YEAR 7 HISTORY

Research Booklet Due:

Website Due:
Name:

Chelsea Lineham

Teache

Mr Volz

Instrument:
Unit 1
Genre:
Mode:
Audience:
Purpose:

Research Assignment
Written
Academic Audience
To demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of life in Ancient Rome

Units of Work Studied:

Ancient Rome

Conditions:
Time: 4 weeks

Open access to resources

To be completed using some library lessons, some in-class time and 20
minutes per school week night during the 4 week period. NB. No regular class
homework will be given during this 4 week period.
The research booklet is to be considered an essential and significant part of the
assignment and should be completed in full before the website is started.
The finished assignment is to be submitted as a presentation with at least 10
slides.

Submission Requirements:
Research Booklet
600 word discussion (in digital form)
Evidence of planning to be submitted

Results Summary:
Knowledge and
Understanding

Questioning and
Researching

Analysing and
Interpreting

Communication

Task:
As a passionate member of Royal Australian Historical Society, you have been selected to
create website section on an aspect of ancient Rome for the launch of the RAHSs new
ancient history website.
You must choose one of the following areas to research for your website:
Roman government and religion

Life in Ancient Rome

A famous individual (e.g. one of the Caesars)

Natural environment and Roman Architecture

The Roman empire and its legacy

GUIDLINES
You MUST complete the research booklet first
You MUST follow the format of a website as shown on the sheet attached to this
assessment task.

The majority of your work should be completed during the research process.

You MUST include a correctly formatted bibliography

Your assignment should be handed in at the beginning of the class on the day your
assignment is due.
If an extension is required it must be applied for prior to the due date and can only be
approved by the Head of Faculty, Mr Wilson.

On the due date all the following items should be handed to your teacher:
o

The criteria sheet

A printed copy of your presentation

Your research booklet

Referencing Style Guide:

This document must be followed for all assignments submitted at the College.

Extension:
If illness, family circumstances or other difficulties will prevent you from presenting
your assessment on the due date, you must explain this when requesting an
extension.
Extensions MUST BE AUTHORISED by the relevant HEAD OF FACULTY AT LEAST

24 HOURS BEFORE the due date.

An extension has been
Date:
granted until:

_________________________

Head of Faculty Signature:

Student Signature:

Validation Requirements for Assignments Submitted for

Assessment:

This is a significant task and as part of your preparation for it, you are encouraged
to seek information from a variety of sources, including experts. This is a record of the
development of your work. Please indicate below how and at which point in the writing
process, you decided to access these resources. You must provide evidence of the process
of how you have produced your work in order to establish authorship.

It is a requirement of all assignments (written and spoken) that work submitted be

your own work and that this must be able to be established.

RESOURCES
Material

Internet

School library

Outside

STAGES OF TEXT PRODUCTION

Original Ideas
Rough Draft
Final Copy

libraries

Computer

Magazines

Class materials

Other
(please
specify)
Human

Teacher

Peers

Family

Librarian

ESL teacher

Tutor

Other Expert

If you plagiarise, you are stealing the work and intellectual property of others. It is
academic dishonesty. This does not mean that you cannot include the ideas and/or words of
others in your assignments. What it does mean is that any such inclusions must be
referenced appropriately, acknowledging that this is the work of others. Use the College
Style Guide to ensure that your referencing follows accepted academic conventions.

Declaration of Originality:


I, ________________________________ , declare the work presented in this assignment
response is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, original and my own work, except as I
have acknowledged within the text. The ideas are mine and I have not copied any material
from other sources, tutors or other students. To validate this, I have ensured that plans,
drafts and any other appropriate documentation (as required) have been attached.

