Lesson #2, Rome - The Superpower
A "Five E" Lesson Plan
Introduction:
Rome rises, from the humble beginnings of farmers, dredging out a living on the hillsides of Italy, to the major superpower of the Mediterranean. It does this through a combination of intrigue, military might, and brilliant industrial foresight. Over the landscape, where once stood only trees and farmland, comes mega-buildings of stone, and courtyards of marble. A million people come to live in the city of Rome. There is industry, markets, temples, arenas and city buildings. The people come from a warrior birth, and in so doing, changed the world, becoming the most powerful entity on the planet, for 800 years.
Objectives:
Content/Knowledge:
1.Students will know the rough history of Rome, it's timelines and influences.
2.Students will understand how Rome maintained it's lifelines and power.
3.Students will be able to recount Romes allies, and trade partners.
4.Students will realize how Rome kept power through her Legions, trade networks
and alliances.
5.Students will understand the various reasons that Rome fell from grace, and suffered
her eventual loss of power.
Process/Skills:
1.Students will select a character from amonst the peoples of Rome. They will write about
their lives, within the framework of the Roman era.
2.Students will understand and analyze the systems in use, within Rome, that allowed her to
obtain, and hold power, over so much area.
3.Students will also understand what changes occurred within Romes systems, that led to her
eventual loss of power.
Values/Dispositions:
1.Students will be able to build a character that existed in the era of Rome.
2.Students will be able to understand, and analyze the processes that Rome underwent, in
order to grow from mere farms to the largest, most powerful entity on Earth.
3.Students will also understand the issues Rome faced, and why she eventually lost power.
Standards:
Illinois State Learning Standards:
16.A.3b - Make inferences about historical events and eras using historical maps and other historical sources.
17.A.3b - Explain how to make and use geographic representations to provide and enhance
spatial information including maps, graphs, charts, models, aerial photographs, satellite images.
17.C.3c - Analyze how human processes influence settlement patterns including migration and
population growth.
National Council for the Social Studies:
Culture - Understanding behaviors, beliefs, values, traditions, institutions & ways of living.
Also understanding that cultures change in response to needs, social, and geographical conditions.
Time, Continuity, and Change - Analyzing the events of the past, in order to gain
understanding about the future. Finding cause and effect, and learning how to interpret
why specific events occurred.
Power, Authority and Governance - Understanding the foundations of political thought, and
the development of structures of power, along with realizing the need for structures, and
decision-makers.
Common Core:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to histroy/social studies.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7 - Integrate visual information 9e.g. in charts, graphs,
photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
Syntax - Procedures
1. Engagement:
a. Teacher Instructions
* Have all students stand. Each student represents 20,000 men.
* Explain to the students, the size of 20,000 men, and how large an
Army of 500,000 men is, how much it eats, and it takes, each day to keep going.
* Discuss the fact that Rome’s army was a half million men.
* Discuss with the class, the size of Rome (roughly the same as the United States) and the number of it’s population (roughly 80 million people).
* Have them discourse about it’s populace, size, and geographical makeup,
stressing what allowed it to stay dominant (ports, power, natural resources, slaves & constant conquest, along with allowing autonomy of peoples).
b. Resource
* Discussion
c. Student Activity
* Rome maintained a standing army of over a half million men. Discuss how this
was done, who paid for it, the use of slaves as soldiers, and Romes constant
power.
* Have class maintain a roundtable discussion about Rome at it’s height, and how
it got there, and stayed there.
2. Exploration:
a. Teacher Instructions
* Pass out the handout, “The Geography and History of Rome”, and allow
the class time to read it.
* Hand out the map of “Rome and Her Conquests.”
* Hand out the picture of the Roman Soldier (Legionaire).
* Utilize the “Essay Template”, that our teacher will hand out, as well.
* Find additional information in your text.
* Explain to the class, how Rome utilized it’s slaves for labor, military and
civilian, and how this allowed Rome to progress.
