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?

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

   Who assassinated Caesar in 44 BCE, Esme asks?

   • Cleopatra's navy
   • The people of Italy
   • A group of senators
   • Octavian's army
4. 3.

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

   • Augustus was born
   • The Republic grew stronger
   • A civil war began
   • Peace began at once
5. 4.

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

   • A new king who arrived from Persia's lands
   • Actium by itself
   • Civil war, a dictator, and Octavian's win
   • The Rubicon by itself
6. 5.

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

   • Caesar's assassination, in 44 BCE
   • Neither: both are CE
   • Both in the same year
   • Actium: 31 is a smaller number, so earlier
7. 6.

   How many years passed from the Rubicon in 49 BCE to Augustus in 27 BCE, Pia asks?

   • 76 years
   • 220 years
   • 2 years
   • 22 years
8. 7.

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

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

   Which claim does the chart support best, Tala asks?

   • The Senate ended the civil war on its own
   • War and new titles moved power to one man
   • Caesar was Rome's first emperor
   • 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
    • Agree: Caesar crossed the Rubicon
    • Agree: Caesar was dictator
    • Disagree: Augustus was the first emperor
11. 10.

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

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