Signature:
_____________________________________
_______________________

Date:

and
and
and

Commun Analysing Questioning

Knowledge

YEAR 7 HISTORY ANCIENT EGYPT - RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT

B
C
D

The student:

Utilizes a wide range of

key dates and
historical facts to
provide detailed and
effective support for
Systematic
organisation of
information from a
wide range of primary
and secondary sources
as evidence
to
used
Discerningly
justifies

The student:
The student:

Utilizes a range of key

Identifies important
dates and historical
key dates and
facts to support their
historical facts which
explanations
support their
explanations

Effective organisation
Organisation of
of information from a
information from a
range of primary and
range of primary and
secondary sources
secondary sources
used as evidence to
used as evidence to
answer
Justifies inquiry
explanations
answer
Providesinquiry
explanations

The student:

Identifies some
basic key dates and
historical facts
which relate to
their explanations
Identification and
selection of
information from a
narrow range of
primary and
sources
secondary
Occasionally

The student:
Shows a limited
understanding of
key dates and
historical facts
Provides brief or
Identification of
information from
obvious sources
connected to
inquiry questions

Limited analysis
explanations through
through thoughtful and
through appropriate
analyses evidence
of evidence
thoughtful and
detailed analysis of
analysis of evidence
to support

detailed analysis of
evidence
explanations
Provides explanations
Does not
evidence
Justifies explanations
Synthesizes some
through synthesizing
synthesize
In a written response, the In a written response, the In a written response, In a written response, In a
written
student:
student:
the student:
the student:
response, the
student:
Writes effectively with
Writes clearly with few Writes appropriately
Struggles to write
Makes frequent
few mistakes
mistakes
and mistakes do not
clearly and

icating

RESULTS

Knowledge and Understanding

Questioning and Researching

Analysing and Interpreting

Communicating

Year 7 History

Page 5 of 32

 TEACHER COMMENTS

Year 7 History

Page 6 of 32

1.

What is this assignment asking me to do?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

2.

Which group of people/event am I interested in researching? Why?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

3.

Now do some general reading on the group/event you have chosen from the
textbook or internet.

Source 1: (record the bibliographical details and the page numbers

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
Notes:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Year 7 History
Page 7 of 32

 Source 2: (record the bibliographical details and page numbers)

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
Notes:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

Did my general reading help me understand my chosen group of people/event

better or have I changed my mind about the people/event I want to research?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

Year 7 History
Page 8 of 32

4.

Now draw a concept map showing everything you know about your selected
group of people that will help you to research more effectively.

Suggested Focus Questions for each topic:

Year 7 History
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 Life in ancient Rome:

Definitions Questions:
a. What was the power structure (government) of ancient Rome? How did it work
and how long did it last?
b. What were the defining characteristics and responsibilities of each social class
within ancient Rome?
c. What was the status of men and women ancient Rome?
Backgrounds Questions:
d. Why did Roman religion play such an important role during this time and what
else did it provide society after religious guidance?
e.

How did the natural environment and geography of Rome influence everyday
life?

Consequences and Effects Questions:

f.

Why has ancient Roman society and life had such a significant impact on the
history of the world?

The Natural Environment and Roman Architecture

Definitions Questions:

a. What were key geographical features of the land of Rome? What was the
significance of the Tiber?

b. How did they build the Coliseum and other major monuments?
c. What are the Romans known for when it comes to architecture?
Backgrounds Questions:
d. Why did the Romans build the Coliseum?
e. What was the link between the government of Rome and the Coliseum?
f. How did the Romans manage food and water?

Consequences and Effects Questions:

g. How did they use and manage the resources of their region to their
advantage?

Roman Government and Religion

Year 7 History
Page 10 of 32

 Definitions Questions:
a. What were the defining characteristics of ancient Roman religious beliefs?
b. What were the defining characteristics of ancient Roman government?
c. What were some important government or religious texts and what were they
about?
Backgrounds Questions:
d. How did Roman beliefs about the Caesars help maintain the Caesars power
over society?
e. Why did the Romans usually tolerate other religions? Explain why the Romans were
intolerant of Christianity.

Consequences and Effects Questions:

f. How did Rome help shape the social, political, religious, military and
intellectual/creative institutions we have today?

A famous individual
Definitions Questions:
a. What are the basic biographical details of your famous individual? E.g. birth,
death, location, achievements, family, etc.
b. What was life like in the area and time where your chosen individual lived and
worked?
c. What were the major milestones/events of your chosen individuals life?
Backgrounds Questions:
d. Why does your chosen individual stand out against his/her fellow contemporaries?
e. What conditions or previous historical events allowed your chosen individual
to make a positive difference or influence the time period?