* Discuss Rome allowing all members of the population, slave or otherwise,
to become citizens, with service time.
* Talk about Rome’s continual growth, through conquest, and how this allowed
Rome to pull in new resources, and slaves, for it’s labor and military.
* Discuss Romes political system, and how it’s leadership was representative,
until the time that it became an empire, and elected Emperors.
* Talk about the countries inability to sustain it’s growth, without renewed
resources. Discuss as well, it’s disappointed military, the continual revolts and
mutinies because of lack of pay, and how eventual disatisfaction led to it’s downfall.
b. Resource
* “The Geography & History of Rome”, (handout, 1.1).
* “Rome and her Conquests” (map, 1.2)
* “Soldier” (handout, 1.3)
* Class textbook.
c. Student Activity
* Roundtable discussion over the information handed out, along with input from
each student as to their thoughts, ideas, or insights.
* Students will separate into groups, and work together on beginning a group
presentation to the class, with each student contributing a paragraph or two,
which will be written separate from the group, but then condensed into the final
version.
* Work together, utilizing the handouts, the pictures, and the text, to start your
group essay.
3. Explanation:
a. Teacher Instructions
* Utilize the PowerPoint “The Geography and History of Rome”, in order to
present a broader overview of Rome. Follow this up with lecture over:
1. The agriculture, climate, and location of Rome.
2. Romes proximity to the Mediterranean, and how that benefits it.
3. The changing of Rome, from a Republic, to an Empire.
4. The intrigues and politics of Rome.
5. The use of the Roman Legions.
6. Rome’s fall from grace, and the reasons for that.
* Ask the students these questions:
1. What worked in Romes favor, to bolster her status, and allow her to
thrive?
2. Why did Rome continue to grow, and prosper, even after a half
millenia?
3. What are a few of the reasons for Rome’s precipitous collapse?
4. Were there any steps that could have been taken, to prevent this?
5. What happened with Rome’s rulers?
b. Resource
* Text
* The PowerPoint, “The Geography of Rome.”
c. Student Activity
* Students will use the handouts, notes taken, PowerPoint, along with maps
and diagrams in order to come to conclusions about Rome’s peak, and it’s
inevitable downfall. They will ask and answer critical questions within the
essay paper they are writing, including:
1. Discussing why Rome prospered for so long.
2. What worked in her favor, and why was she revered, and held in awe?
3. What happened with Romes rulers, to precipitate her demise?
4. Were there any steps that could have been taken to curtail this?
* Also think about the mindset of the Roman people, where their roots were from,
what their mythic beginnings were, and what was their general attitude towards
others.
4. Elaboration:
a. Teacher Instructions
* Show the students the short film, “Slavery In Rome”.
* Show the short clip, "The Fall of Rome."
* Pose these questions to the students:
1. What were the contributions made by slaves, and how did they help?
2. What percentage of the population were slaves?
3. What were the benefits of being a slave?
4. The drawbacks?
5. Why did the creation of emperors create the slow failing of Rome?
6. Can you see any correlations between Rome, and us, now?
7. If so, what are they?
b. Resources
* The film clips, "Slavery in Rome," and "The Fall of Rome."
c. Student Activity
* Watch the two film clips that the teacher will present
* Answer the questions posed, while writing down notes on the information.
1. What were the contributions of slaves?
2. What was the slave population?
3. What were the benefits or drawbacks of being a slave?
4. How did the creation of emperors (an Empire), create conditions for
the downward spiral of Rome?
5. Do you see any correlations with now, and if so, what are they?
5. Evalutaion:
a. Teacher Instructions:
* For homework, allow the students to take their papers home with them, and
finalize their personal essays on life in Rome. Have them build a general overview of life in Rome, but then, for the final paragraph, instruct them to choose from four questions to answer, within their papers:
1. What would life have been like as an Emperor?
2. What would life have been like as a slave?
3. What would life as a soldier have been like?
4. What would life as a common citizen have been like?
b. Resources
* The Project Rubric
c. Student Activity
* Student will take the gathered notes home, and finalize their paper on life in
following the rubric provided, and answering one of the four questions, within
the project writing.
