What Rome left us: roads, aqueducts, arches, Latin and law

Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Roman building

   Achievement	What we know
   Roads	more than 400,000 km of roads, over 80,500 km of them paved with stone; many were curved on top so rain ran off into ditches
   Arches	load-bearing arches became popular after the Romans took them up in the 300s BCE; the keystone, a wedge-shaped top stone, goes in last and locks the others in place
   Concrete	in wide use from about 150 BCE; why it lasts so well is debated: volcanic ash was long thought the reason, and 2023 research points to lumps of lime that let it seal its own cracks
   The Pantheon	a building in Rome dedicated about 126 CE; its concrete dome, 43 m (142 ft) across, is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome

2. 1.

   How many kilometers of Roman roads were paved with stone, Zee asks?

   • Over 80,500 km
   • About 8,050 km
   • About 805 km
   • More than 400,000 km
3. 2.

   The cell marked ? is blank. Ari's chart has a blank: what does a keystone do?

   • It goes in last and locks the stones
   • It drains rain into ditches
   • It seals cracks in concrete
   • It holds up a heavy roof by itself with no other support

4. Roman building

   Achievement	What we know
   Roads	more than 400,000 km of roads, over 80,500 km of them paved with stone; many were curved on top so rain ran off into ditches
   Arches	load-bearing arches became popular after the Romans took them up in the 300s BCE; the keystone, a wedge-shaped top stone, goes in last and locks the others in place
   Concrete	in wide use from about 150 BCE; why it lasts so well is debated: volcanic ash was long thought the reason, and 2023 research points to lumps of lime that let it seal its own cracks
   The Pantheon	a building in Rome dedicated about 126 CE; its concrete dome, 43 m (142 ft) across, is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome

5. 3.

   Many Roman roads were curved on top. Why, Esme asks?

   • So rain ran off into ditches
   • To hold more water
   • So carts would slide off
   • To make the roads shorter and quicker
6. 4.

   Why is the keystone put in last, Jun asks?

   • It is put in first, at the bottom
   • It is just for decoration
   • It locks the arch together
   • It is the lightest stone
7. 5.

   Arches carried roads and channels across low ground. Why is an arch strong, Kira asks?

   • Its stones press together and pass weight down
   • It has no stones
   • Glue holds each stone
   • Its stones float
8. 6.

   Why does Roman concrete last so well, Luz asks?

   • It is debated; recent research points to lime
   • It is made of marble
   • We know it is the ash, for certain
   • It has no cracks, ever
9. 7.

   The Pantheon's dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. What does that suggest, Milo asks?

   • Roman concrete could last a very long time
   • The dome is made of wood
   • It is the largest dome of any kind
   • Concrete was invented in 2023
10. 8.

    Concrete was in wide use from about 150 BCE, and the Pantheon was dedicated about 126 CE. About how many years apart is that, Noah asks?

    • About 24 years
    • About 275 years
    • About 276 years, counting a year 0
    • About 2,750 years
11. 9.

    Pia's friend says scientists have settled why Roman concrete lasts. What is the best reply?

    • Disagree: it does not last
    • Agree: it is the lime, for sure
    • Agree: it is the ash
    • Not settled: ash and lime are both ideas
12. 10.

    Ren's friend says the Romans invented the arch. What does the chart say?

    • The Romans made arches popular
    • The Romans invented the very first arch
    • Arches came after 2023
    • Romans did not use arches