Chapter 10-2: Roman
Government and Society
Pages 302-307
Bell Work
2/7
• Define Chapter 10-2
Terms
• Copy essential
questions
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Magistrates
Consuls
Roman Senate
Veto
Latin
Checks and Balances
Forum
10-1 Verbal Refresh
• What was the name of the Roman famous story that was
like Greece’s Odyssey?
• In what ways are the geography of Greece and Rome
alike?
• What is the name of the Roman Legend of how Rome was
created?
• Political: Rome was a ______ that became a _______.
• How many kings and hills did Rome have?
• One of Rome’s most famous dictators was ________.
• Roman society was divided into two groups, ____ and ____.
Government and Society
The Big Idea
Rome’s tripartite government and written laws
helped create a stable society.
Main Ideas
• Roman government was made up of three parts that worked
together to run the city.
• Written laws helped keep order in Rome.
• The Roman Forum was the heart of Roman society.
Essential Questions
• Completely explain Rome’s government.
• What happened in the Roman Forum?
Main Idea 1:
Roman government was made
up of three parts that worked
together to run the city.
• When the plebeians complained about Rome’s government, the
leaders knew they had to do something.
– Created positions in government that could only be held by plebeians.
– Soon the distinctions between patricians and plebeians began to
disappear.
• As a result, they developed a tripartite (try-PAHR-tyt), or three-part,
government.
– Each part had its own responsibilities and duties
– Each part had its own power, rights, and privileges
1. Magistrates
• The first part of the government was made up of
elected officials, or magistrates.
• The two most powerful officials were called the consuls.
• Each magistrate was elected for one year and had his
own duties and powers.
– 2 Magistrates
– Run the city
– Lead the army
– Finances
– Some judges
2. Senate
• The second part of the government was the Roman
Senate.
• This was a council of wealthy and powerful Romans
that advised the city’s leaders.
• Members of the senate were elected for life.
– Advised consuls
– 300 members
– Some consuls later became senators
– Later gained influence over magistrates and took control of
finances
3. Assemblies and Tribunes
• The third part of the government protected the common people and
had two branches.
• The first branch were assemblies made up of both plebeians and
patricians. Their primary job was to elect the magistrates.
• The second branch was made up of tribunes (elected officials) who
had the right to veto, or prohibit, actions by other officials. They
were elected by the plebeians.
– Tribunes stayed in office only one year
– Veto means “I forbid” in Latin
– Latin is the Roman Language
United States Government
_________
_________
_________
United States Government
Federal
•
•
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President
Senator
Congressperson
State
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Governor
State Senator
State
Representative
Local
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Mayor
City Council
Member
Sheriff
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Civic Duty and Checks and
Balances
Rome’s government would not have worked without the participation of the
people. People participated because they felt it was their civic duty to the
city. (jury duty)
– Citizens attended assembly meetings.
– They also voted.
– Wealthy and powerful citizens held public office.
The wealthy and powerful citizens that help public office were admired by
other Romans.
Checks and balances were created to ensure that no one part of the
government had more power.
– Checks and balances are methods to balance power. They keep one
part of the government from becoming stronger or more influential than
the others.
• This is where quarrels arose when officials had different ideas or opinions
• When officials worked together, Rome’s government was strong and
efficient.
Read the “Do as the Romans Do”
section on page 304
• Why do you think the
founders of the United
States borrowed
ideas from Roman
government?
Main Idea 2:
Written laws helped keep order
in Rome.
• At first Rome’s laws were not written and only
patricians (the people who made them) knew
them.
– Many people were punished for breaking laws they
did not even know existed.
• To prevent this, Rome’s first law code was
written and displayed in the forum, Rome’s
public meeting place.
– Law of the Twelve Tables (450 BC) written on 12
bronze tables or tablets
• Read the Law of
the Twelve
Tables Historic
Document on
page 305
• How are these
laws similar to
and different to
our laws today?
Connecting with Past Learning
• Code of Hammurabi
• Law of the Twelve
Tables
• What was the first law
code to be written
down?
• How were these
codes different?
Main Idea 3:
The Roman Forum was the
heart of Roman society.
The Roman Forum,
where the Law of
the Twelve Tables
was kept, was the
heart of the city.
It was the site of
many important
government
buildings and
temples.
It was also a
popular meeting
place for Roman
citizens to shop,
chat, and gossip.
Gladiatorial games
sometimes held
•Located between two major hills Palatine Hill (rich people) and
Capitoline Hill (grandest temples)
•City leaders and common people could be caught mingling
•Usually packed with people
Essential Questions
• Completely explain Rome’s government.
• What happened in the Roman Forum?
United States Government
Federal
•
•
•
President
Senator
Congressperson
State
•
•
•
Governor
State Senator
State
Representative
Local
•
•
•
Mayor
City Council
Member
Sheriff
Extra Credit (Chapter10 Quiz)
Find the names of the government officials at these levels