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World History Project - Origins to the Present

Course: World History Project - Origins to the Present > Unit 3

Lesson 8: Comparing the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty | 3.7
Arts and humanities
World History Project - Origins to the Present
Era 3 - Cities, Societies, and Empires (6,000 BCE to 700 CE)
Comparing the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty | 3.7
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BEFORE YOU WATCH: The Roman Empire. Or Republic. Or...Which Was It?

Google Classroom
Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below.
Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below (next in the lineup!). If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.

First read: preview and skimming for gist

Before you watch, you should skim the transcript first. The skim should be very quick and give you the gist (general idea) of what the video is about. You should be looking at the title, thumbnails, pictures, and first few seconds of the video for the gist.

Second read: key ideas and understanding content

Now that you’ve skimmed the video transcript and taken a quick peek at the video, you should preview the questions you will be answering. These questions will help you get a better understanding of the concepts and arguments that are presented in the video. Keep in mind that when you watch the video, it is a good idea to write down any vocab you read or hear that is unfamiliar to you.
By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:
  1. What were the two classes in Roman society?
  2. What was a dictator and what were they supposed to do?
  3. What was the source of Julius Caesar’s power? What events allowed him to become sole ruler of Rome?
  4. Why didn’t the assassination of Julius Caesar restore the Roman Republic?
  5. According to John Green, when did Rome became an empire?

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

Finally, here are some questions that will help you focus on why this video matters and how it connects to other content you’ve studied.
At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:
  1. This video makes it seem like the Roman Empire happened by accident. How does that compare to what you know about the other empires you’ve encountered in this era?
  2. Does an empire need to think of itself as an empire in order to act like an empire?
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to watch! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished watching.

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