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Without the Nile River, all of Egypt would be desert.

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Back to History for Kids
Ancient Rome was a powerful and important civilization that ruled much of Europe for nearly 1000 years. The culture of Ancient Rome was spread throughout Europe during its rule. As a result, Rome's culture still has an impact in the Western world today. The basis for much of Western culture comes from Ancient Rome, especially in areas such as government, engineering, architecture, language, and literature.

The city of Rome is the capital of Italy today
Map of Italy from the CIA World Factbook

The Roman Republic

Rome first grew into power as a Republic. This meant that Rome's leaders, such as senators, were elected officials that served for a limited amount of time, not kings who were born into leadership and ruled for life. They had a complex government with written laws, a constitution, and a balance of powers. These concepts became very important in forming future democratic governments, like the United States.

The Republic would rule Rome for hundreds of years from around 509 BC to 45 BC.

The Roman Empire

In 45 BC Julius Caesar took over the Roman Republic and made himself the supreme dictator. This was the end of the republic. A few years later, in 27 BC, Caesar Augustus became the first Roman Emperor and this was the start of the Roman Empire. Much of the lower level government stayed the same, but now the Emperor had supreme power.

The Roman Forum was the center of government
Photo by Adrian Pingstone

The Empire Splits

As the Roman Empire grew it became more and more difficult to manage from the city of Rome. Eventually the Roman leaders decided to split Rome into two empires. One was the Western Roman Empire and was ruled out of the city of Rome. The other was the Eastern Roman Empire and was ruled out of Constantinople (today's Istanbul in Turkey). The Eastern Roman Empire would become known as Byzantium or theByzantine Empire.

Fall of Rome

The fall of Rome generally refers to the fall of the Western Roman Empire. It fell in 476 AD. The Eastern Roman Empire, or the Byzantine Empire, would rule parts of Eastern Europe for another 1000 years.

Interesting Facts about Ancient Rome

The city of Rome is the capital of Italy today. It sits on the same site as the city of ancient Rome. If you were to visit Rome you could see many of the original ancient buildings such as the Colosseum and the Roman Forum.

The Circus Maximus, a huge stadium built for chariot races, could seat around 150,000 people.

The fall of Western Rome is considered the start of the "Dark Ages" in Europe.

The highest position in the Roman Republic was the consul. There were two consuls at the same time to make sure that one didn't become too powerful.

The native language of the Romans was Latin, but they often spoke Greek as well.

When Julius Caesar took power he named himself dictator for life. However, this didn't last long as he was assassinated a year later.

Recommended books and references:

Nature Company Discoveries library: Ancient Rome by Judith Simpson. 1997.

Exploring the culture, people & ideas of this powerful empire by Avery Hart & Sandra Gallagher ; illustrations by Michael Kline. 2002.

Eyewitness Books: Ancient Rome written by Simon James. 2004.

Activities

Take a ten questionquiz about this page.
Ancient Rome crossword puzzle
Ancient Rome word search

Listen to a recorded reading of this page:

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For more about Ancient Rome:

Works Cited
Back to History for Kids

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Kids learn about the civilization and history of Ancient Rome including the Roman Republic, Empire, art, religion, army, daily life, people, Senate, and the fall of Rome. Educational articles for students, schools, and teachers.

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Greece has the longest coastline in Europe and is the southernmost country in Europe.

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Dragon dances have been performed in China for over 2,000 years and are believed to bring about good fortune.

OFFICIAL NAME: People's Republic of China

FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Communist state

CAPITAL: Beijing (Peking)

POPULATION: 1,397,897,720

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES: Standard Chinese, Mandarin

MONEY: Yuan (or renminbi)

AREA: 3,705,405 square miles (9,596,960 square kilometers)

MAJOR MOUNTAIN RANGES: Himalaya

MAJOR RIVERS: Yangtze, Yellow

Stretching 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) from east to west and 3,400 miles (5,500 kilometers) from north to south, China is a large country with widely varying landscapes. Its territory includes mountains, high plateaus, sandy deserts, and dense forests.

One-third of China's land area is made up of mountains. The tallest mountain on Earth, Mount Everest, sits on the border between China and Nepal.

China has thousands of rivers. The Yangtze and the Yellow Rivers are the most important. At 3,915 miles (6,300 kilometers) long, the Yangtze is the world's third largest river.
Map created by National Geographic Maps

PEOPLE & CULTURE

With a population of 1.4 billion, China has more people than any other country on Earth. About a third of the population lives in cities. The rest of the people live in the country.

Arts and crafts have a long history in China. Thousands of years ago the Chinese were some of the first people to use silk, jade, bronze, wood, and paper to make art. The artistic writing called calligraphy was invented in China.

Much of China's modern beliefs and philosophies are based on the teachings of a government official who lived nearly 3,000 years ago. Kongfuzi, also known as Confucius, taught people the value of such things as morality, kindness, and education.

