Get Ready to Read Section Overview The Fall of Rome This section chronicles the decline and fall of the Roman Empire and discusses the empire’s important legacy.

Get Ready to Read (cont.) The Fall of Rome Get Ready to Read (cont.) Focusing on the Main Ideas Poor leadership, a declining economy, and attacks by Germanic tribes weakened the Roman Empire. Rome finally fell when invaders swept through the empire during the A.D. 400’s. Rome passed on many achievements in government, law, language, and the arts.

Get Ready to Read (cont.) The Fall of Rome Get Ready to Read (cont.) Locating Places Constantinople (KAHN·STAN·tuhn·OH·puhl) Meeting People Diocletian (DY·uh·KLEE·shuhn) Constantine (KAHN·stuhn·TEEN) Theodosius (THEE·uh·DOH·shuhs) Alaric (A·luh·rihk) Odoacer (OH·duh·WAY·suhr)

Get Ready to Read (cont.) The Fall of Rome Get Ready to Read (cont.) Building Your Vocabulary plague (PLAYG) inflation (ihn·FLAY·shuhn) barter (BAHR·tuhr) reform (rih·FAWRM)

Get Ready to Read (cont.) The Fall of Rome Get Ready to Read (cont.) Reading Strategy Sequencing Information Create a diagram like the one on page 317 of your textbook. Show the events that led up to the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

The Decline of Rome The Fall of Rome After Aurelius’s death, Commodus and the Severans ruled Rome. After the Severans ended, Rome’s leadership grew weak, and the government grew corrupt. With a weak government, the economy worsened. A plague, or a disease that spreads widely, broke out and killed many people. (pages 318–320)

The Decline of Rome (cont.) The Fall of Rome The Decline of Rome (cont.) Inflation, or rapidly increasing prices, occurred because money became less valuable. Invaders began pushing into the empire’s territory, and the Roman government could not pay Roman soldiers. Emperor Diocletian tried to establish reforms that would improve the political situation. (pages 318–320)

The Decline of Rome (cont.) The Fall of Rome The Decline of Rome (cont.) Emperor Constantine tried to stop the empire’s decline. He moved the capital city to Byzantium, and the city later became known as Constantinople. (pages 318–320)

The Fall of Rome How did inflation occur? The government put less gold in its coins to create more money to pay soldiers. People learned that the coins did not have as much gold in them, so they did not value the coins as highly.

Rome Falls The Fall of Rome Theodosius became emperor after Constantine’s death. Theodosius split the empire into two separate empires: the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire. The Visigoths feared the Huns and asked Rome for protection. In exchange, Rome required the Visigoths to be loyal to them. (pages 322–324)

Rome Falls (cont.) The Fall of Rome The Visigoths rebelled against the Romans and beat the Romans at the Battle of Adrianople. More Germanic groups invaded Roman territory. (pages 322–324)

Rome Falls (cont.) The Fall of Rome The Visigoth leader Alaric and his soldiers captured the city of Rome and burned it. (pages 322–324)

Rome Falls (cont.) The Fall of Rome The Vandals overpowered Rome’s territories in Spain and northern Africa. Then they entered Rome and destroyed buildings. Odoacer was a Germanic leader who took control of Rome’s government from the emperor Romulus Augustulus. This event marked the end of the Western Roman Empire. (pages 322–324)

Rome Falls (cont.) The Fall of Rome A band of Visigoths killed Odoacer and set up a kingdom in Italy. The Eastern Roman Empire continued to prosper after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. It became known as the Byzantine Empire. (pages 322–324)

The Fall of Rome Why did the Visigoths rebel against the Romans? Although the Romans agreed to protect the Visigoths, they treated them badly. The Romans charged the Visigoths higher prices for food and kidnapped and enslaved many of them.

The Legacy of Rome The Fall of Rome The law and government of the United States today is influenced by the laws and government of the ancient Romans. The alphabet of the Latin language is used through the Western world today. Many European languages stemmed from Latin. Many English words come from Latin. (pages 325–326)

The Legacy of Rome (cont.) The Fall of Rome The Legacy of Rome (cont.) Western architecture uses styles of the Romans, such as domes and arches. Christianity began in the Roman Empire. (pages 325–326)

The Fall of Rome What ideas in the U.S. legal system came from the Roman system? We believe that all people are created equal, that people are innocent until proven guilty, that judges should be fair, and that the best form of government is a republic made up of equal citizens.

The Fall of Rome What social problems helped cause the empire’s decline? dishonest officials and a decline in respect for Roman values; widespread slavery; the people stopped serving in government and paying taxes; fewer people were educated

The Fall of Rome Why did the Roman government use Germanic warriors in its army? The Romans used Germanic warriors to help defend its borders.

The Fall of Rome Cause and Effect How did inflation affect Rome? Prices rose sharply; weak economy meant fewer taxes paid; government could not pay its soldiers and officials; debased currency; people stopped using it.

The Fall of Rome Describe Who were the Visigoths, and how did they contribute to the fall of Rome? The Visigoths were a Germanic people who moved into Roman territory to escape the Huns; they defeated the Romans at Adrianople and sacked Rome.

The Fall of Rome Identify Give examples of Roman ideas in language and architecture that exist today. English and other modern languages were shaped by Latin. Roman architecture is reflected in many buildings today.

The Fall of Rome Persuasive Writing Imagine you are living in Rome around the time of the fall of the empire. Write an editorial for a newspaper identifying what you think is the main reason for the decline and fall of the empire, and what might have been done to prevent it. Answers will vary.

The Fall of Rome Could the Western Roman Empire have solved its problems and continued to exist? Explain your answer.