Consequences and Effects Questions:

f. How did your famous individual influence or change the world in which he/she
inhabited? Or, what is the significance of your chosen individual within the
broader context of the ancient period?

Year 7 History
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The Roman empire and its legacy

Definitions Questions:
a.

How were ancient Rome and its empire organised and governed?

b.

What were the effects of conflicts within Roman society and between Rome

and other societies?

c.

What have been the legacies of ancient Rome?

Backgrounds Questions:
d.

What is the legend of Romes Origin and why did the wolf become a symbol of

Rome?
e.

What were the main beliefs, values and cultural achievements of the ancient

Romans?
Consequences and Effects Questions:
f.

What were some of the most significant events in the history of ancient

Rome?

Year 7 History
Page 12 of 32

 Now answer the relevant focus questions:

Focus question a.
How were ancient Rome and its empire organised and governed?
Source 1: (record the bibliographical details, including page numbers)
C N Trueman. (2016). How was Rome Governed? Available:
www.historylearningsite.co.uk/ancient-rome/how-was-rome-governed/. Last
accessed 7th Sep 2016.
Direct information from the text (include page numbers):
Rome, in its earliest days, was governed by kings. However, Ancient Rome was to
develop its own form of government that allowed the Romans to govern
themselves (paragraph one). Citizens of Rome would gather at an assembly to
elect their own officials. The chief officials of Rome were called consuls and there
were two of them. The consuls governed for a year. If they did not live up to
expectations, they could be voted out of office at the next election (paragraph
two). In addition to consuls, there were other elected officials judges, magistrates
and tax collectors being some of them (paragraph three). The consuls could not be
expected to know everything. They were advised by a Senate. This was made up of
leading citizens of Rome and when they met, the Senate would discuss issues such
as proposed new laws, financial issues affecting Rome etc. (paragraph four). There
were about 600 men in the Senate. They were usually from rich noble families and
what they thought went a long way to determining Roman law. (paragraph four).
Interpretation (how does the above information answer the focus question?):
The Information above answers the focus question because it tells me who
governed and how they got into the governed position, it tells me who is it the top
of the government and who is at the bottom of the government, it tells me what
kind of people were in the government and it tells me what all the people in the
government do.

Year 7 History
Page 13 of 32

 Source 2: (record the bibliographical details including page numbers)

Heather Wheeler. (2014). The Romans-Society. Available:
www.historyonthenet.com/romans/society.htm. Last accessed 7th Sep 2016.
Direct information from the text:
The people of Rome in order were, The Emperor head of Society and ruler of all
Rome, Patrician families wealthy influential landowning families, Senators Served
in the Senate and governed Rome, Equestrians Wealthy property owners who
chose business over politics, Plebeians Working class. Men without substantial
wealth who worked for their living at jobs such as artisans, craftsmen, bakers etc.,
Freed Slaves who had either been given their freedom or had paid for their
freedom and now worked for their livinSlaves and Generally prisoners of war but
sometimes abandoned children who were owned by their master. The patrician
class were the descendants of the most ancient and powerful noble families. They
were landowners, lived in large houses and they had political power in the Senate.
Plebeians were mainly artisans or peasants who worked the patricians' land; they
lived in apartments and they had no political rights. If they were lucky plebeians
could become clients (obedient servants) of a patrician family. They offered their
services in return received the protection of the head of the patrician family, who
became their patron.
Interpretation:
The above information answers the focus questions because it tells me the
hierarchy of ancient Rome, it tells me which people in Rome did what jobs, it tells
me how they lived and why they live there and it tells me who were the higher
class, middle class and lower class.
Source Commentary:
Choose one of your sources and respond to the following prompts:
1. Explain why it can be classified as either a primary or secondary source.
(Analysis)
2. Justify the degree of reliability of your chosen source. (Evaluation)
3. Suggest how you can use this source when completing your website
(Decision-Making)

