Objective:
•Students will analyze ancient civilizations
(Rome) and empires in terms of their
development, growth and lasting impact.
•Analyze the governments of Rome and the
United States in terms of their development,
structure and function within various societies
(e.g., theocracy, democracy, republic, oligarchy,
tyranny, aristocracy, etc.).
•Evaluate the achievements of Roman
civilizations in terms of their enduring cultural
impact.
Influences
Students will view a 3 minute video clip in which various NBA players
comment on Michael Jordan’s influence on the game of basketball.
What governments of the ancient and classical world were similar to
that of the United States?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGKeWOqDa_s
• Students will compile a list of their favorite books,
movies, music, and television shows.
• Students should write down a couple of choices
for each category. The teacher should
– encourage students to think about items they feel
have had an influence on them and not just choose
the first item that comes to mind. The list should be
compiled on a separate piece of paper
– Notate why these works have influenced you
Favorite Books
Movies
Music
Lord of the Rings
John Adams
Pink Floyd the
Dark Side of the
Moon
(Perseverance,
(An interesting
the importance
look into the
of friendship,
founding fathers (A look into the
and the power of and the birth of human
will)
America)
condition.)
Television
Show
Battlestar
Galactica
Reimagined
Series
(Must be worthy
to survive)
Favorite Books
Movies
Music
Television
Show
Those we term as our Founding Fathers were faced with a government that just
wasn’t working following independence from Great Britain. The Articles of the
Confederation had to be revised or a new government created all together. The
United Sates Constitutional Convention which took place from May 14 to
September 17, 1787 was the ‘bridge’ to get the Founders over ‘troubled water’.
The result of the Convention was the United States Constitution. The government
that emerged in 1787 has proven to be among the greatest that has been fostered.
Was the United States Government an experiment engineered by our
Founding Fathers or a proven product of the Classical minds?
In this lesson, students will explore the extent of the influence of Rome and the
Classical thinkers on the founding Fathers. The primary and secondary source
documents will guide them in this question. Students will utilize the inquiry
approach as they analyze the documents, develop a thesis and draw conclusions
based on the evidence.
Document Activity
PART A
1. Students will sit at a station no more than 4 individuals per group
2. Students will explore documents and pictures and answer
questions in complete sentences on their answer document.
3. Students will have 6 minutes at each station
4. When the timer sound and students will move counter clockwise
around the room.
•
Place documents in the middle of the station and move with your
answer document
5. Station 9 is the make up station!
•
PART B
Write a well-organized essay that includes an introduction, several paragraphs, and a conclusion. Use
evidence from at least four documents in the body of the essay. Support your response with relevant facts,
examples, and details. Include relevant outside information.
Task:
Using information from the documents and your knowledge of social studies, write an essay in which you:
Essay Question:
Describe at least three similarities between the government of the ancient Roman Republic and United States
of America and conclude whether the United States Government was an experiment engineered by our
Founding Fathers or A proven product of the Classical minds?
Guidelines:
In your essay, be sure to:
• Address all aspects of the Task by accurately analyzing and interpreting at least four documents
• Incorporate information from the documents in the body of the essay
• Incorporate relevant outside information
• Support the theme with relevant facts, examples, and details
• Use a logical and clear plan of organization
• Introduce the theme and conclude with a summation of the theme
Citation of Sources
Station 1: Source: McDougal Littel, World History: Ancient Civilizations (Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt Publishing Company) page 157
Station 2: Source: McGraw-Hill, World History: Journey Across Time, The Early Ages page 264
Station 3: Source: Fears, Rufus J. Famous Romans, 2001. Page 8.
Station 3: Source: Emperor Claudius, Annals (11.23) as recorded b Tacitus, A.D. 48.
Retrieved from http://fjor.net/etome/grecoroman/tacitus-gallia.html
Station 4 Source: The Twelve Tables. Retrieved from http://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/12tables.html
Station 5: The Bill of Rights. Retrieved from http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am1
Station 5: 12 Tables From: Oliver J. Thatcher, ed., The Library of Original Sources (Milwaukee:
University Research Extension Co., 1901), Vol. III: The Roman World, pp. 9-11. Scanned by: J. S.
Arkenberg, Dept. of History, Cal. State Fullerton. Prof. Arkenberg has modernized the text.
Station 6: Source: McGraw-Hill, World History: Journey Across Time, The Early Ages page 271
Station 7: McDougal Littel, World History: Ancient Civilizations (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publishing Company) page 157