China's diverse habitats are home to hundreds of species of animals and plants. More than 3,800 species of fish and hundreds of amphibians and reptile species live in the rivers, lakes, and coastal waters.

China's forest wildlife is threatened by logging and clear-cutting (clearing the land of all trees) for farmland. Expanding deserts in the north also shrink animal habitats. The Chinese government has created more than 1,200 reserves to protect plant and animal species.

The giant panda lives in the misty mountains of southwest China and nowhere else on Earth. They eat bamboo and usually live near stands of the woody evergreen plant. Pandas have been hunted and only about 1,600 remain in the wild.

GOVERNMENT & ECONOMY

China is an authoritarian state ruled by a very powerful central government. A huge workforce and lots of natural resources have driven economic change. This has forced the communist government to permit more economic and personal freedoms, but it has come at a huge cost to the environment.

Many experts predict that the 21st century will be the "Chinese century." Whether or not that proves to be true, there is no doubt that what happens in China will affect many other nations.

China is the home of one of the world's oldest civilizations, but it has only recently become a "modern" nation. In the last 20 years, China has changed faster than any other country in the world.

Chinese history is divided into dynasties, each of which marks the period when a line of emperors ruled. The first empire was the Qin dynasty and began in 221 B.C. The last emperor was overthrown in 1912, and China became a republic. The communist government began its rule in 1949 following a civil war with the Chinese Nationalists.

Ancient China was a land of invention. For centuries, China was way ahead of most other countries in science and technology, astronomy, and math. The Chinese invented paper, the magnetic compass, printing, porcelain, silk, and gunpowder, among other things.

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China Country Profile - National Geographic Kids

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Dragon dances have been performed in China for over 2,000 years and are believed to bring about good fortune.

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Build patterns, create and solve critical thinking problems, and model various math concepts with pattern blocks at MathPlayground.com!

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Interactive Clock | Analog Clock | Digital | Movable | Teaching Clock | Visnos

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Visnos interactive clock. Simple tool to teach telling the time using a colorful classroom analog clock. Show equivalent digital clock time. Learn about hours, minutes, and seconds step by step. Simply click and drag the movable hands. The clock can also be used to teach about fractions and angles.

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Student Portal - Fredericksburg City Public Schools "Excellence in Education"

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Class Code:
gex7602

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Instantly access over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids on Epic

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email to
emohrman@cityschools.com

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We're on a mission to save animals-and we need you! The first step in saving threatened and endangered animals is getting people to care. Here you can find activities to help spread the word about threatened animals.

Start by sending a letter to your local representatives.

More About Mission Animal Rescue

Mission Animal Rescue charges you to save our planet's most endangered and threatened animals. The initiative aims to inspire you to learn as much as possible about endangered animals and to take action to rescue them.

Through this site and through the Mission Animal Rescue books, you will have the opportunity to learn in-depth information about endangered animals, and to access resources and activities that help you get involved. By combining education, habitat protection, and a global network of volunteers, activists, and advocates, we can build a better world for animals and ourselves!

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We're on a mission to save animals-and we need you! The first step in saving threatened and endangered animals is getting people to care. Here you can find activities to help spread the word about threatened animals. Start by sending a letter to your local representatives.

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emohrman0

password: read216

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Kids A to Z login page for students, parents, and teachers

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Animal Diet Game - correctly label different animals as herbivores, carnivores and omnivores - and then watch them eat!

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username = student number
password = student number

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Sign in to IXL for Lafayette Upper Elementary! Students will love earning awards and prizes while improving their skills in math.

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Kids learn about water pollution and how it effects the environment and health. Study causes, pollutants, sources, and facts including acid rain.

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Thanks for visiting our Water - Use It Wisely kid's page. Take a look around and check out our resources for kids. It is easier to navigate than ever, so kids and adults can poke around, have fun and learn about water conservation in new ways.

Parents and teachers will love our water saving tip posters, which you can find under Water Saving Tips. These downloadable posters are perfect to get youngsters thinking about water use. The page also has lesson plans and tons of educational resources for teachers, which you'll find under the For Teachers link. And, of course, games like Tip Tank and Discover Water are perfect for kids of all ages. Check out the Games page for links to other cool water-related games and activities. You can test your water sense from our friends at EPA's WaterSense when you race through pipes and meet the water wasters. You can also take an interactive tour of how water works - from source to tap and back.

We enhanced our Kids page because we believe it is important to teach children early about water conservation so they can build smart habits that will last a lifetime. One way to do that is to watch the home water challenge video on our Water Challenge page.

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Water Conservation Resources For Kids | Water Use It Wisely

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Discover our water saving tips and resources for kids. The Water Use It Wisely campaign has created a resource to teach kids water conservation through fun interactive games and our 100+ Ways To Conserve Water. For teachers, we offer additional resources to help your students grasp water saving concepts.