The source I am choosing is the first source. It is a secondary source because it is

information that is second hand information and it is information that was first
found elsewhere. It is secondary because it is information that someone found
before me for me to read. This source is really reliable because it is a source that
specialises in and presents a lot of history and it is not just about ancient Rome. It
is reliable because it is a website that has been made by one person alone and all
Year 7 History
Page 14 of 32

the information came from the same person. I can use this source when completing
this website because this website doesnt just tell me about how Rome was
governed but it tells me a lot of other things about ancient Rome. I can use this
source because I can trust all the information is coming from the same person and
it isnt a bunch of people saying what they think is true.
Focus Question b.
b. What were the effects of conflicts within Roman society and between Rome and
other societies?
Source1: (record the bibliographical details including the page numbers)
Frank E. Smitha. (2015). The Punic Wars Change Rome. Available:
www.fsmitha.com/h1/rome07.htm. Last accessed 8th Sep 2016.
Direct information from the text:
The wars against Carthage changed Rome. The Senate had gained in power and
prestige relative to the people's assemblies, the Comitias Plebes. The Romans
emerged from the Punic wars with the widespread understanding that ultimate
authority over the military lay with the Senate, that it was the Senate's job to
know, advise and guide, and the Senate's job to decide the question of war or
peace and other foreign policy matters. (paragraph one). Rome's second war
against Carthage reduced the number of people in the Italian countryside. Men had
gone off to war. People had died and people had moved to the cities to escape war.
Some people had left the countryside to work in the arms industry, and some had
left for Rome looking for subsistence. The new arrivals in Rome enjoyed the
festivals and other public entertainment that were created to maintain public
morale during the dark days of the war. (paragraph two)
Interpretation:
The above information answers the focus question because it tells me what effects
the wars had on Rome, it tells me what people did about the circumstances, it tells
me who moved into the city and how it affected the city and what the city did
about it. It tells me who had power over who and it tells me what part of the
country was highly populated and which parts have a low population.

Year 7 History
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Source 2: (record bibliographical details including page numbers)

Thomas S. Burns. (2003). Rome and the Barbarians. Available:
www.fsmitha.com/review/r-burns.htm. Last accessed 9th Sep 2016.
Direct information from the text:
Romans believed themselves superior to their barbarian neighbours. They looked
upon their own civil wars as grave affairs while "making light" of the endemic
warfare among the barbarians. (paragraph one). Rome was interested in peace and
stability on its borders. Barbarians were threatening and invading each other,
including those societies with which Rome had alliances. In addition to protecting
its barbarian allies, Rome pressured these allies to limit their warfare. (paragraph
one). Rome was not eager to intervene militarily against its barbarian neighbours
because such interventions were expensive and Rome was not infinitely rich. And
there was no guarantee that even a successful war would not "lead to a return to
less secure and predictable barbarian leadership rather than the reverse.
(paragraph 9).
Interpretation:
The above information answers the source because it tells me how the Romans
viewed the barbarians and it tells me how the barbarians viewed the romans. It
answers the focus question because it tells me what the Romans wanted and how
it was different to what the barbarians wanted. It also tells me what the Romans
didnt want and what the barbarians didnt want.
Source Commentary:
Choose one of your sources and respond to the following prompts:
1. Explain why it can be classified as either a primary or secondary source.
(Analysis)
2. Justify the degree of reliability of your chosen source. (Evaluation)
3. Suggest how you can use this source when completing your website
(Decision-Making)
Year 7 History
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I am using source 1. It can be classified as a secondary source because it is second
hand information and it is information that was found elsewhere. This source is
about 90% reliable because I dont know who wrote it, I dont know how old the
person was and I dont know if this information is absolutely accurate. I can use
this source when using this website because it answers part of the focus question
and I can use it because it is information I need.

