were the roads important to the Roman Empire? ?How does the Appian Way serve as an example for the saying “all roads lead to Rome”?4. ?The Aqueducts: ?Why were the aqueducts important to the Roman Empire? ?Explain the role technology played in maintaining the Empire. Which of the five features of geography is demonstrated by the aqueduct?1.The ColosseumRomans marveled at the shows put on at the Colosseum, ancient Rome’s largest stadium. ?Roman Emperors feared the restlessness of the mobs and spent a large share of the tax revenue to entertain the masses at the Colosseum. ??Spectators watched the slaughter of exotic animals, gladiators battling to the death and mock naval battles, all for free. ?These spectacles were called “Bread and Circuses” because bread was given out for free as well. ??The Colosseum was an architectural marvel. ?Its floor was the size of a football field. ?As many as 50,000 spectators could crowd onto the Colosseum’s marble and wooden benches. ?There, they were protected from the hot Roman sun by a giant canvas roof.MINI-QUESTION: ?How does the architectural accomplishment of the Colosseum contrast with what took place there?2.Trade along the silk roadThere was much cultural diffusion as trade between East and West was opened on the famous Silk Road. ?Romans traded oil, wine, grain or slaves for silks, spices, and precious gems from India and China.MINI-QUESTION: ?Where did the Silk Road originate? ?Under which circumstances?3.The Appian WayRoman roads were built to allow the speedy movement of troops and communications around the empire. ?The first road built was the Appian Way, connecting Rome with southern Italy. ?These roads were engineered so well that some of hem are still in use today. ?Aside from Law, Roman architecture and engineering remain among the most impressive of Rome’s legacies -- a modern reminder of the great achievements of the classical civilizations.MINI-QUESTION: ?The Appian Way: ?Why were the roads important to the Roman Empire? ?How is the saying “all roads lead to Rome” illustrated by the Appian Way?4. Roman AqueductsThe Romans could not have built cities as big as they did without aqueducts. ?Romans sometimes built cities on dry plains. ?They would find a spring in the mountains and take that water into the city, which would not have been possible without transporting water. ?With the water, they could have their baths, their fountains and their drinking water. ?It would also be impossible to imagine Rome, which had about 1 million people at its peak, without its large aqueducts. ?The Romans could have obtained their water from the river, wells and springs but these sources would have become polluted in a large city.Their society would have been very different without imported water. ?There would not have been a bath culture. ?Also, the city wouldn’t have been nearly as clean -- visitors to Rome at the time were amazed by the cleanliness. ?The hidden half of the aqueduct system, sewers, took aqueduct overflow and flushed the refuse into the river, which damaged the river, but kept the city of Rome clean. ?MINI-QUESTION: ?Why were the aqueducts important to the Roman Empire? ?Explain the role technology played in maintaining the Empire. ?Which theme of geography is expressed by the aqueduct exhibit? ................
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