1. The Roman Republic

2. How did geography influence the rise of Roman civilization?

3. Italy was more fertile and less broken up than Greece. This made Italy an easier place to unify and to grow a large population.

4. How was the Roman Republic structured? Why do you think it was structured that way?

5. Divided up into patricians and plebeians. THE SENATE had most of the power. There was no single executive or king. The patricians did not trust each other.

6. What was the Cursus Honorum? Whose interest did it serve? Why do you think there was such a formalized structure?

7. The Cursus Honorum controlled the offices that a man could hold. Quaestors (judges), Aediles, Tribunes, Praetors (mayor), Consuls (joint executives), Censors (public morals and standards) Structured to control patrician ambition and limit plebeian power.

8. Who were the Plebians? What was their position like? Do you think they had legitimate grievances?

9. The working class. Squeezed by the patricians. Legitimate grievance? According to who?

10. What were the key factors that contributed to the growth of Rome?

11. Favorable geography. A powerful army made up of committed citizen-soldiers. A ruling class where ambition was harnessed to help the state. A policy of treating conquered lands justly. CITIZENSHIP OPEN TO NEWCOMERS!