Focus Question c.
What have been the legacies of ancient Rome?
Source 1: (record the bibliographical details, including the page numbers)
no author listed. (2016). The Legacy of Rome. Available:
www.romanfrontier.eu/en/about-limes/legacy-rome-what-have-romans-done-us.
Last accessed 13th Sep 2016.
Direct information from the text:
The Roman Empire was one of the largest and most influential Empires the world
has seen. The frontiers of the Empire were places where cultures mixed, trade and
commerce flourished, tensions could run high and there was the constant threat of
invasion and raids. They were places too where Romes power and splendour was
visibly displayed to the world beyond. Romes legacy is still seen and felt in these
frontier regions, in architecture and town plans, in boundaries and field divisions, in
language and culture, in religion, law and administration. (paragraph one). These
remains and their status as a World Heritage Site are testimony to the splendour
and influence of the Roman Empire which continues to affect daily life across much
of Europe. Even today in some places the influence of the old divide between those
inside and those outside the former frontiers can still be seen in language and
culture, religion and way of life.(paragraph three).
Interpretation:
Year 7 History
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 The above information answers the question because it tells me what some of the
roman legacies are and how we can use them in modern society. It tells me what
can be learnt from the legacies and we can make sure we dont make the same
mistakes as we did because Rome eventually fell really rapidly.

Year 7 History
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 Source 2: (record the bibliographical details, including the page numbers)

No author listed. (2016). Legacy of Rome. Available: www.ducksters.com History
Ancient Rome. Last accessed 14 Sep 2016.
Direct information from the text:
The civilization of Ancient Rome had a lasting legacy on world history. Not only did Ancient
Rome cover a vast amount of land at its peak, but it also existed for almost 1000 years.
The legacy of Ancient Rome is still felt today in western culture in areas such as
government, law, language, architecture, engineering, and religion. (paragraph one). Many
modern-day governments are modelled after the Roman Republic. Concepts such as
balance of powers, veto, and representation all were developed and recorded by the
Romans. The United States has three branches of government similar to the Roman
Republic. The Executive Branch (President) is similar to the Romans elected consuls. The
Legislative Branch (Congress) is similar to the Roman assemblies (like the Senate). Finally,
the Judicial Branch is similar to the Praetors of Rome. The U.S. even named one house of
Congress, the Senate, after the Senate of Rome. (paragraph two). Roman law had a
significant influence over the modern-day laws of many countries. Legal ideas like trial by
jury, civil rights, contracts, personal property, legal wills, and corporations all were
influenced by Roman law and the Roman way of looking at things. (Paragraph three).

Interpretation:
The above information answers the focus question because it tells me what the
legacies of Rome are and how they influence modern society. It tells me what
legacies help what part of society and how they help modern society. Also we use
the legacies to make sure we dont do the same things we did and make sure we
dont fall like Rome.
Source Commentary:
Choose one of your sources and respond to the following prompts:
1. Explain why it can be classified as either a primary or secondary source.
(Analysis)
2. Justify the degree of reliability of your chosen source. (Evaluation)
3. Suggest how you can use this source when completing your website
(Decision-Making)

I am using my first source. This source can be classified as a secondary source

because it is information that is second hand and information that other people
found out for me. This source is very reliable because it is a website that
specialises in different things other than Roman legacies. I can use this source to
make my website and to add more accurate information to the website

Year 7 History
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Focus Question d.
What is the legend of Romes Origin and why did the wolf become a symbol of
Rome?
Source1: (record bibliographical details including page numbers)
No author listed. (2016). Romulus and Remus. Available:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romulus_and_Remus. Last accessed 4th Oct 2016.
Direct information from the text:
Romulus and Remus were the twin brothers and main characters of Rome's
foundation myth. (The pronunciation in English is different from the Latin original
Rmulus and Rmus). According to Roman tradition, of which Livy's account is now
the earliest to survive in full, their mother was Rhea Silvia, daughter of Numitor,
king of Alba Longa. Before their conception, Numitor's brother Amulius seized
power, killed Numitor's male heirs and forced Rhea Silvia to become a Vestal
Virgin, sworn to chastity. Rhea Silvia conceived the twins by the god Mars. Once
the twins were born, Amulius had them abandoned to die in the Tiber river. They
were saved by a series of miraculous interventions: the river carried them to
safety, a she-wolf found and suckled them, and a woodpecker fed them. A
shepherd and his wife found them and fostered them to manhood as simple
shepherds. The twins, still ignorant of their true origins, proved to be natural
leaders. Each acquired many followers. When they discovered the truth of their
birth, they killed Amulius and restored Numitor to his throne. Rather than wait to
inherit Alba Longa, they chose to found a new city. (Paragraph one)
Interpretation:
The above information answers the focus question because it tells me what I need
to know. It tells me how Romulus and Remus gained control of Rome and it tells me
how and why Romulus and Remus were raised by wolves. It tells me the legend of
how Rome got its name and the origin. It also tells me the life of Romulus and
Remus and how Amulius was thrown off of power.
Year 7 History
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Source 2: (record bibliographical details including page numbers)

