1. Topic: Decline and Fall of the Empire EQ: What internal factors led to the fall of the Roman Empire?
Unit * Chapter * Lesson 2

2. 200 Years of Pax Romana Senate still provided a check on power.
Rome becomes an empire under the rule of Augustus and had many years of Prosperity and Peace.
He created a strong government.
Senate still provided a check on power.
He died in A.D. 14, his policies helped Rome to increase.
However Rome starts to decline ….how?

3. Reasons for Decline: Economic Difficulties
Rome stopped expanding
No more conquests meant no new wealth coming into the empire
Officials struggled to pay the empire’s expenses and maintain the cost of its army
Government raised taxes
Higher taxes caused hardship for many citizens

4. Reasons for Decline: Social Difficulties
Poor Romans found it harder to become educated as cost of education increased
Distributing news across such a vast empire became more difficult
People grew less informed about civic matters as less news spread across the empire

5. Reasons for Decline: Agriculture
Throughout Italy and western Europe soil had became difficult to farm due to constant warfare and overuse
Harvests grew increasingly weak and less food was produced
Slave labor discouraged
improvements in technology in
farming
Disease and hunger began to spread and the population declined

6. Reasons for Decline: Military
Less money coming in to pay army properly
Soldiers became less disciplined and loyal
Pledged allegiance to individual military leaders instead of Rome

7. Reasons for Decline: Political
Feelings of loyalty declined among average citizens
Romans used to engage actively in civic duties and public affairs but began to care less
Roman politics grew increasingly corrupt
Politicians became more interested in financial gain than public service

8. Summary… What internal problems weakened the Roman Empire
Summary… What internal problems weakened the Roman Empire? Answer in 3-5 complete sentences.

9. Topic: Fall of Rome part 2
EQ: What internal and external problems did Rome face that led to its fall?

10. Rome’s Slow Decline
The decline of Rome was a slow process, the Roman Empire continued for another 200 years after its problems started
This is largely in part to two strong emperors who ruled during this time

11. Diocletian (Dy*uh*KLEE*shuhn)
Diocletian became leader of Rome in 284 AD
Restored order by ruling with an iron fist
Divided Rome into two parts: east and west
Two parts made Rome’s immense territory easier to govern

12. Constantine In 313 AD declared an end to all attacks on Christians
In 330 Constantine moved the capital of the empire from Rome to the Greek city of Byzantium
Later named in Constaninople.

13. Constantine (Continued)
Byzantium became known as Constantinople, after Constantine
The new capital signaled a shift in power from the western part of the empire to the east

14. Another Reason for Rome’s Fall:
Different foreign groups (known as barbarians) were swarming all around Rome’s borders trying to invade
Rome was too large to protect all its borders effectively

15. Barbarians
Numerous Germanic people (known as barbarians) lived outside of Rome’s borders
In the late 300’s they began pushing their way into Roman lands

16. Why Did the Barbarians Want to Invade?
Looking for better land
Gain some of Rome’s wealth
Trying to escape from the Huns in Asia

17. The Huns Fierce group of warriors from Asia
Eventually the Huns conquer parts of Rome
The Western Roman Empire fell to Barbarian tribes and the Huns in 476

18. End of an Empire
The final holdouts of Roman power in the west fell in 486
Clovis, leader of a Germanic group known as the Franks, conquered the remaining Roman land in the west.
These series of attacks marks the end of the Roman Empire BUT the beginning of a new Empire…
The eastern part of the empire survived .
Becomes The Byzantine Empire .

19. Lesson Summary:
Make a tree map and divide it to show some of Rome’s problems and external.
Romes Problems
Internal
External