Students learn the factors that contributed to the fall of the Roman Republic. Then they examine the causes and effects of the assassination of Julius Caesar, an event that played a pivotal role in the Republic’s demise. Finally, they write a first-person response from the viewpoint of a Roman who has witnessed the Republic’s fall.
Students are introduced to the time period when the Roman Republic transitioned to the Roman Empire and review the lesson objective. They examine an image of the Roman Senate and respond to a word cloud prompt about factors that can cause a government or business to fail. Then they post on a collaborative wall explaining whether they think a government can last forever and why, and reply to at least two classmates with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesPresent the overview and objective of the experience. Facilitate discussion of student word cloud responses, connecting their ideas to current examples of failing governments or businesses. After students post on the wall, discuss their responses and use them to introduce the Roman Republic as a government many once believed would last forever.
Students study a map of the Roman Republic around 40 B.C.E. and read a timeline highlighting key events from the founding of the Republic to the rise of Augustus. They use Ancient Rome: Republic to Empire and The problems that led to the fall of the Roman Republic (including the section on Julius Caesar) to investigate how money, corruption, crime, and Julius Caesar’s leadership contributed to the Republic’s decline. As they read, they complete a graphic organizer by taking notes under the headings Money, Corruption, Crime, and Julius Caesar.
Teacher MovesGuide a class discussion on the factors behind the Republic’s fall, prompting students to refer to the sources and their notes. Use questions such as whether the Republic was still truly a republic during Caesar’s rule and whether there are clear heroes or villains in its decline to deepen analysis.
Students view an image depicting the assassination of Julius Caesar and watch The Assassination of Julius Caesar (to 4:51) to learn the causes, key events, and consequences of the killing. They then complete a cause–event–effect graphic organizer, identifying why Caesar was assassinated, what happened during the assassination, and how it affected Rome and the end of the Republic.
Teacher MovesInvite interested students to watch the remainder of the video for additional historical interpretation, and connect the event to Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar as a future point of study. Review student graphic organizers and highlight an interesting or exemplary response with the class to clarify the chain of causes and effects surrounding Caesar’s assassination.
Students consider an image of the Battle of Actium and imagine themselves as residents of Rome in 27 B.C.E., reflecting on the history of the Republic now that Augustus has become emperor. From a first-person point of view, they post on a collaborative wall explaining the positives or negatives of the end of the Roman Republic, using evidence from the experience. They then read classmates’ posts and respond to at least two with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesRemind students to write from the first-person perspective of an ancient Roman and to choose any social position (patrician, plebeian, slave; adult or child). Use their posts as a springboard for whole-class discussion, beginning with questions such as whether most students feel positively or negatively about the Republic’s end and why.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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