No author listed. (No year listed). Capitoline Wolf. Available:
www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Capitoline%20Wolf. Last accessed 6th Oct
2016.
Direct information from the text:
The Capitoline Wolf (Italian: Lupa Capitoline) is a bronze sculpture of a she-wolf suckling
twin human infants, inspired by the legend of the founding of Rome. According to the
legend, when Numitor, grandfather of the twins Romulus and Remus, was overthrown by
his brother Amulius, the usurper ordered the twins to be cast into the Tiber River. They
were rescued by a she-wolf who cared for them until a herdsman, Faustulus, found and
raised them. The Capitoline Wolf has been housed since 1471 in the Palazzo dei
Conservatori on the Campidoglio (the ancient Capitoline Hill), Rome, Italy. (paragraph one).
The age and origin of the Capitoline Wolf is a subject of controversy. The statue was long
thought to be an Etruscan work of the 5th century BC,[1] with the twins added in the late
15th century AD, probably by the sculptor Antonio Pollaiolo.[2] However, radiocarbon and
thermoluminescence dating has found that the wolf portion of the statue was likely cast
between 1021 and 1153.(Paragraph 2)

Interpretation:
The above information answers the focus question because it tells me how
important and sacred the wolf is to the romans and it tells me the legend of the
Capitoline wolf and the twins. This information answers the question because it
tells me why the wolf became the symbol of Rome and why `Rome was eventually
called Rome.

Source Commentary:
Choose one of your sources and respond to the following prompts:

Year 7 History
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1. Explain why it can be classified as either a primary or secondary source.

(Analysis)
2. Justify the degree of reliability of your chosen source. (Evaluation)
3. Suggest how you can use this source when completing your website
(Decision-Making)

I am using my first source. This can be classified as a secondary source because it is

information that I didnt find the information myself and it is information that someone
found before me for me to use. I trust this source and I find it to be very reliable but there
is no author listed. The reason I trust this source is because when I went on to other
websites that did mention an author, I found almost the exact information. On my Website
I can use this source on the page where it answers the question.

Focus Question e.
What were the main beliefs, values and cultural achievements of the ancient Romans?

Source 1: (record the bibliographical details including the page numbers)

C N Trueman. (2016). Ancient Rome and Religion. Available:
www.historylearningsite.co.uk/ancient-rome/ancient-rome-and-religion. Last accessed 13
Oct 2016.

Direct information from the text:

Religion played a very important role in the daily life of Ancient Rome and the Romans.
Roman religion was centred around gods and explanations for events usually involved the
gods in some way or another. The Romans believed that gods controlled their lives and, as
a result, spent a great deal of their time worshipping them. (paragraph 1). The most
important god was Jupiter. He was the king of gods who ruled with his wife Juno, the
goddess of the sky.(paragraph 2) Each family home would also have a small altar and
shrine. The Romans had personal household gods or spirits called lares which were
worshipped every day at home. The shrine contained statues of the lares and the head of
the household led family prayers around the shrine each day. The service was considered
so important that family slaves were also invited. It is believed that most Romans were
more keen to please their lares than the public gods such as Jupiter.(paragraph 5)

Interpretation:
The above information answers the focus question because it tells me what Roman religion
was centred around and it tells me that each family would worship the house hold gods. It
tells me that the Romans believed that the gods controlled their lives and it tells me the
romans spent a lot of time worshiping the gods. It tells me who the most important god
Year 7 History
Page 22 of 32

was and who he ruled over. It tells me that the romans were more interested in worshiping
and pleasing the house hold gods more than the god who ruled over all.

Source 2: (record the bibliographical details including the page numbers)

No author listed. (2016). Culture of ancient Rome. Available:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_ancient_Rome. Last accessed 13 Oct 2016.

