Geography of Italy
This river flooded and left fertile soil near its delta, helping farming grow in early Italy.
The Tiber River.
The first settlers of the Italian peninsula were called the ___.
Latins.
The Etruscans influenced Rome and created a writing system based on which earlier alphabet?
The Greek alphabet.
Which social class in Rome were wealthy landowners and nobles?
Patricians
True or False: Rome’s early government was a democracy. (Answer T/F)
False. (Rome’s early government was not a democracy.)
Name two ways surrounding bodies of water helped early Italian communities (give any two).
Examples: supported farming, fishing, transportation, trade routes. (Any two)
Why did the Latins choose places near water sources? Give one clear reason.
For access to water for drinking, farming, and fishing.
Name one engineering or building contribution the Etruscans gave to early Rome.
Paved roads or built arches (either is correct).
Which social class included farmers, traders, and craftsmen?
Plebeians
Name one of the important leadership roles listed (chief priest, army commander, or chief justice).
Any of: chief priest, army commander, chief justice.
Explain why fertile soil from river flooding was important for settlement.
Flooding deposited nutrient-rich silt, making soil fertile so crops could grow reliably.
Besides being near water, name one other feature the Latins looked for when choosing where to settle.
Suitable land for farming (fertile soil).
How did draining marshes help Etruscan and Roman communities? Give one clear effect.
Draining marshes reduced disease and created more land for farming and building.
Give one reason patricians had most of the power in early Rome.
Because they were wealthy landowners and nobles who controlled government offices and resources.
What symbol represented the power of the king in early Rome?
The fasces.
Describe how Italy’s location encouraged expansion and trade.
Italy is centrally located in the Mediterranean with many coastlines and rivers, making it easy to trade and move armies/people to other regions.
Explain in one or two sentences why farming was important to early settlers’ survival and growth.
Farming produced food needed to feed a growing population and support trade and villages.
Explain how Etruscan road-building helped Rome’s expansion and trade.
Roads made travel faster and safer, which helped armies move and traders transport goods to more places.
Over time plebeians gained rights. Name one right mentioned in the review.
The power to veto laws (or: they gained the power to veto).
What happened to important laws so that people could see and follow them?
Laws were written down and displayed publicly so everyone could see them and know the rules.
Give one specific example of how rivers supported transportation and one example of how they supported food production.
Transportation example: rivers and seas allowed boats and ships to carry goods and people; food production example: rivers provided water for irrigation and fish for food.
Describe how location choices made by the Latins helped Rome grow later (one or two sentences).
Settling near water and fertile land allowed the community to grow food and trade, which supported population growth and later city development like Rome.
List two Roman ideas or technologies that came from the Etruscans (two different items).
Examples: writing system based on Greek alphabet; paved roads; arches; sewage systems; drained marshes. (Any two)
Explain in one or two sentences how inequality between patricians and plebeians could cause conflict in Rome.
Possible answer: Inequality could lead plebeians to protest or demand rights, causing political struggle that eventually changed laws and government practices.
Explain briefly how the Law of the Twelve Tables affected Roman law (one or two sentences/bullet points/words).
Laws were written down and displayed publicly so everyone could see them and know the rules.