Class on 5.5.15

Today in class we took notes. The notes are below:

Patricians & Plebeians
- Rule of kings replaces by rule of two consuls
- Consuls are elected officials
-Term of office: one year
-Always aristocrats (patricians)
-Patricians traced their descent from a famous ancestor or "pater"- father
-Duties: dealing justice, making law, commanding the army
-One consuls could veto the other
-Fifth century B.C.E. patrician dominance of the government was challenged by the plebs.
-Plebs were 98% of the population
-How did the patricians dominate:
1. Plebs had to serve in the army, but could not hold office
2. Plebs were threatened with debt slavery
3. Plebs had no legal rights
-Plebs were victims of discriminatory decisions in judicial trials
-Rome had no actual laws, just unwritten customs
-Patricians could interpret these to advantage
-Plebs refused to serve in the military until:
1. Laws were written out (The Law of the Twelve Tables)
2. These laws (on tablets) were posted in public (450 B.C.E.)
3. Tribunes ("Tribal Leaders")

-SPQR- Sentatus Populusque Romanum
-Designates any decree or decision made by "the Roman Senate and people"
- Res publica- the people's affairs
-Democracy (the people's assembly and the tribunes)
-Aristocracy(the senate- approx. 300 people)
-Monarchy (consuls)
-Not a tyranny ( mistake- they don't want to repeat)

Gov't ancient Rome/ USA
-The US modeled their new government on the model used by ancient Romans
-Not exactly the same
-Both have three branches of government- executive, legislative, judicial
- Both have legal code

Rome                                             vs.                               US
                                               ~Executive~
 - two consuls                                                      - President & VP
-one year terms                                                   - Four year terms
-each has veto power                                           - Can veto proposed laws
-controls military                                                  - Commander-in-Chief
-could appoint dictator in crisis for 6 months

                                               ~Legislative~

-Senate- 300 people- Aristocrats-members for life               -Senate -100 senators-6year terms
-Assemblies-members for life                               - House Representatives- 435 members-2 year terms

                                                ~ Judicial~
-Praetors                                                              - Supreme court
-Chosen by centuriate assembly                          - Nine members
- one year terms                                                   - Appointed by the President confirmed by state
                                                                             - Lifetime terms

                                                ~Legal Code

- Twelve Tables                                                - Bill of Rights
- Only protected free born male citizens