Direct information from the text:

The culture of ancient Rome existed throughout the almost 1200-year history of the
civilization of Ancient Rome. The term refers to the culture of the Roman Republic, later
the Roman Empire, which at its peak covered an area from Lowland Scotland and Morocco
to the Euphrates. (paragraph one). Life in ancient Rome revolved around the city of Rome,
its famed seven hills, and its monumental architecture such as the Flavian Amphitheatre
(now called the Colosseum), Trajan's Forum, and the Pantheon. The city also had several
theatres, gymnasia, and many taverns, baths, and brothels. Throughout the territory under
ancient Rome's control, residential architecture ranged from very modest houses to
country villas, and in the capital city of Rome, there were imperial residences on the
elegant Palatine Hill, from which the word palace is derived. The vast majority of the
population lived in the city centre, packed into insulae (apartment blocks). (paragraph two)

Interpretation:
The above information answers the focus question because it tells me how long the culture
of ancient Rome lasted for and it tells me what ancient Rome revolved around. It answers
the focus question because it tells me about the monumental architecture in ancient
Romes culture and it tells me where most of Romes population lived.
Commentary:
Year 7 History
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 Choose one of your sources and respond to the following prompts:

1. Explain why it can be classified as either a primary or secondary source.
(Analysis)
2. Justify the degree of reliability of your chosen source. (Evaluation)
3. Suggest how you can use this source when completing your website
(Decision-Making)

Both can be classified as a secondary source because it is second hand information

and there is information the person who wrote for me that they found out. I think
this source is very reliable because the information that I read sounds pretty
accurate and there is an author listed with the text. I definitely think source A is
more reliable then source B because source a provides the name of the author. I
can use this information in the part of my website where it asks the focus question.

Year 7 History
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 Focus Question f.
What were some of the most significant events in the history of ancient Rome?

Source 1: (record the bibliographical details including the page numbers)

No author listed. (2016). POMPEII. Available: www.history.com/topics/ancienthistory/pompeii. Last accessed 13 Oct 2016.

Direct information from the text:

Mount Vesuvius, a volcano near the Bay of Naples in Italy, is hundreds of thousands of
years old and has erupted more than 50 times. Its most famous eruption took place in the
year 79 A.D., when the volcano buried the ancient Roman city of Pompeii under a thick
carpet of volcanic ash. The dust poured across the land like a flood, one witness wrote,
and shrouded the city in a darknesslike the black of closed and unlighted rooms. Two
thousand people died, and the city was abandoned for almost as many years. When a
group of explorers rediscovered the site in 1748, they were surprised to find that
underneath a thick layer of dust and debrisPompeii was mostly intact. The buildings,
artefacts and skeletons left behind in the buried city have taught us a great deal about
everyday life in the ancient world. Pompeii remained mostly untouched until 1748, when a
group of explorers looking for ancient artefacts arrived in Campania and began to dig.
They found that the ashes had acted as a marvellous preservative: Underneath all that
dust, Pompeii was almost exactly as it had been 2,000 years before. Its buildings were
intact. Skeletons were frozen right where theyd fallen. Everyday objects and household
goods littered the streets. Later archaeologists even uncovered jars of preserved fruit and
loaves of bread!

Interpretation:
The above information answers the focus question because it tells me about one of the
most significant events in ancient Romes history and it tells me some of the most
important facts. It answers the focus question because it tells me when Pompeii was
discovered and it tells me when the volcano erupted and how long after it was dug up. It
also tells me what the architectures found when they dug up Pompeii.

Year 7 History
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Source 2: (record the bibliographical details including the page numbers)

By N.S. Gill. (2016). The Fall of Rome: How, When and Why Did It Happen?. Available:
ancienthistory.about.com. Last accessed 13 Oct 2016

Direct information from the text:

Easily the most argued question about the Fall of Rome is Why? The Roman Empire lasted
over a thousand years and represented the height of civilization. Some historians maintain
that the split into an eastern and western empire governed by separate emperors caused
Rome to fall. Most classicists believe that a combination of factors including Christianity,
decadence, lead in the water supply, monetary trouble, and military problems caused the
Fall of Rome. Imperial incompetence and chance could be added to the list. And still others
question the assumption behind the question, and maintain that Rome adapted rather
than fell. In his masterwork, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, historian Edward
Gibbon names the date AD 476 as the year Rome ceased to exist.