Resources
1.1 The Geography and History of Rome
Historical Handout for Worksheet
Rome is a city in Italy that has been occupied, in some form or other, for over 14,000 years. Evidence of earlier civilizations is buried under the debris of thousands of years of people, so it's hard to tell at what time it actually became the gigantic city that it was by 750 BC (2750 years ago). It is known that it was home to over a million people, almost 2,000 years ago.
Rome's rise came from a number of different reasons. Geographically, it was near the coast, which made it a perfect center for trade. It was able to do business with cities all over the Mediterranean, and eventually, to conquer those cities, and gain even more power. Because of its conquest, and location, Rome was able to fill itself with slaves, which it put to work on its buildings, in its armies, and as servants for its people.
Another geographic feature that helped Rome was that it was in a place that was difficult to reach, except by ship. This made it a city that would be hard to attack, unless an enemy had a large fleet of ships, to bring armies across the sea. To the north of Rome, were the Alps, which are some of the tallest mountains in the world, and this again, made it very difficult to bring an army over the mountains, although a number of enemies did this, and were able to make war on Rome.
Rome had incredibly fertile soil, in which almost anything could be made to grow. This allowed her to feed the people, and grow items that it could sell in it's markets around the known world. Away from the city, many decorated soldiers and statesmen, were given villas (beautiful farms) as a way for the emperor, and other leaders to say "Thank you" for their service to Rome.
Because of Rome's geographic closeness to stone quarries (where they cut and made blocks and statues), Rome was able to build almost entirely of stone. Massive buildings were created, using the limestone's and marbles that could be found, usually within twenty miles of the city. Of course all of this stone needed to be brought into the city, but this was easily done with the thousands of slaves, and soldiers that Rome had from its continuing conquests, in war. Rome, therefore, became a massive city of beautiful stone buildings, which even today, stand to tell visitors that 2,000 years ago, it was a city to be reckoned with.
One of Rome's greatest achievements was the Colosseum, a huge arena that could hold between 40,000 to 70,000 people (more than some professional stadiums today). It was built in less than eight years, using almost 15,000 slaves, along with millions of stones, bricks and concrete (something that the Romans had invented). It contained over 100 drinking fountains, and could be emptied out of people in less than ten minutes. For hundreds of years, Emperors used the Colosseum for gladiatorial combat, war games, and even navy battles. They would flood the arena, and then float ships inside, and have the crews fight to the death, for the people watching in the stands. Even today, 2,000 years later, it stands in the middle of the city.
Another gigantic achievement for Rome, was the giant system of waterways that they built, in order to bring fresh water into the city. Called the Aqueducts, these were massive, and came from many miles away, in the mountains, running water from high in the hills, all the way across the farmlands and into the city.
One of the last geological features that Rome had to deal with, even now, is that it is subject to large earthquakes, which over the years, have toppled some of her greatest structures. Even the Colosseum has suffered from them. As the years passed, Rome's power became less, and the city leaders stopped rebuilding. Over time, most of the great buildings of Rome fell to ruin, and were not repaired. Even so, there are many amazing buildings still there, and still showing how beautiful a city, Rome really is, and was.
In later years, because of bad rule, and because she became so large, Rome became unable to protect her borders from so many invaders, and she finally lost much of her power and property. She still remains home to 3 million people, and is one of the most beautiful cities on the planet.
