How Rome went from republic to empire

Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Steps from republic to empire

   Year	What happened
   49 BCE	Julius Caesar led his army across the Rubicon River into Italy, starting a civil war
   46 BCE	the Senate named Caesar dictator for 10 years
   44 BCE	Caesar was named dictator for life; on March 15, a group of senators assassinated him
   31 BCE	Octavian, Caesar's adopted heir, defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra at Actium
   27 BCE	the Senate gave Octavian the name Augustus; he became Rome's first emperor

   Below the chart: a dictator was given full power in an emergency, usually for a short time.

2. 1.

   What did Caesar do in 49 BCE, Bo asks?

   • Took the name Augustus
   • Became dictator for life
   • Crossed the Rubicon and began a civil war
   • Lost to Mark Antony and Cleopatra at Actium
3. 2.

   Whom did Octavian defeat at Actium in 31 BCE, Jun asks?

   • Julius Caesar
   • The Senate
   • Mark Antony and Cleopatra
   • The consuls of the year 509 BCE
4. 3.

   Caesar was named dictator for life. Why might senators see that as a threat, Kira asks?

   • It gave one man power like a king's
   • It ended the civil war in 49 BCE
   • It gave more power to the Senate
   • It made two consuls instead of just one
5. 4.

   What was one effect of Caesar crossing the Rubicon with his army, Luz asks?

   • The Republic grew stronger
   • Augustus was born
   • Peace began at once
   • A civil war began
6. 5.

   Which causes together help explain why the Republic ended, Milo asks?

   • Actium by itself
   • Civil war, a dictator, and Octavian's win
   • The Rubicon by itself
   • A new king who arrived from Persia's lands
7. 6.

   Which came first, Actium or Caesar's assassination, Noah asks?

   • Both in the same year
   • Neither: both are CE
   • Actium: 31 is a smaller number, so earlier
   • Caesar's assassination, in 44 BCE
8. 7.

   Which step came last before Rome had an emperor, Ren asks?

   • Actium, in 31 BCE
   • The Rubicon, in 49 BCE
   • The Republic's start, in 509 BCE
   • The 10-year dictatorship, in 46 BCE
9. 8.

   Which claim does the chart support best, Tala asks?

   • War and new titles moved power to one man
   • Caesar was Rome's first emperor
   • The Senate ended the civil war on its own
   • The Republic ended in one day
10. 9.

    Zee's friend says Julius Caesar was the first Roman emperor. What is the best reply?

    • Disagree: Cleopatra was
    • Disagree: Augustus was the first emperor
    • Agree: Caesar was dictator
    • Agree: Caesar crossed the Rubicon
11. 10.

    Ari's friend says one battle turned the Republic into an empire. What is the best reply?

    • Agree: the Rubicon did it alone
    • Agree: Actium did it alone
    • Disagree: it took many steps over 22 years
    • Disagree: no battles were fought