How Rome began: Italy's geography, the Etruscans and early Roman society

Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Rome's first families and leaders

   Group	What the sources say	Source
   Patricians	the wealthiest families; their members were the senators, and at first only they could hold office	British Museum; National Geographic
   Plebeians	most of the citizens, with less wealth than the patricians; most of the army; they protested outside the city walls	British Museum; National Geographic
   Senate	300 or more senators, who held most important government positions	British Museum
   Consuls	two leaders, chosen by assemblies of citizens, from wealthy families	British Museum

   Below the chart: each row sums up the sources in our words, not as a quotation.

2. 1.

   Which group made up most of the Roman army, by the chart, Jun asks?

   • The senators
   • The plebeians
   • The consuls
   • The patricians
3. 2.

   What did the plebeians do outside the city walls, by the chart, Luz asks?

   • They protested
   • They elected the consuls
   • They built the first roads
   • They sat in the Senate

4. Where Rome grew: four clues

   Clue	Source	What it says
   Where Rome lies	NASA Earth Observatory	on seven hills along the Tiber, 12 miles (about 19 km) inland, halfway down Italy's west coast
   The river	NASA Earth Observatory	the Tiber winds through the center of Rome and on to the sea
   Why it grew	British Museum	hilltop villages grew into a town because the river was a trade route
   The land around	National Geographic Kids	wooded hills lie west of Italy's long mountain chain, where many old cities stand

   Below the chart: 12 miles is about 19 kilometers.

5. 3.

   Clue 1: Rome lies on hills beside a river. Clue 2: the river was a trade route. What do the two clues explain, Milo asks?

   • Why Rome sits right on a seacoast
   • Why villages there grew into a town
   • Why the Etruscans left
   • Why a legend says Rome was founded
6. 4.

   Clue 1: Rome is 12 miles inland. Clue 2: the Tiber runs through Rome and on to the sea. Which statement do both clues support, Noah asks?

   • Rome is inland, with no link to the sea
   • Rome is inland, but a river links it to the sea
   • Rome is on the coast, with no river near it
   • Rome is inland, with no river running through it
7. 5.

   Rome is 12 miles inland, and 12 miles is about 19 km. About how many kilometers is Rome from the sea, Pia asks?

   • About 7 km
   • About 190 km
   • About 12 km
   • About 19 km

8. Rome's first families and leaders

   Group	What the sources say	Source
   Patricians	the wealthiest families; their members were the senators, and at first only they could hold office	British Museum; National Geographic
   Plebeians	most of the citizens, with less wealth than the patricians; most of the army; they protested outside the city walls	British Museum; National Geographic
   Senate	300 or more senators, who held most important government positions	British Museum
   Consuls	two leaders, chosen by assemblies of citizens, from wealthy families	British Museum

   Below the chart: each row sums up the sources in our words, not as a quotation.

9. 6.

   Two sources both describe who held power in early Rome. What do they agree on, Ren asks?

   • Wealthy patricians held power
   • The kings still held power
   • The army by itself held power
   • Plebeians held power in the Senate
10. 7.

    Which source is named in the plebeians row but not in the Senate row, Tala asks?

    • National Geographic Kids
    • National Geographic
    • NASA Earth Observatory
    • The British Museum
11. 8.

    One row says plebeians had less wealth. Another says they were most of the army. Do the two facts clash, Zee asks?

    • Yes, so one must be wrong
    • No, they fit together
    • Yes, so the army was patricians
    • Yes, so the plebeians were rich
12. 9.

    Ari's note says, "The plebeians were the senators of early Rome." Which fix is right?

    • Change early to later
    • Change senators to consuls
    • Leave it: plebeians were most citizens
    • Change plebeians to patricians
13. 10.

    Bo's note says, "The patricians made up most of the army." Which fix is right?

    • Leave it: patricians were the wealthiest
    • Change patricians to plebeians
    • Change army to Senate
    • Change most to a few