1.2 Map of Ancient Rome, and her Conquests around the Mediterranean
1.3 Roman Soldier
Lesson #1 - The Geography and History of Rome
Question Worksheet for Handout
1. The city of Rome, 2,000 years ago, had over ______people living in it.
2. Rome is subject to massive ______that topple buildings and cause loss of life.
3. Over 2,000 years old, the ______could hold over ______people.
4. Many of Romes buildings are made of ______, because of all the ______nearby.
5. The ______carried water for many miles, to the city of Rome, from the moutains.
6. Farmers in Italy, and near Rome, grow crops because of the ______that is all around.
7. In Roman times, leaders would reward statesment and soldiers with farms called ______.
8. Italy, and Rome, are protected from the north, by the mountain chain called the ______.
9. Rome is ______, which makes it perfect for shipping and trade.
10. Rome won wars, so had thousands of ______who took care of many of the jobs.
SlavesEarthquakesAqueductsVillas
1 MillionColosseumAlps40,000-70,000
QuarriesFertile SoilNear the CoastStone
There are 12 questions worth two points each. ______X ___2__ = ______Points
Imagine that you are a person living in Rome, 2000 years ago. Tell me a bit about who you are, and what you do. You can be a slave, a woman, a shopkeeper, a stone carver, a sailor, a gladiator, or anyone that you'd like to be.
______
Paragraph worth 10 points
______Total Points Questions ______+ Paragraph ______= ______Total Points
Lesson #1 - The Geography and History of Rome
Question Worksheet for Handout - Teachers Answer Sheet
1. The city of Rome, 2,000 years ago, had over _____1 Million______ people living in it.
2. Rome is subject to massive ____Earthquakes______ that topple buildings and cause loss of life.
3. Over 2,000 years old, the _____Colosseum______could hold over __40,000-70,000____ people.
4. Many of Romes buildings are made of ____Stone______, because of all the __Quarries______ nearby.
5. The ___Aqueducts______ carried water for many miles, to the city of Rome, from the moutains.
6. Farmers in Italy, and near Rome, grow crops because of the ____Fertile Soil______ that is all around.
7. In Roman times, leaders would reward statesment and soldiers with farms called ______Villas______ .
8. Italy, and Rome, are protected from the north, by the mountain chain called the ______Alps______ .
9. Rome is ___Near the Coast______ , which makes it perfect for shipping and trade.
10. Rome won wars, so had thousands of ______Slaves______ who took care of many of the jobs.
SlavesEarthquakesAqueductsVillas
1 MillionColosseumAlps40,000-70,000
QuarriesMediterraneanNear the CoastStone
There are 12 questions worth two points each. ______X ___2__ = ______Points
Imagine that you are a person living in Rome, 2000 years ago. Tell me a bit about who you are, and what you do. You can be a slave, a woman, a shopkeeper, a stone carver, a sailor, a gladiator, or anyone that you'd like to be.
______
Paragraph worth 10 points
______Points Questions ______+ Paragraph ______= ______Total Points
Name: ______Rome Paper
Description: / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / Score
Virtually no evidence / Some evidence that / Evidence that the / Student understood
Historical / that the student made / the student made an / student understood / and used the infor-
Content is / the effort, or learned / effort, and learned / most of the materials / mation given, in / ______
Evident / the material to write / some material to / and used a good bit / writing his/her paper.
this paper. / write this paper. / in writing this paper.
Paper has broken / Paper has broken / Paper has full / Paper has full
Proper / sentences, and / sentences, but / sentences, but is / sentences, contains
Formatting / is missing name, title, / has the name, title / missing other / name, title and all / ______
or other important / and some other / important materials / other important
information. / important information. / and information. / information needed.
The paper has / The paper has / The paper has only / There are no spelling
Grammer - / numerous spelling, / some spelling, / a few spelling, / grammatical, or / ______
Spelling / grammatical, and / grammatical, and / grammatical, or / punctuation errors.
punctuation errors. / puctuation errors. / punctuation errors. / Well written.
There is small / There is some / There is evidence of / The paper has many
evidence of creative / evidence of creative / creative thought in / crative thoughts, and
Creativity / thought in this / thought in this paper, / this paper, and the / descriptive details / ______
paper. The author / and the author made / author used some / which show a great
uses little imagination. / effort in imagination. / descriptive and / deal of imagination.
imaginative details.
Possible Score of 16, with 4 Bonus Points for Extra Effort ______Points Total
Resources