Rome vs. Greece—Comparing and Contrasting a Democratic and Republic System
of Government
Class Length: 1-2 Class Meetings
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1. Use a graphic organizer to contrast two types of government.
2. Learn and apply cooperative group skills, share leadership roles, and develop
teamwork and consensus skills.
3. List and absorb information about two government types.
4. Organize facts in a comparative chart/table (Venn diagram).
5. Develop argumentation presentation skills and display and explain their group's
Venn diagram and explain and defend their choices.
Materials:
- Information on Athens’s Democracy and Rome’s Republic (cited references 1-3,
5, & 6)
- Images and symbols of American, Greek, and Roman culture and politics (cited
references 4 & 7)
- Poster board
- Overhead transparencies
- Art and writing supplies
- Government textbooks
Procedures:
Teacher will demonstrate how to create a Venn diagram and its purpose:
- Teacher will draw on the board or on an overhead projector two large circles that
over lap each other, leaving a connecting gap of space.
- Teacher will explain that each large circle represents a different concept, idea, or
topic, and the connecting gap in the middle represents the similarities between the
two concepts, ideas, or topics.
Teacher leads discussion about the histories of Athens and Rome governments: Points to
considers and discuss:
- Athens Terms and Topics:
o Monarchies
o Oligarchies
o Tyrannies
o Democracies
o Differences/Similarities in Athenian Democracy and US Democracy
 No vote: Women, slaves, children, foreigners, people outside
Athens
- Rome Terms and Topics:
o Counsuls
o Senate
o
o
o
o
o
o
Prefects
Tribunes
Assembly
Power of the Emperor
Conquering lands
Latin roots and their importance today (veto = “I forbid it”)
Students divided into groups, with each member assigned a role:
- “Director:” Keeps group on the right track
- “Drum Major:” Motivates participation and progress
- “The Go To:” In charge of supplies and materials needed to succeed in tasks of
three students, contacts teacher for issues unresolved.
Students are assigned to groups, given Encyclopedia Britannica documents and the
corresponding pages in their government textbooks, and presented with a group task: To
review the articles for facts and organize this information into a Venn diagram, to be
displayed and presented in front of the class.
Groups present their charts to the class, explaining and defending their work and reasons
for their chosen information the chart with reasons for choices.
Students will receive illustrations of the following symbols of the U.S., and the
governments with which it shares its foundations:
- Bald Eagle: United States of America
- The Owl: Athens
- The Fourth Beast: Republic of Rome
Students will analyze the symbols as they relate to each form of governments ideologies.
Students will entertain the following scenario and activity:
- Students will imagine they are employed by the United States Department of the
Treasury in the United States Mint Coins and Currency section. The President
has recently announced a new coin and bill will be introduced to the economy,
commemorating the foundations of American government.
- Your task is to design a symbol that infuses the three governments, and draft a
token phrase capturing the essence of their image and its meaning. Students will
remember every image, word, detail, and design on their new piece of currency
will have a meaning and need interpretation.
References:
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia (2007). Roman republic and empire. High-Beam
Encyclopedia, High-Beam™ Research, Inc. Retrieved October 26th, 2007 from
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1B1-377133.html
Carr, K. (2007). Ancient greek government. Kidipede—History for Kids.
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/government/index.htm
Carr, K. (2007). Roman government. Kidipede—History for Kids.
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/government/index.htm
Goeldner, D. &S. (2007). Daniel and the revelation. Biblical Artefacts And Studies:
Daniel 7. Retrieved November 8th, 2007 from
http://biblicalstudies.qldwide.net.au/07_daniel.html
International Academy of Pathology (2007). Welcome to athens. International
Pathology:
Online News Bulletin. Retrieved November 8th, 2007 from
http://iaphomepage.org/int107/no107pg1.html
Rempel, G. (2007). Rome: From republic to empire. Western New England College
Department of History. Retrieved October 26th, 2007 from
http://mars.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/wc1/lectures/11republic
Ross, K.L. (2006). The great republic: Presidents and states of the united states of
america, and comments on american history. Proceedings of the Friesian School.
Retrieved November 8th, 2007 from http://www.friesian.com/presiden.htm