Ancient Roman Government
McGillin and Megan Wallis
World History/10th Grade
Question” For the Lesson: How did
the implementation of different government systems in Ancient Rome influence
its growth and influence? How did each
system rise and fall?
STANDARDS ADDRESSED IN THIS LESSON:
SS.912.W.1.3: Interpret and evaluate primary and secondary
SS.912.W.1.6: Evaluate the role of history in shaping
identity and character.
SS.912.W.2.1: Locate the extent of the Byzantine territory
at the height of the empire.
SS.912.W.2.9: Analyze the impact of the collapse of the
Western Roman Empire on Europe.
By the end of the
lesson, students will be able to:
and compare the three different government systems in Ancient Rome
why each system came to an end and how it gave rise to a new one
the connection between Rome’s
land holdings and its power
Rome’s traditional founding
date is April 21, 753 B.C. by its legendary first king Romulus.
The kingdom was ruled by seven kings who acted as village leaders;
however, Romans established a law code and expanded Rome’s borders. The last king, Tarquinius Superbus, was
expelled by a mob of Roman aristocrats who established the Republic in 509 B.C. The Republic was governed by a new
constitution, a senate, and two consuls.
Dictators could be selected during times of war but they were only
allowed to rule for six months. The
Republic became threatened during the 130s BC when the Gracchi Brothers,
Marius, and Sulla started to challenge the system and establish a new
The first triumvirate was a unofficial group of 3 men who were the most
powerful in Rome: Gaius Julius Caesar, Marcus Licinius Crassus, and
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. After the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44
B.C., his grandnephew Octavian became the first Emperor of Rome. He
officially adopted the title and the name Augustus in 27 B.C. From
that point on, Rome was ruled by Emperors whose reigns are divided into
dynasties. The official date of the fall of the Western Roman Empire
is 476 AD.
– Students will be placed in pairs to do the brainstorming activity at the
beginning of the lesson and fill out a worksheet at the end of the lesson
– For lecture, students will listen and takes notes individually, facing
– Students will use this method at the beginning of class to brainstorm
different government and political systems
Instruction – This method will be used during the lecture presentation on
both days to facilitate the teacher conveying material to the students
quickly and easily.
Students will pair up with a student sitting near them. Students will be asked to brainstorm as
many government systems (ancient or modern) they can think of. After 2 minutes, students will name
different government systems and the teacher will write them on the
Lecture – This lecture will deliver information about the government
systems in Ancient Rome. The
lecture will include a digital timeline projected at the front of the
room. The timeline will contain
major dates related to the development of Roman government. The teacher may share the link to the
online timeline and students can refer to it later as necessary.
Map/Government Worksheet – While students are listening to the lecture,
they should be coloring the three maps and filling in the charts. The teacher will guide students in
filling out the worksheets completely and correctly during the lecture.
- Vocabulary Array – Students will be given the following terms related to Roman government systems: dictator, senator, triumvirate, emperor, and consul. They will be asked to place the terms on a vocabulary array. They will draw a line on their paper. The left side will be labeled "Most Authoritarian" and the right side will be labeled "Least Authoritarian." Students will then place each government position on the array according to knowledge they gained from the lecture. The class and teacher will then make an array on the board and discuss why each government job deserves a certain position.
Maps/Government Worksheet – Students will fill this out as a class during
the interactive lecture
Maps Website - http://www.roman-empire.net/maps/map-empire.html
The teacher will use this website as a guide as students fill out their
History Timeline – The teacher will use two Glog timelines as a visual aid for the interactive lecture. The first one will cover important events and key terms from the Monarchy and Republic, The second will cover important events in the Empire:
The completed Roman Maps/Government worksheets will serve as
a study guide for the Unit Test.
Students will turn in the worksheets after Day 2. The teacher will check the worksheets for
completeness and will return them for students to use during the Unit Test
Students will complete an exit card as their ticket to leave
the classroom at the end of Day 2. This
will serve as a quick and easy formative assessment that will help the teacher
determine how well the students comprehended the material and any areas that
require extra review before the Unit Test.