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Did you know that kids can make a very important difference towards water conservation? But first off, why do we even need to know about conserving water? Water is a natural resource that we derive from the Earth. Without it, we would not be able to live! Imagine a world with no water at all. You wouldn't be able to drink it, bathe, swim and so on. Without clean water, other creatures, such as plants, animals, birds and ocean life would also get sick and die after drinking polluted water. Although kids don't work at large companies or the government, they can still make a huge impact simply by starting at home and changing the way their families, friends and classmates use water. To get an idea of how much water we could all save if we all made a small effort, think about this: If every person across the nation flushed their toilets one time less every day, together they could all save enough water to fill a lake as large as a mile wide and long and four feet in depth! Now that you know how easy it can be to help save water, try some of the ideas below and start doing your part to change our world.
20 Ways Kids Can Help to Save Water:

Whenever you wash your hands, don't leave the water running. Wet your hands and turn the water off. Use soap and lather your hands well, then turn the water on to rinse. Turn off the water and make sure it is off completely. Then dry your hands.

Do the same when you brush your teeth. Turn the faucet on to get your toothbrush and toothpaste wet, and then again to rinse your mouth and toothbrush. Don't leave the water running while you're brushing.

Tell your friends what you're doing and why and encourage them to do the same.

Tell adults when faucets are dripping.

Since baths use a lot of water (about 37 gallons on average), take short showers instead and use only about 20 gallons of water, instead.

Use a wastebasket for used tissues, or things like gum wrappers, paper towels, or even dead bugs or goldfish. Don't flush them - the average flush uses as much as 5 gallons of water! Even if the toilets in your house are "low-flow" toilets, using them for trash still uses 1.5 gallons of water unnecessarily.

A regular shower head uses as much as 7 gallons of water every minute. Let adults know they could get a free low-flow shower head at the local water district. Or, suggest that they look for a low flow shower head that has a cut-off valve that shuts off the water flow while lathering your hair or shaving legs. You can then turn the water back on, without it starting off cold again. This will help to conserve even more water while showering.

Do you have plants in your house? When meals are prepared and vegetables or other fresh produce are washed, collect that water and use it to water the plants.

In the tank part of the toilets in your house, put several drops of food coloring into the water. If you see the coloring seeping into the bowl, there's a leak. Fixing it can save about 600 gallons of water each month!

Do you like a drink of cold water now and then? Rather than running the kitchen faucet for several minutes to get cold water, keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator.

Put a barrel outdoors to catch rain water, then use that water for things like watering plants or flushing toilets and save hundreds of gallons of water a year!

In the summertime, it's fun to play under the lawn sprinkler. When you do, make sure it's when the lawn is being watered at the same time.

Do you have other summer water toys that require a running hose? These might be fun, but they also waste gallons and gallons of water.

Is there a garbage disposal in your kitchen sink? Then, you know the water has to run into it when you turn on the switch. Instead of doing that and wasting water, why not start composting food waste instead? Collect things like fruit skins and peels, vegetable leaves and stems, and even dead plants and flowers. In a ceramic container, keep them moist and toss them for air once a week. The compost can then be added to a garden like a vitamin for your outdoor plants!

Encourage the others in your home, and your friends, not to leave any faucet running. Only use what is truly needed!

If there is a dishwasher in your house, encourage everyone to scrape their plates rather than rinse them before loading them into the machine. It should always be full before turning it on.

Do you notice that your toilet handle "sticks" and has to be "jiggled" for the toilet to stop flushing? If this is happening, water is continuously running through the toilet and needs to be fixed. Let the adults in your home know.

Is there a leaky faucet or toilet in the bathroom at school? Be sure to let someone know so that it can be repaired.

If there is a pool or a hot tub at your house, encourage those who use it to cover it afterwards. This prevents evaporation and having to keep refilling.

If the adults in your home occasionally water the lawn, encourage them to water in the cooler parts of the day (early morning, or at or after sunset), and never on windy days. This keeps in the soil all the water being sprayed instead of most of the water being lost to evaporation.

Even if you do just one thing each day to contribute to your home's water conservation, you're doing the right thing!
Use these resources to find out more!

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Did you know that kids can make a very important difference towards water conservation? But first off, why do we even need to know about conserving water? Water is a natural resource that we derive from the Earth. Without it, we would not be able to live!

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Round numbers to power your bike on to the victory circle.

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Match Around is a fun online rounding game that helps kids improve their math skills. Players match a number with the number it rounds to.

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Learn to compare numbers up to 10000 with this fun arcade math game.

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Amazing pets, epic battles and math practice. Prodigy, the no-cost math game where kids can earn prizes, go on quests and play with friends all while learning math.

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Play Alien Addition at Math Playground! Practice addition facts in this far-out math game.

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Use subtraction to place the family at Thanksgiving dinner.

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Pacman Maze Game

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Mathman - Round Numbers To The Nearest Hundred

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Estimate numbers on a number line the fun way with this pac man style math game.