1.
Clue: The many years of farming the soil led to less nutrients. Eventually poor farmers had no choice but to leave their land.
A
The Government Did It!
B
It Naturally Declined!
C
The Roman Citizens Did It!
2.
Clue: Emperor Diocletian's decision to divide the empire into two parts weakened Rome beyond repair.
A
It Naturally Declined!
B
Invaders Destroyed It!
C
The Government Did It!
3.
Clue: The Huns pushed the Germanic peoples, called the Visigoths, off their land. They crossed into Roman territory to escape the Huns.
A
The Government Did It!
B
Invaders Destroyed It!
C
The Roman Citizens Did It!
4.
Clue: In one 50-year period, at least 26 emperors reigned. This period was unstable and weakened Rome because many leaders would be overthrown or assassinated by rivals.
A
The Government Did It!
B
The Roman Citizens Did It!
C
It Naturally Declined!
5.
Clue: More Visigoths came into Roman territory under general Alaric. In 410 they overran Italy and plundered the capital of Rome.
A
The Roman Citizens Did It!
B
Invaders Destroyed It!
C
The Government Did It!
6.
Clue: To slow the rapid rises of prices (or inflation) prices for goods and services were set the same across the empire. This helped hold the empire together for another century, but the economic problems were not stopped in the long-term.
A
The Roman Citizens Did It!
B
The Government Did It!
C
It Naturally Declined!
7.
Clue: People in Rome used to attend schools, but began to turn those schools and libraries into places of leisure and amusement.
A
The Government Did It!
B
The Roman Citizens Did It!
C
It Naturally Declined!
8.
Clue: In Rome there was a decline in values such as patriotism, discipline, and devotion to duty on which the empire and the military was built.
A
Invaders Destroyed It!
B
The Government Did It!
C
The Roman Citizens Did It!
9.
Clue: Rome continued to lose territory to Germanic people until Odoacer, a Germanic leader, overthrew Rome in 476.
A
The Government Did It!
B
It Naturally Declined!
C
Invaders Destroyed It!
10.
Clue: To meet its need for soldiers, Rome’s leaders hired mercenaries, or foreign soldiers serving for pay, to defend its borders. The mercenaries weren’t very loyal or well-trained.
A
The Roman Citizens Did It!
B
The Government Did It!
C
Invaders Destroyed It!
11.
Clue: As the leaders of Rome became more oppressive and corrupt, they lost the support of the people.
A
The Roman Citizens Did It!
B
It Naturally Declined!
C
The Government Did It!
12.
Clue: The Roman economy failed to develop new technologies to keep up with the empire. The jobs relied on slave labor or old technology as the middle class became increasingly poorer as time went on.
A
The Government Did It!
B
Invaders Destroyed It!
C
It Naturally Declined!
13.
Clue: The upper class spent so much time and money on lives of luxury. “Bread and circuses” may have also undermined the self-reliance of the people, who felt entitled to food and entertainment.
A
The Roman Citizens Did It!
B
It Naturally Declined!
C
Invaders Destroyed It!
14.
Clue: Wealthy and poor Romans had declined due to moral decay. Of the lower classes, it was reported that some spent the whole night with drink and dice.
