Unit Plan 26 (Grade 6 Social Studies): Rome’s Republic and Laws
Roman governance, the Senate, and the Twelve Tables laid the foundations of rule of law and citizenship, showing how written laws, shared rights, and civic responsibilities shaped fairness, voice, and public life in the early Roman Republic.
Focus: Explore the Roman Senate, the Twelve Tables, and Roman citizenship and law as foundations of the republic.
Grade Level: 6
Subject Area: Social Studies (Civics • History • Geography • Economics)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Students investigate how Romans organized public life through institutions (Senate, assemblies, magistrates) and written laws (Twelve Tables). They connect purposes of government to Roman solutions for order and fairness, then examine citizenship—rights, roles, and responsibilities—in a society balancing elite power and popular voice.
Essential Questions
- What problems did Roman laws and institutions try to solve?
- How did the Twelve Tables promote rule of law and fairness?
- Who was considered a citizen in the Roman Republic, and what rights/responsibilities followed?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Describe the purposes/functions of Roman government and where key decisions were made (Senate, assemblies, magistrates).
- Explain how the Twelve Tables made law public and predictable; apply excerpts to simple scenarios.
- Compare Roman structures and decision-making to another system (e.g., Athenian assembly or Persian imperial rule).
- Identify and evaluate the roles/rights/responsibilities of Roman citizens (patrician/plebeian) including tribunes and veto.
- Interpret civic ideals (justice, rule of law, common good) across Rome and earlier codes; articulate legacies of Roman law.
Standards Alignment — 6th Grade (C3-based custom)
- 6.C3.Civ.1 — Describe purposes/functions of governments (order, security, resource management) in historical/modern contexts.
- 6.C3.Civ.2 — Compare governance structures (city-states, kingdoms, empires, republics) and decision-making processes.
- 6.C3.Civ.3 — Explain roles, rights, responsibilities of members within different systems (citizens, subjects, classes).
- 6.C3.Civ.4 — Interpret civic ideals (justice, rule of law, common good) across cultures and times.
- 6.C3.Hist.4 — Identify turning points/big ideas (law codes, democracy, republics) and their legacies.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can locate where Roman decisions happened and explain why (Senate, assemblies, magistrates).
- I can use a Twelve Tables excerpt to decide a case and justify my decision.
- I can compare Roman government to another system and state one key difference in who has a voice.