Ms. Areces
World History
Chapter 6 Guided Notes
Ancient Rome and the Rise of Christianity
Section 1: The Roman World Takes Shape
Geography and the Peoples of Italy
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Italian peninsula looks like a _________________________
o In the middle of the _________________________________________________
o Rome is in the _____________________________________________________
o This location ____________________________ with Roman expansion
The geography of Italy made it _________________________________
o Apennine Mountains are ________________________________________—run
down the back of Italy
o Broad, fertile plains in the ______________________ under the shadow of the
Alps; and in the ___________________, where the Romans first settled
 These plains helped support the __________________________________
Roman ancestors = __________________________
o Migrated to Italy around 800 BC
o Settled along the Tiber River in small villages scattered throughout 7 low hills
 _______________________ and _______________________
The Romans shared the Italian Peninsula with:
o ________________________ who lived in city-states towards the south
o ________________________ who lived north of Rome and even controlled it at
one point
 Romans learned a lot from the Etruscans like the Greek alphabet, using the
arch in building, draining marshes, and religious deities
The Roman Republic
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__________________________: the founding of the Roman state
o This is when they drove out the Etruscan ruler
They set up a new government which some officials were chosen by the people
o It was called a ____________________________, “thing of the people”
o They believed that this would keep any individual from gaining power
The most powerful governing body was the _________________________
o Members were patricians—members of the
_________________________________________________________________
o They served for ____________________
o They made the ____________________
The senators elected _____________________________ to supervise the business of
government and command armies
o They could only serve __________________________________
o Expected to consult with the senate
Ms. Areces
World History
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o This worked as system of _____________________ on the power of government
If a war broke out, the senate could choose a _____________________________—ruler
who has complete control over a government
o He could rule for _________________________, but then had to
____________________________________________________
o Prime example = Cincinnatus; because he organized an army, led the Romans to
victory over the enemy, attended victory celebrations, and returned to farmlands
 He did all of this within 16 days!
____________________________________ made up a bulk of the population
o Farmers, merchants, artisans, and traders
o They had _______________________________ influence
o But they shaped the early republic by trying to gain power in politics
450 BC: ______________________________________________ when the government
had the laws of Rome inscribed on 12 tablets and set up in the Forum (marketplace)
o This is because the plebeians had been complaining that they could not follow the
laws if they were not written down somewhere
o ______________________________________________________ made it
possible for plebeians to appeal a judgment handed down by a patrician judge
Eventually, plebeians gained the right to elect their own officials
(______________________) to protect their interests
o The tribunes could _____________________ laws that were harmful to plebeians
Slowly but surely, plebeians gained the right to ____________________________,
___________________________________, and finally
________________________________________________ themselves
o The best part was that they did this without having to resort to _____________ or
___________________________________
Roman Society
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The _______________________ was the basic unit of Roman society
o The male head of household (usually the father) had
__________________________________________ in the family, according to
Roman law
 Enforced strict discipline and demanded total respect
o The Roman woman was a __________________________ to her husband and
was not allowed to control her own affairs
 Ideally, she was loving, dutiful, dignified, and strong
But Roman women played a ______________________ role in society compared to the
Greeks
o Later on, Roman women from all classes would run a variety of businesses—
small shops to major shipyards
o But most women ___________________________________________
They gained greater freedom and influence over the centuries
Ms. Areces
World History
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o Ex: patrician women went to public baths, dined out, and attended the theater or
other public entertainments with their husbands
o Some women even exercised highly visible public roles and significant political
influence (Livia and Agrippina the Younger)
___________________________________________ learned to read and write
Even _________________________________ Romans were taught to write
o Evidence from the jokes and other graffiti that archaeologists have found
scrawled on city walls
Wealthy Romans hired private tutors (often Greeks) to educate their children
o Children _________________________________________________ and
developments in Roman history
o _____________________ was important for boys who wanted a career in politics
Roman gods and goddesses had similarities to those of the Etruscans and Greeks
o Instead of Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, and AresJupiter, Juno, Neptune, Mars
Religious festivals promoted a _______________________________________________
Expansion in Italy
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Around 270 BC: Rome ____________________________ most of the Italian peninsula
Success was due to ______________________________________ and its loyal,
______________________________________________________
o The basic military unit was the ________________, made up of about 5,000 men
o Roman armies consisted of ___________________________________ who
fought without pay and supplied their own weapons
o They were good soldiers because they were brought up to value
______________________, ____________________________, and
_____________________________________________________
o Commanders gave a mix of ___________________ and
___________________________________________________
 Ex: young soldiers who showed courage were rewarded with praise and
gifts
 Ex: if a unit fled from battle, they were punished by killing 1 out of every
10 soldiers
Rome usually treated defeated enemies __________________________
o ____________________________________ had to acknowledge Roman
leadership, pay taxes, and supply soldiers to the Roman army
o Rome _________________________________________ their own customs,
money, and local government
o Rome gave the highly prized right of ___________________________________
to a few privileged groups
 Other could become partial citizens (allowed to marry Romans and carry
trade with Rome)
o Because of all this, many of the conquered remained ___________________ to
Rome
Ms. Areces
World History
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Rome posted soldiers throughout the land to ___________________________________
It also built a __________________________________________ to link the territories
As trade and travel increased, local peoples incorporated Latin into their languages and
adopted many Roman beliefs and customs
Slowly, Italy was _________________________________________________________