Legal Code

Legal Code - Rome/US

- Twelve Tables
- publicly displayed
- gave rights to plebeians, not just aristocrats
- only protected free-born male citizens (not women)

Bill of Rights
- first ten amendments to the constitution

1 - free speech/press/religion
2 - bear arms
3 - no quartering
4 - no search and seizure
5 - no self-incrimination
6 - right to fair trial
7 - jury trials
8 - no cruel or unusual punishment
9 - right to privacy and rights are assumed
10 - states have power where fed doesn't

res publica

Res publica - the people's affairs

brand new republic, ready to run

- democracy (the people's assembly and the tribunes)
- aristocracy (the senate - approximately 300 members)
- plus monarchy (the consuls)
- not a tyranny (a mistake the Romans did not care to repeat)

Gov't.: ancient Rome/USA

- originally, the US modeled their new government on the model used by the ancient Romans
- But both have three branches of government

• executive
• legislative 
• judicial 

- and both have a legal code

3 branches (1) - Rome/US

Executive (Rome)

- two consuls
- one year terms
- each has veto power
- controls the military
- could appoint a dictator in a crisis for a six-month term

Executive (US)

- President (plus VP)
- four year terms
- can veto proposal laws
- commander - in - chief of the military

3 Branches (2)

Legislative (Rome)

- Senate: 300 People - aristocrats - members for life
- Assemblies (either Centuriate or tribal) 193 members (later 373) - members for life

Legislative (US)

- Senate: 100 senators (two from each state) - six-year terms
- House of Representatives - 435 members (55 from California; MD has 8; AK, DE, MT, ND, SD, VT, WY have 1)
- two-year terms

3 Branches (3)

Judicial (Rome)

- Praetors
- Chosen by the Centuriate Assembly
- one-year terms

Judicial (US)

- Supreme Court
- nine members
- lifetime terms
- appointed by the President, confirmed by the Senate















 

More Notes of Rome

Now Tarquin's kind of proud, but he got a little loud....

- Lucius Tarquinias Superbus

- The seventh and final King of Rome (test question)

- Known as Tarquin the Proud (sometimes referred to as Tarquin the Proud (sometimes referred to as Tarquin the Arrogant)

- A true tyrant, in the old and modern sense of the word

....They turned around and ran that tyrant outta town / next thing you know, no kings no more...

- The people's  shock at this horrible family and their terrible behavior made them never want to be subject to the rule of kings ever again - this was an altitude that lasted for centuries 

Hey, we got three governments rolled into one Patricians and plebeians having some fun

- Rule of kings is replaced by rule of two consuls ("gotta be better than one")

- Consuls are elected officials 

- term of office: one year

- Always aristocrats (patricians)

- Patricians traced their descent from a famous ancestor, or pater ("father")

- duties: dealing justice, making law, commanding the army one consul could veto the other (reducing the power of the individual)

Then a challenge from the "regular folks"

- Fifth century BCE: patrician dominance of the government was challenged by the plebs (people)

Who Settled in Rome?

Who Settled in Rome?

Estruscans

- came from north-central part of the peninsula
- metalworkers, artists, architects
two foundations myths:
- Virgil's Aeneid (where Aeneas escapes from Troy - sound familiar?)
- The story of Remus and Romulus

Greeks

- they had many colonies around the Mediterranean Sea
- Romans borrowed ideas from them, such as: religious beliefs, alphabet, much of their art, military techniques and weaponry

But who settled there first? the Latins

- descendants of Indro - Europeans
- settled on the banks of the Tiber
- situated so trading ships - but not war fleets - could navigate as far as Rome, but not further
- a commercial port, but not susceptible to attack

- Romulus = Rome

They drained a swamp...

- many streams flowed into the Tiber
- there was a marshy area called the Forum, between Palatine and Capitoline Hills
- Tarquin the Proud's grandfather built the Cloaca Maxima (largest ancient drain), which channeled water into the Tiber
- urban legend says Washington DC was built on a swamp - but only about 2% was actually swampland - however, Constitution Avenue is located on what used to be called Tiber Creek

Checking Answers

Today in Western civ I got my test grade back and wasn't very happy about it and we went over finishing up the answers and argued and earned 4 points because we were confused on many questions. That brought my grade up a little bit but didn't change the letter grade so I'm still not jumping for joy. The class was only 30 minutes long because we had a 2 hour early dismissal and got out at 12:45 so we basically spent the whole time just checking answers. I was happy because it was the last class of the day and I got to go home early.

Greece Test

Today in class I took the test I missed yesterday which I did not like. I thought I failed it because I never heard of some of those names before. Later someone sent a picture of what they wrote down yesterday so I copied it in my notes:

Ancient Rome & Early Christianity (500 BCE - A.D. 500)

Power and Authority: Rome began as a republic, a government in which elected officials represent the people. Eventually, absolute rulers called emperors seized power and expanded the empire

Empire Building: The Roman Empire touched three continents (Europe, Africa, Asia). For several centuries, Rome brought peace and prosperity to its empire before its eventual collapse

Religious and Ethical Systems: Out of Judea rose a monotheistic religion known as Christianity. Based on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, it soon spread throughout Rome and beyond

Sick

I was sick today so I didn't go to school and will take the test tomorrow.