1. Chapter 3, Lesson 1 Rome’s Decline It Matters Because: The Fall of Rome resulted from political uproar, economic crises, and distant wars

2. I. Why Rome Collapsed Politics Economi cs Invasions 1. Government grew weak; army grew powerful 2. Emperors often betrayed, murdered, overthrown 3. Officials became corrupt, accepted bribes 4. Support for education declined 5. Many citizens stopped paying taxes 1. Roman soldiers & foreign invaders attacked farms & disrupted trade 2. Food prices soared due to shortages 3. Businesses failed, many lost jobs 4. Government produced more coins 1. Germanic tribes raided Western Empire 2. Germanic soldiers hired to protect the empire 3. New immigrants had no loyalty to the empire BrainPop

3. II. Diocletian A. General who became emperor B. Introduced many reforms 1. Divided Empire into four parts, called the Tetrarchy 2. Ordered citizens to remain at work 3. Made local officials responsible for taxes C. Reforms ultimately failed

4. Diocletian’ s Tetrarchy

5. III. Constantine A. Succeeded Diocletian after 7 years of conflict 1. Became a Christian following victory in battle B. Stabilized labor & economy C. Moved capital from Rome to Byzantium D. Renamed Byzantium after himself, Constantinople E. Legalized Christianity in the Empire

6. IV. Theodosius A. Succeeded Constantine B. Realized Empire was too large to govern C. Split Empire into Western & Eastern halves 1. Western capital in Rome 2. Eastern capital in Constantinople

7. Western & Eastern Empires

8. V. Visigoths & Vandals A. Visigoths settled within Rome’s borders 1. Seeking protection from Huns 2. Promised loyalty to Rome a. Rebelled when Rome began enslave them 3. Defeated Roman army at Adrianople, ca. A.D. 378 4. Captured Rome ca. 410

9. B. Vandals attacked Spain, Northern Africa 1. Sailed to Rome, 455 2. Looted & burned Rome C. English word “vandalize” comes from this group V. Visigoths & Vandals

10. 5 th Century Visigoth Warrior – identify elements of ancient and middle age technology

11. VI. The End of Rome A. Germanic leaders eventually achieved high positions in Empire B. 476, Germanic general Odoacer overthrew last Roman Emperor 1. Germanic rulers adopted many aspects of Roman culture, including Christianity C. Byzantine Empire lasted nearly 1000 more years

12. VII. Rome’s Legacy A. Roman roads & strength of Catholic Church led to spread of Christianity B. Many Roman ideas about law shape Western law today C. Representative government D. Latin language 1. alphabet still in use 2. Latin roots in language E. Architecture & construction - domes & arches, concrete