Interpretation:
The above information answers the focus question because it tells me what the event was
and what it did to Rome. It answers the focus question because it tells me why it is
significant and why it happened. It also tells me when the event ended. It tells me some of
the reasons why Rome fell and how long it took.
Source Commentary:

Choose one of your sources and respond to the following prompts:

1. Explain why it can be classified as either a primary or secondary source.
(Analysis)
2. Justify the degree of reliability of your chosen source. (Evaluation)
3. Suggest how you can use this source when completing your website
(Decision-Making)

Both of my sources can be classified as secondary sources because it is information

someone else found and there are some opinions from people in the text. Source B I think
is very reliable because the information I read sound right and the website provides an
author. I can use this part when Im answering the focus question on my website.

Year 7 History
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On these pages to record visual evidence such as diagrams, graphs, photographs, sketches
or statistics tables to be used in your website.

Year 7 History
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Bibliography:
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Year 7 History
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Year 7 History
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 HOW TO CONSTRUCT YOUR WEBSITE

Your assessment task is to be presented as a formal website/weebly [as created

through either a PowerPoint or Prezi) which must include the following sections.
Cover or title page: Your title page must show the name of your school, the subject
the assignment is for, the title of the task and your name and year level.
Contents Page: This page should list each section with their corresponding page numbers
and a list of figures maps and graphs and their page numbers.
Introduction page: This section explains the purpose of the website and states the
location and issue to be studied. (about 50 words)
Research Methods page: In this section you state the methods used to gather your
information. (about 50 words)
Findings and evaluation: Identify and give a detailed overview of the group of
people/event you have been researching. You should support your findings with evidence
in the form of some of the following:

drawings,
cartoons,
photographs
diagrams,
tables
statistics

To complete this section successfully, you should systematically go through your research
questions and dedicate one or two of your website pages to answering each focus
question. Each section should incorporate at least 100 words of discussion.
Appendices: This section is where you include all your research notes.
A correctly formatted Bibliography.
Your website must be accompanied by visual sources, (diagrams, photos,
cartoons, statistics tables, graphs etc) as evidence where relevant. These
should be numbered (Figure1; Figure 2; etc) and referenced within the text.
These visual sources should be placed as close as possible to where they are
mentioned in the text.

Year 7 History
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How to Write your Source Commentary

Is your source a primary or secondary source?
A primary source is one that was produced during the time period you are studying, as an
eyewitness account to an event or a specific problem. For example:

Documents
Buildings
Photographs
Skeletons
Inscriptions
Works of art or objects made by people
A secondary source is something written or made later by people who have studied the
primary sources and have formed an opinion about what happened or how to solve the
problem.
How do you know your source is reliable?
A reliable source will have the following characteristics:

It will be written to inform its audience about well supported information and should
include a bibliography (secondary source only).
A reliable primary source will have been constructed by someone close to the historical
circumstances you are investigating i.e. they were an eye-witness to the times.
There is a difference between a reliable source and an accurate source, e.g. a racist
source from the 18th Century may be a reliable indicator of peoples beliefs of the time,
but it is not a true or accurate picture of reality.
A reliable secondary source will be up-to-date and current, and written by someone
who is qualified to write about the topic either through education or study.
o A blog or Wikipedia site is not a reliable source.
It will be linked to a reliable organisation like a university.
Remember that no source is completely 100% reliable, so consider discussing the
degree to which your source is reliable and mentioning what information your source
cannot be expected to know.
A reliable source will also say the same things as other sources. If a source disagrees
with all the other sources you read it is probably not a good source to gather
information from. When two or more sources agree with each other they are said to
corroborate each other.

How will I use the information I find? (Decision making)

If you find two or more sources that say that your ideas are inaccurate, then you should
consider changing your opinion. In source commentary you could briefly discuss how the
information you have found has made you rethink your original ideas.
This section should show your growing knowledge and understanding of the topic and also
a gradual emergence of your own personal opinion
Year 7 History
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You should try and explain how the information you have found will help you complete your
main assignment task.

Year 7 History
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