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Task: WhatcausedthefalloftheWesternRomanEmpire?
InthethirdcenturyADRomefacedmanyproblems.Inadditiontointernal
decay,theinvasionbytheGermanictribesseemedtosoundthedeathknell
fortheWesternRomanEmpire.Historianshaveexaminedboththeinternal
conditionsthatweakenedtheexpansiveempireandtheexternalforceofthe
barbarianinvasionsandhavepresentedavarietyofexplanationsforthefall
oftheWesternRomanEmpire.
Document1
Thisexcerptisfromatextbook,TheCourseofCivilizationbyStrayer,
Gatzke&Harbison(1961)
Thebasictroublewasthatveryfewinhabitantsoftheempirebelievedthat
theoldcivilizationwasworthsavingtheoverwhelmingmajorityofthe
populationhadbeensystematicallyexcludedfrompoliticalresponsibilities.
Theycouldnotorganizetoprotectthemselvestheycouldnotserveinthe
army...Theireconomicplightwashopeless.Mostofthemwereserfs
boundtothesoil,andthesmallurbangroupssawtheircitiesslippinginto
uninterrupteddecline.
1.WhatwerethebasicproblemsfacingtheWesternRomanEmpire
accordingtotheauthors?
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Document2
Excerptfrom TheDeclineandFalloftheRomanEmpirebyEdward
Gibbon.
ThedeclineofRomewasthenaturalandinevitableeffectofimmoderate
greatness(largesize)TheintroductionofChristianity,hadsome
influenceonthedeclineandfalloftheRomanEmpire.Theclergy
successfullypreachedthedoctrineofpatiencetheactivevirtuesofsociety
werediscouragedandthelastremainsofmilitaryspiritwereburiedinthe
cloisteralargeportionofpublic&privatewealthwasconsecratedtothe
demandsofcharityanddevotion
2.AccordingtotheexcerptfromGibbon,whatweretwocausesforthe
fallofRome?Explainboth.
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Document3
Thisexcerptisfrom UsesofthePastbyHerbertJ.Muller.
FirsttheeconomicfactorWhiletheempirewasexpanding,itsprosperity
wasfedby plunderedwealthandbynewmarketsinthesemibarbaric
provinces.Whentheempireceasedtoexpand,however,economicprogress
soonceased.Theabundanceofslavesledtogrowthofthelatifundia,the
greatestatesthatcametodominateagricultureandruinthefreecoloni
(farmers)whodriftedtothecities,toaddtotheunemploymentthere.The
abundanceofslaveskeptwageslow.
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3a.WhateconomicissuesdoesMulleridentifyascausesfordecline?
Explain.
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3b.HowwasslaveryacauseforthedeclineoftheRomanEmpire?
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Document4
Thisexcerpt,from TheNewdealinOldRomebyHenryHaskell,blamesthe
declineontheheavytaxationrequiredtosupportthegovernmentexpenses.
Partofthemoneywentintothemaintenanceofthearmyandofthe
vastbureaucracyrequiredbyacentralizedgovernmenttheexpenseledto
stranglingtaxationTheheartwastakenoutofenterprisingmentenants
fledfromtheirfarmsandbusinessmenandworkmenfromtheiroccupations.
Privateenterprisewascrushed&thestatewasforcedtotakeovermany
kindsof businessestokeepthemachinerunning.Peoplelearnedtoexpect
somethingfornothing.TheoldRomanvirtuesofselfreliance&initiative
werelostinthatpartofthepopulationonrelief(welfare)Thecentral
governmentundertooksuchfarreachingresponsibilityinaffairsthatthe
fiberofthecitizensweakened.
4a.WhydidtheRomangovernmenthavelargeexpenses?
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4b.Whatwastheeffectofhigh taxationonthepeople?
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4c.Whateffectdidtheestablishmentofagovernmentwelfaresystem
haveonthepeople?
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Document5
Thisexcerpt,fromRomanswithoutLaurelsbyIndroMontanelli,blames
thefalloninternaldecay,specificallythatofthemilitary.
Rome,likeallgreatempires,wasnotoverthrownbyexternalenemiesbut
underminedbyinternaldecay....Themilitarycrisiswastheresultof
proudoldaristocracysshortageofchildren.(Consequently)
foreignerspouredintotheRomanarmy[was]composedentirelyof
Germans
5.Whatdoesthisauthoridentifyasthecauseofproblemsinthe
military?
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Document6
ThismapshowsthebarbarianinvasionsoftheRomanEmpireprior
to476.
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6a.Accordingtothemapabove,whatwasthecauseofthefallofthe
RomanEmpire?
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6b.Wasthisaunifiedattack?
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Task:WhatcausedthefalloftheWesternRomanEmpire?
Listcausesforeachofthecategoriesontheleftusingthedocumentsand
yourstudiesofAncientRomePolitical Social,Political,Economic,and
Military.
RemembertodowellontheRegentsyoumustnoteoutsideinformationin
youressay
Example:WhatcausedthefalloftheRomanEmpire?
Cause:Citizenswereapathetic(didnotcare),serfsindebtbondage
farmingindecline
Citieswereinhopelessdecline.(doc.1)
Effect:Lackofprideandeffortledtoafeelingofhopelessnessinthe
empire.
Thisledtoaslowandsteadydecay.
UsetheoutlineyoucreatedasabasisforyourDBQessay
Therealityofthe"FallofRome"splinter"or"crumble"wouldbeabetter
metaphor.Itwasalong,slowprocessofgovernmentaldecentralizationthat
ledtothebirthofseveralsmallerstatesfoundedlargelyonRomanlocal
administration
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ThesestatesforetoldoftheformationofmodernnationsofWesternEurope
andNorthAfrica.Thesenewstatesprovedstrongerandmoreadaptable
collectivethanthebureaucracyladenoldRomangovernment.