Roman Government

& Social Structure

Open Questions

Created by Marion Wadowski for Ancient History Encyclopedia

Objectives  Engage students to think more broadly about a historical

point or social concept, building upon knowledge and methods
previously seen, especially by linking past and present in a
meaningful manner
 Expose students to more complex topics 
 Improve students’ presentation skills, orally or written in a
structured and well-founded way

Needed Materials and  Questions included in this lesson

Information  Optional: activities 1 to 5 from this Government and Social
Structure in Ancient Rome sub-unit
 Optional: marking grids and tips for students on how to write a
good essay or have a constructive debate

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 Lesson Plan Essay Questions

Instructions
50 minute class periods needed and this includes the wrap-up activity. It could be less if students are
required to complete some parts at home.

 We have gathered in this lesson some of the essay questions that you can find in
activities 1 to 5 of this sub-unit. All of these questions can be used in various ways, as
you see fit for your students. Here are some suggestions:
o Essay
o Oral presentation

o Debate
o Station activity or gallery walk (you could have groups of students thinking
of possible answers for each question)
o Doodle notes to prepare for a lesson

 The questions can be all done in groups but you may choose to have students work
individually too. They all work well as assignments or homework.

 We know that it can be daunting to tackle the more complex questions in social
studies. From getting the students ready to answer to finding the right questions,
marking and evaluating… This is why we have provided you with marking grids,
student tips and elements of answers in the hope that it will make your life easier
and that you feel equipped to deal with such topics, together with your students.
 You can find them all on our website: https://www.ancient.eu/edu/

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 Question 1 Ancient Roman Patronage
Name Date

Patronage was an important part of Roman society. Here is a great video to understand
better what it was: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD7Gux8R2DA

1) Summarize the concept of patronage in ancient Rome.

2) In what way does it resemble or differ from modern social media?

3) Choose a famous Roman consul and choose a current social medium

(Instagram, Snap chat, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Imagine what their profile
would look like and make a poster with 5 posts from the consul you chose.

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 Question 2 Cultural Identity
Name Date

Roman identity was very strong and essential for social stability. You had to be a “good
Roman” and for this, you had to be a citizen and above all, able to vote.

1) What does it mean to be a “good American” or a good citizen of a stay (like

Texas)? You can choose the country or the city you are from. You could also
choose to address your religious identity, the school you’re in or your family:
What does it mean to be a “Smith” for example.

Give at least three examples of “good behavior or values”.

2) Do you feel pressure or, on the contrary, a drive to behave as it is expected of

you based on that identity? Or a bit of both? Explain why.

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 Question 3 Fairness of Democracy
Name Date

1) Do you think everybody was represented fairly in ancient Roman Society?

justify your answer with precise examples.

2) How does Rome compare with the government in your country today? Do you
feel your government is fair? Why?

3) How would you organize the vote for your country’s leader? Would you do the
same as it is now? Give two examples of what you would do differently or keep
the same and explain why.

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 Question 4 Monarchy vs Democracy
Name Date

1) Define the concepts of monarchy and democracy in two short paragraphs.

2) When taking the example of ancient Rome, it’s easy to draw the conclusion that
monarchies are less optimal than democracies. Do you think this is always the
case? Why? Provide examples of monarchies and democracies in the world
today to justify your answer.

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 Answer Essay Questions
s

Question 1
Those in power were obliged to care for those beneath them. The consul, emperor, or
head-of-the-house provided their charges with parental care and necessities and, in return,
received their loyalty and service. The more “clients” followed a “patron”, the more
popular he appeared.

Main similarity: more followers = popularity!

Main difference: the obligations were mutual. But maybe this is not a difference with
today’s social media after all. Maybe followers feel a pressure, an “obligation” to “like” or
“follow” certain persons. This should give you a good insight into your students’ life!

Question 2
This is by far the trickiest question of them all and we do not believe that there is a good or
a bad answer. As long as the students justify their opinions with examples… Here is a very
interesting article that can give you some pointers:
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/what-makes-good-american-36607
We would recommend that you have this question answered orally in small groups first
and then as a whole class. this would allow you to moderate some points of view should the
need arise.

Question 3
It is often said that the ancient Roman democracy was more of a democracy for the rich,
mainly because of the voting process, with the richest having more weight with their votes.
As for the second part of the question, it will be interesting to hear or read how the students
feel as citizens or within the context they chose (school, family, religion, etc.). We believe
this is a question that could get you to know your students and understand them even
more...

Question 4
What you could expect from your students here is some research into successful
monarchies and perhaps democracies that are sometimes criticized nowadays. You could
mention Monaco’s monarchy which does not look dictatorial and maybe the United States
or France for democracies which come under regular criticism. Then, your students should
provide a bit of a presentation for both political system and show their pros and cons. In
their conclusion, they may decide for themselves what would work best. As long as they
justified their answer, there is no right or wrong!

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