The Decline and Fall of Rome

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The Decline and Fall of Rome

• Chapter 5, Section 5
• TEST TUESDAY

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Remember what happened?

• Jesus spreads the word of God
• Pontius Pilate calls for his death
• His followers believe he comes back!!
• Jesus story is basis of Christianity
• Called the New Testament
• The Romans DID accept them
• but many thought they were harmful for not
  worshiping the emperors!

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The Decline of the Roman Empire

• Marcus Aurelius dies
• Political Issues
• 50 years 22 Emperors
• Many are murdered!
• Is that good or bad? WHY?
• Tons of Invasions on the empire!
• Too big to protect from Germanic Tribes

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• Economic and Military Issues
• Invasions, Civil Wars, and Plague
• Cause decline in Trade (If you are dead, you cant
  trade!)
• Farms Sink
• Everyone is dead because of Plague
• Invaders destroy the farms
• No Money
• No Soldiers
• No Recruiting
• No Protection

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Good Emperors, Bad Results

• The Empire is too big! Make adjustments.
• Divide it up into 4 equal parts
• Army gets bigger
• Fight Inflation A rapid increase in prives
• Population was not growing, no tax money
• New armies and civil programs drain
• Constantine comes in as emperor

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Divided Empire East v West

• East Constantinople
• West Rome
• Invasions from Everywhere! Pressure!!
• Huns from Asia Visigoths from Germany
• Vandals from Spain (ruthless vandal)

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476 AD Rome Falls WHY?

• Christianity weakens Military values
• Lead posioning from water pipes causes mental
  decline
• Plague wipes out a tenth (1/10) of the population
• Rome fails to advance because of Slavery