Ancient Rome Civilization

1. Unit 4: Ancient Rome Civilization

2. Lesson 3: The First Code of Roman Law - The Twelve Tables

Key Concept: Change
Related Concept/s: Conflict, Perspective
Global Context: Fairness, Development

3. Lesson Objectives:

•Explain how the Twelve Tables were created,
and one potential reason why.
• Describe the three characteristics of the
Twelve Tables that were influential to present
Kazakhstan.
•Improve their learning practice of self-inquiry
and research through an action plan.

4. Statement of Inquiry

Modern administration
and governance styles
have developed from
ancient history.

5. SCENARIO

Imagine you are a
citizen living in a
society that is
governed by
UNWRITTEN
LAWS.

6.

Suppose your neighbor breaks a
law, and the government official
who is in charge of enforcing the
laws makes them pay a small
fine.

7.

Then, you break the same
law, but the same
government official tells
you to pay a much larger
sum than your neighbor.

8. TALK AND TURN

Would this system lead to
inequality and injustice?
Why or why not?

9. PROBLEM

So how can we ensure
that the law is applied
equally to all citizens?

10. CAUSE

The government official’s power is arbitrary.
Essentially, the law exists in the official’s mind,
so the official is the ultimate authority not the
law.
ARBITRARY- based on random choice or by
chance or as an unreasonable act of an
individual will without facts or applicable law.

11. EFFECT

Pre-Reading
Questions:
Contextualization

12. Evaluating the Twelve Tables -- Early Roman Law

Evaluating the Twelve Tables -Early Roman Law
1. Identify at least two laws from the Twelve Tables that you believe are
fair and unfair.
2. Do you think most modern Kazakh would approve or disapprove of
the Twelve Tables as a system of law today? Why or why not?
3. How is the Twelve Tables of ancient Rome continues to influence
countries today?
4. Laws are created to address contemporary problems. After reading
the Twelve Tables, what do you think some of the major problems in
the Roman population were?
5. If you were a historian researching what life was like for people
living in the Roman Republic, would you consider The Twelve Tables a
reliable source? Why or why not?

13. CONCLUSION

451 B.C. – Laws were written down, called the Twelve Tables.
The Twelve Tables were the first laws ever written down and shown
to the public in Ancient Rome. The Twelve Tables were displayed in
the Roman Forum or marketplace. The Twelve Tables were also the
earliest surviving writings of Ancient Rome.
When the founding fathers started to draw up the Constitution, they
looked at Rome, and were inspired by The Twelve Tables to write the
first laws of the United States. The Twelve Tables were used as a basis
of future law throughout the world.
Rome was changing. The people of Rome were changing. The
citizens of Rome were getting tired of being ruled by others. They
wanted to rule themselves.

14. RESEARCH!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZxpGj5SIbs

15.

What problems that many
students face (including
Spongebob) when asked
to
write a research paper?

16. SOLUTION

17. REFLECTION

What makes an effective action
plan?
How can action plan help you in
your research?