Roman Republic

• Patricians


  Wealthy landowners and government officials; the Roman aristocrats
• Plebeians


  Peasants, laborers, craftspeople, and shopkeepers with little government influence.
• Senate


  A legislative (lawmaking) body of the Roman Republic.
• veto


  Power to reject or deny decisions and laws.
• Consul


  One of the two highest-ranking officials in the Roman Republic; led the army.
• constitution


  A written law code for a society.
• republic


  A democratic form of government with elected representatives.
• Tribune


  An representative elected by the plebeians to protect their rights and interests.
• Conflict of the Orders

  Struggle between patricians and plebeians for political power in ancient Rome.
• Tribunes of the Plebs

  Officials representing plebeians, having the power to veto Senate decisions.
• Council of Plebs


  The small legislative (lawmaking) body making laws specifically for plebeians in the Roman Republic.
• Twelve Tables


  The law code of ancient Rome.
• civic duty


  Responsibility of citizens to participate in the affairs of their community.
• checks and balances


  System in government where powers are divided to prevent abuse and maintain fairness in decision making.
• republic


  A form of government in which people elect officials to represent them
• veto


  To reject
• tripartite


  A government with three parts
• checks and balances


  a method to keep one part of government from becoming more powerful than the other parts
• civic duty


  The idea that citizens have a responsibility/duty to participate in their government
• term limits


  the amount of time an elected official can be in office
• Latin


  The language of the Romans
• Forum


  Rome's public meeting place
• majority rule


  the group that has the most members has the power to decide
• Roman Senate


  group of wealthy and powerful Romans that advised the city's leaders
• consuls


  two of the most powerful officials in Rome
• magistrates


  elected officials in Rome