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

Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Italy's land

   Feature	Where	What it did
   Alps	across the top of Italy	made a mountain barrier in the north
   Apennine Mountains	run south from the western end of the Alps down the whole peninsula	crossed the interior and split Italy into regions
   Po River	Italy's longest river, about 650 km, from the Alps in the southwest to the Adriatic Sea	ran through a valley in the north
   The peninsula	boot-shaped, jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea	surrounded by sea, so its place shaped its history

   Below the chart: west of the Apennines are wooded hills where many old Italian cities stand, including Rome.

2. 1.

   Which mountains run down the whole length of the peninsula, by the chart, Tala asks?

   • The Atlas Mountains, in Africa
   • The Apennine Mountains
   • The Alps, across the top
   • The Pyrenees, far to the west
3. 2.

   Which is Italy's longest river, and where does it run, by the chart, Zee asks?

   • The Po, down the whole peninsula
   • The Po, from the Alps to the Adriatic Sea
   • The Apennines, from the Alps to the Adriatic Sea
   • The Po, from the Adriatic Sea to the Alps
4. 3.

   What shape is Italy, by the chart, Ari asks?

   • A round island with mountains
   • A boot-shaped peninsula
   • A long flat river valley
   • A square plain by the sea
5. 4.

   The Apennines cross the interior of Italy. What was one effect, Bo asks?

   • The Po River dried up
   • The Alps moved south
   • Italy was split into regions
   • Italy became one smooth flat plain

6. Etruscans and early Rome

   When	What happened
   8th to 1st century BCE	Etruscan towns flourish in central Italy, from northern Latium to Tuscany
   about 616 BCE	Tarquinius Priscus begins a line of three Etruscan kings in Rome
   during their rule	a marshy area is drained and becomes the Forum, the heart of the city; stone buildings replace wooden huts
   510 or 509 BCE	Etruscan rule in Rome ends and the Roman Republic begins (sources differ by a year)
   by 272 BCE	the Romans control the whole Italian peninsula

   Below the chart: dates this early are approximate. Public meetings took place in the Forum.

7. 5.

   Under the Etruscan kings a marshy area was drained. What was one effect, Esme asks?

   • It became a new river
   • Etruscan rule ended at once
   • It became farmland for Etruria
   • It became the Forum
8. 6.

   Etruscan rule in Rome ended in 510 or 509 BCE. What began then, Jun asks?

   • The Roman Republic
   • The Roman legend
   • The Roman Empire
   • The Etruscan towns
9. 7.

   Which came first, the first Etruscan king or the end of Etruscan rule, Kira asks?

   • Both in the same year
   • The first king, about 616 BCE
   • Neither: both are CE
   • The end of rule: 510 is smaller
10. 8.

    Which step in the chart came last, Milo asks?

    • Control of the whole peninsula
    • The draining of the marsh
    • The first Etruscan king
    • The end of Etruscan rule in Rome
11. 9.

    Which claim does the chart support best, Noah asks?

    • Etruscan kings ruled Rome before the Republic
    • Etruscan kings ruled Rome after the Republic began
    • Romulus founded the Republic
    • Romans ruled Italy before the Etruscan kings
12. 10.

    Ren's friend says Etruscan rule in Rome ended about 616 BCE. What is the best reply?

    • Disagree: it ended in 272 BCE
    • Disagree: it ended in 100 BCE
    • Disagree: that is when it began
    • Agree: 616 BCE ended it