1. Lay the Foundations For an Empire 500 to 300 BCE

2. The legendary beginnings of Rome 753 BCE A Trojan prince by the name of Aeneas survived the Trojan War He journeyed to Italy and founded a new civilization Power struggles ensued between his descendents

3. The Plot Thickens One descendent Rhea Silvia was persecuted by an evil uncle Mars, the God of War, was angered by this, and impregnated Rhea Silvia

4. Romulus and Remus Twins were born and their evil uncle feared them so he left them out to die A she-wolf found them and nursed them to health They grew strong and proud and then destroyed their evil uncle

5. Conflict and Resolution Soon a power struggle developed between the brothers Romulus destroyed Remus in combat and named the new city after himself

6. Rome in 509 BCE The Battle for Survival Rome was a small city in Italy The dominant tribe at the time, were the Etruscans from the north The Etruscans had a monarchy and wanted to control the Romans

7. 509 BCE The Birth of a Republic The Romans defeated the Etruscans and set up a republic In a republic, there is no monarch

8. Class Warfare Patricians were wealthy landowners Plebeians were artisans and business people

9. 2 Branches of Government The Legislative Branch was the Roman Senate The Senate only represented the Patricians A Consul was in charge of the Executive Branch

10. The Military Card The Plebeians felt exploited They decided to refuse military service until represented

11. Bicameral Legislature and Due Process The Assembly of Tribes became the lower house of the legislature The 12 Tables was a consistent legal code In Rome, all enjoyed the concept of equal protection under the law

12. The Building Block of Society Healthy families meant a healthy society The Father was the undisputed leader Obedient children grew into loyal soldiers and citizens

13. 300 BCE Buckle-UP The entire Mediterranean Area was about to be hit by a force the world had yet to see This was a civilization that really had its act together!