Ancient Roman Inventions and Contributions DBQ-1
Ancient Roman Inventions and Contributions DBQ-1
Ancient Roman Inventions and Contributions DBQ-1
The documents that follow relate information about Ancient Rome. Examine each document
carefully and then answer the question(s) that follow it using complete sentences. These
answers will help you in Part B.
Document 1
As the Roman Empire grew, their language, Latin, stretched to all parts of
the empire. Latin is the basis for the languages of French,
Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian. These languages are called
the Romance languages.
Even the German and English languages have derived words from Latin. The
Latin alphabet by A.D. 114 had 23 letters. The English alphabet today has 26
letters. For 7 the Romans used / and for L/, 7, and W, they used 7. The
Catholic Church still speaks and prays in Latin today. Its head, the Pope,
is still today called the Pontifex Maximus (the greatest high priest).
2. Name two English words that are derived from Latin. Library from the word liber and the
word aquarium from the word Agua,
3. What in one reason many English words are derived from Latin? Because Latin was one of
the first languages in the world
[2]
Document 2
Before 46 BC, the Roman calendar, or what has been reconstructed, is
described as a "mess." The 304 days were followed by an unnamed,
unnumbered period in winter. The Roman emperor Numa Pompilius (715-673
BC) introduced February and January between January and March,
increasing the length of the year to 354 or 355 days. Then in 450 BC,
February was moved to its current position. In the year 46 BC, the Greek
Sosigenes convinced Julius Caesar to reform the calendar to a more
manageable form.
The Julian calendar consisted of cycles of three 365-day years followed
by a 366-day leap year.
http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/astronomy/Calendar.html
1.
During whose reign was the calendar reformed to 365 days per year? Julius caesar
[1]
2.
What are the months of January, March, May, and June named after?
In January: janus, two headed god for doorways and gates
In March: Mars, god of war
In May: Maia, goddess of spring and growth
In June: Juno, goddess of wisdom and marriage
[1]
3.
What is one reason the English names for the months are taken from Latin words?
The names of the months are all derived from three sources: Greek and Roman deities, Roman
rulers, and numbers.
_______________________________________________________________
Document 3
The development of the law was Rome's greatest and most enduring
accomplishment. Roman law is founded on the ideas of justice and the rights
of the individual. As the Romans saw it, the purpose of justice was to give
every man that which was rightfully his. From this era, we inherited the
belief that no man could be accused anonymously and that he was
innocent until proven guilty. The way the Romans made these ideas public
was by printing them on the Twelve Tables.
1. What did the United States government inherit from the Twelve Tables? The Twelve
Tables were a set of fundamental laws that originated in ancient Rome. Therefore, the
United States government did not directly inherit anything from the Twelve Tables.
However, the principles of rule of law, justice, and equality, which were promoted in the
Twelve Tables, have influenced many legal systems, including that of the United States.
Additionally, the United States Constitution and the concept of written laws can be seen as
a modern manifestation of the importance given to codified laws demonstrated in the
Twelve Tables.
2. According to the Twelve Tables, was everyone equal in Ancient Rome? Explain.
No, everyone was not equal in Ancient Rome according to the Twelve Tables. The laws
reflected a hierarchical society with different rights and treatment based on social class, wealth, and
citizenship status. The legal system upheld existing social disparities and protected property rights.
3. Why might one say "the development of the law was Rome's greatest and most
enduring accomplishment"? The development of Roman law is seen as Rome's greatest
and most lasting achievement because it laid the groundwork for modern legal systems. It lasted for
over a thousand years, influenced legal systems worldwide, and was one of the earliest to organize
laws in a clear and consistent manner. Roman law adapted to changing times, was shaped by legal
scholars, and emphasized fairness and justice. Its influence has extended far beyond ancient Rome,
shaping how laws are structured and applied to this day.
[2]
Document 4
The Romans were some of the greatest builders in the ancient world. They
took many ideas about architecture (the science of building) from the
Greeks. The Romans also had the architecture of their own. They learned
how to use columns and arches in their buildings from the Greeks and
Etruscans. They improved on the arch by inventing the dome, a roof formed
by rounded arches.
The Romans also made new building materials, such as concrete. They
mixed lime and soil, which would harden when it dried. Roman architects
used this to build huge structures like the Colosseum.
1. Name one improvement the Romans made on the architecture they had learned from other
civilizations. The Romans improved arches and vaults, making them stronger and able to support
larger structures, a significant advancement in their architecture.
Document 5
Roman cities began to grow quickly to be the largest and most
populated in the world. Water was very scarce. The Romans had to find
ways to bring water into the cities. To the plumbing engineers of the Old
Roman Empire, the Western world owes its allegiance. Their solution was
to take water from distant wells or natural springs. They built stone
structures called aqueducts to carry water. The aqueducts went through
mountains, valleys, or even across towns. The Romans made more
than 200 aqueducts. Many can still be seen today.
The Greeks already developed hot and cold-water systems, but they
never developed hot water systems as extensively as the Romans.
Furnaces
heating hollow bricks located under the entire floor supplied warm air for
the Thermae bath. As the name suggests, the Frigidarium was the
cold-water bath; it fed the hot water tanks and other baths. The
[1]
[1]
[1]
[2]
3. What is one way Constantine's conversion to Christianity affects American culture today?
[1]