Materials

• Class notes (see bolded text in Instructional Activities below)
• Teacher-selected reading, worksheet, or activity

Instructional Activities

1. Review content covered to this point in the unit.
   
   
2. Explain that conflict among leaders of a government can contribute to its collapse. Explain that the Roman Republic collapsed.
   
   
3. Put the following notes on the board or overhead:
   
   The Roman Republic succumbed to civil war and was replaced by the Roman Empire.
   
   Causes of the decline of the Roman Republic include:
   • spread of slavery to support the agricultural system
   • migration of small farmers into cities and unemployment
   • civil war over the power of Julius Caesar
   • devaluation of Roman currency and inflation.
   
   
4. Discuss why each of these may have contributed to the collapse of the Roman Republic. Instruct students to consider current events in the United States and based on their knowledge of what caused the collapse of the Roman Republic, whether the United States may be in danger of collapse.
   
   
5. Assign a teacher-selected reading, worksheet, or other reinforcement activity, using available teacher resources.