Fall+of+the+Roman+Empire



4th C. BC - Trier Germany San Jose State University Museum **DID ROME FALL, OR WAS IT PUSHED?** Like any great empire that has come before or after it, the theories surrounding the fall of Rome are many. Since the empire crumbled, all other great empires or nations have been compared to Rome, with many coming up short. For many, understanding the fall of Rome is the key to the survival of our great nation, the United States. For much of this century, the U.S. has been compared to the Roman Empire in about every conceivable way. There are those who say that we are following the same path to destruction as the ancient Romans. So, why did Rome fall? Could their fate have been averted, and if so, would the world be different today? The answer lies in what you think after you have looked at all the facts. Let's examine what we know. We know the great empire known as Rome no longer exists. Now let's look at what we don't know:

__Research Questions__ THE TASK Your team is assigned the task of researching the reasons for the fall of Rome and coming to a conclusion as to why it did. As you investigate, be sure to consider and compare your research to the status of the United States. Look at each question carefully and answer it with an eye on both the past and the present. As George Santayana said, "Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it."
 * 1) Did plagues reduce the population to the point it could not sustain itself?
 * 2) Did civil wars lessen the strength of the empire and weaken the population?
 * 3) Did the army lose its discipline and thus endanger the empire and cause it to be overrun?
 * 4) Did the citizens of Rome become too satisfied and lazy, allowing the empire to crumble due to neglect?
 * 5) Did the empire bureaucracy become too top heavy, eventually causing the empire to collapse upon itself?
 * 6) Did God turn His favor away from Rome due to its sinful nature?
 * 7) Did it fall as the result of barbarian invasions?
 * 8) Did the empire spend too much of its resources on the poor, thus drawing away precious funds from the empire?
 * 9) Was the Roman Empire just too big, making a collapse inevitable?

THE PROCESS A. Divide the research questions amongst yourselves as you are working on this as a team. All within the group need to participate. The more opinions you have the better, as this will assist in reaching a reasonable conclusion. B. Within your team, you should come up with a list of general reasons why you feel a large empire or country might fall. C. When finished, each team member should advance a theory as to why Rome fell. D. Organize your recommendations into a thesis statement as to what most important element caused Rome to fall. E. Lastly, you should include a short written summary of any comparisons you discover between the reasons for the fall of Rome and what might happen to the United States. RESOURCES The Fall of Rome [|www.tamos.net/~rhay/romefall.html] The Fall of Rome [] The Rise and Fall of Rome Rome- FAQs Rome.com Info LEARNING ADVICE It is your job to research these questions fully and develop sound theories to describe the reasons for the fall of Rome. A possible scenario would be to eliminate those theories that can't be supported by fact and focus on the ones that can be fully supported with your research. It is also important to look for facts and not opinions. While no one yet knows for sure why Rome fell, there are many more opinions than facts. Your job is to separate the two. When comparing Rome to the United States, be sure to look for similarities in the problems that led to the fall of Rome to problems in our present day society. EVALUATION Your work will be assessed based on the thoroughness of your research, the accuracy of your conclusions, and the quality of your thesis. CONCLUSION The purpose of this activity is to try to determine the cause(s) for the fall of the Roman Empire. Once you have reached your conclusion(s), some questions deserve to be answered. Should we compare the fall of Rome to other countries such as the U.S. or is each situation unique unto itself? Does the past really hold clues to the future? Should we base future decisions on events from the past? REFLECTIONS After considering the work you've completed, pick two of the three questions to answer as part of your evaluation. What similarities exist between Rome and the United States? Do you feel the United States is in the process of decline as a nation? Assume for the minute that the U.S. is declining in a manner similar to Rome. How would you stop the slide and return the U.S. to its prior greatness?
 * Be sure to stay within this framework:**


 * Credits**Author, David MacDonaldFillmore USDRegion 8 & 11 Professional Development Consortium-SCORE Institute 1997dmac@mail.fillmore.k12.ca.us

History.com - Fall of Rome The Coliseum