1. Geography and Economy of Ancient Rome 6th Grade UBD - Unit 6 - Geography and Economy of Ancient Rome

4. Essential Question How did geography and trade routes impact the growth of Rome?

5. Preview Where was Rome- Rome grew from a city in central Italy to a huge empire that included parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia. Location Leads to Expansion- Rome’s location and geography gave it advantages that other locations did not have. Roman Roads and Coins- Roman coins and roads helped make trade and travel much easier during the Roman Empire.

6. Key Ideas- Where was Rome? Rome was founded along the Tiber River in the center of the Italian peninsula. The Roman Empire extended as far north as modern-day Great Britain and Scotland. The empire extended as far southwest as the country of Morocco and as far east as the country of Syria. The Roman Empire began as a small city in central Italy but expanded greatly over hundreds of years.

7. Two Mountain Ranges The Alps Mountains, Europe’s highest mountains, separated the Italian peninsula from the rest of the continent. The Apennine Mountains run north to south along the length of the Italian peninsula

8. Climate The region had mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. Made it possible for the region to develop a strong agricultural base. Grew wheat, grapes, and olives and build a consistent food supply.

9. Tiber River The growing agricultural system was aided by the nearby Tiber River. The Tiber provided a reliable source of fresh water used for irrigating their farms As well as drinking water for humans and animals. However, unlike many other civilizations, Rome did not develop in the river’s delta.

10. Mediterranean Sea Trade was an important part of life in ancient Rome. Rome developed several trade routes throughout the Mediterranean Sea and established trade with other civilizations. Later, the Roman armies used these same routes to conquer large amounts of territory and expand the empire along the Mediterranean.

11. Key Ideas- Roman Roads and Coins Romans built thousands of miles of roads and bridges. Soldiers, messengers, and traders throughout the empire used them. Romans had such advanced building skills that some of their roads still exist today. Romans made coins that were used for trade throughout the empire. These coins showed pictures of Roman rulers, gods, and goddesses. The development of roads made travel and trade throughout the empire easier. This helped Rome to expand its influence and empire.

12. All Roads Lead to Rome Video- All Roads Lead to Rome

13. Roman Roads and Bridges Roman emperors stressed road building as a way to increase trade, strengthening the economy, and as a way to move armies, increasing the capability of the empire to conquer even farther-flung lands.

14. Roman Roads The phrase “all roads lead to Rome” is a reminder that Roman roads connected the whole empire to the capital. These roads show the strength of Roman engineering.

15. Roman Roads The roads were built of several different layers. Often, the top layers were paved. The Romans also built drainage ditches along the sides of the roads. The ditches kept water from damaging the roads. Some parts of this road system are still used in Europe and the Middle East.

16. Roman Bridges In addition to roads, Romans also built many bridges. The bridges helped Romans reach territories that were separated by rivers and other bodies of water. These bridges were made of stone.