Why the Western Roman Empire fell: several causes

Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Troubles inside the empire (200s CE)

   Problem	What happened	Effect
   Weak rulers	?	no steady leadership
   Money troubles	the government put less silver in its coins to pay its soldiers	prices rose: inflation
   A huge empire	long frontiers to guard on the Rhine and Danube rivers and in the east	hard to defend and govern
   Attacks from outside	Persians in the east; groups crossing the Rhine and Danube	more spending on armies

   The cell marked ? is blank. Below the chart: historians call 235 to 284 CE the crisis of the third century. Earlier, a disease, the Antonine plague (165 to 180 CE), had spread across the empire. Under Diocletian and Constantine, the empire recovered for a time.

2. 1.

   Esme's chart has a blank: what happened to emperors from 235 to 284 CE?

   • Coins had less silver put in them
   • One emperor ruled the whole 49 years
   • At least 30 ruled, most for a short time
   • Persians attacked lands in the east
3. 2.

   Kira's chart has a blank: what did attacks from outside lead to?

   • More spending on armies
   • Purer coins with more silver
   • Fewer emperors in power
   • Less spending on armies

4. Troubles inside the empire (200s CE)

   Problem	What happened	Effect
   Weak rulers	at least 30 emperors from 235 to 284 CE; most ruled briefly, and many were overthrown by their own soldiers	no steady leadership
   Money troubles	the government put less silver in its coins to pay its soldiers	prices rose: inflation
   A huge empire	long frontiers to guard on the Rhine and Danube rivers and in the east	hard to defend and govern
   Attacks from outside	Persians in the east; groups crossing the Rhine and Danube	more spending on armies

   Below the chart: historians call 235 to 284 CE the crisis of the third century. Earlier, a disease, the Antonine plague (165 to 180 CE), had spread across the empire. Under Diocletian and Constantine, the empire recovered for a time.

5. 3.

   Luz reads the word inflation. What does inflation mean?

   • Prices fall, so money buys more
   • An army crosses a border
   • A ruler is chosen by vote
   • Prices rise, so money buys less
6. 4.

   Milo reads the word invasion. What is an invasion?

   • A trade fair between two cities
   • A new coin made of pure silver
   • An army entering a land by force
   • A law passed by the Senate
7. 5.

   Noah reads the word frontier. What is a frontier?

   • The outer edge of a land
   • A tax paid on salt
   • A ruler's chosen helper
   • The middle of a great city
8. 6.

   How many years passed from 235 CE to 284 CE, Pia asks?

   • 49 years
   • 59 years
   • 30 years
   • 519 years
9. 7.

   Which came first, the Antonine plague or the crisis of the third century, Ren asks?

   • The crisis, as 235 is bigger
   • Both began in one year
   • The crisis, from 235 CE
   • The plague, from 165 CE
10. 8.

    Why did the government put less silver in its coins, Zee asks?

    • People asked for lighter coins
    • To pay its soldiers
    • To end the attacks from outside
    • To make coins worth more
11. 9.

    Many emperors were overthrown by their own soldiers. What was the effect, Ari asks?

    • Calm, peaceful borders
    • No steady leadership
    • Lower prices for goods
    • Shorter frontiers to guard
12. 10.

    Bo says inflation had one cause, weak rulers. What is the best reply?

    • Disagree: army pay and attacks both fed it
    • Agree: coins came to hold more silver
    • Disagree: prices stayed the same
    • Agree: weak rulers caused it by themselves