Lesson 2

Apuntes

Lesson 2 # The Roman Empire ## The Big Idea The creation of the Roman Empire transformed Roman government, society, and economy. ## Why It Matters Now The Roman Empire has served throughout history as a model of political organization and control. ## Key Terms and People civil war Julius Caesar triumvirate Augustus Pax Romana ## Setting the Stage As Rome enlarged its territory, its republican form of government grew increasingly unstable. Eventually, the Roman Republic gave way to the formation of a mighty dictator-ruled empire that continued to spread Rome's influence far and wide. ## The Republic Collapses Rome's increasing wealth and expanding boundaries brought many problems. The most serious were growing discontent among the lower classes of society and a breakdown in military order. These problems led to a shakeup of the republic—and the emergence of a new political system. **Economic Turmoil** As Rome grew, the gap between rich and poor grew wider. Many of Rome's rich landowners lived on huge estates. Thousands of enslaved persons—many of whom had been captured peoples in various wars—were forced to work on these estates. By 100 BC, enslaved persons formed perhaps one...