plebs refused to serve in the military until…

• laws were written out (The Law of the Twelve Tables)
• these laws (on tablets) were posted in public (in 450 BCE)
• tribunes (“tribal leaders”) were elected  

• plebs were victims of discriminatory decisions in judicial trials
• Rome had no actual laws, just unwritten customs
• patricians could interpret these to their own advantage

SPQR - Senatus Populusque Romanum

• designates any decree or decision made by “the Roman Senate and People

brand new republic, ready to run

• democracy (the people’s assembly and the tribunes
• aristocracy (the Senate - approx. 300 members)
• plus monarchy (the consuls)
• not a tyranny
• executive - rome 
• two consuls
• one year terms
• each has veto power
• controls the military
• could appoint a dictator in a crisis for a six-month term

• executive- US 
• President (and VP)
• four year terms
• can veto proposed laws
• Commander-in-Chief

• legislative- rome 
• Senate - 300 people - aristocrats - members for life
• Assemblies (either Centuriate or Tribal) 193 members (later 373) - members for 
• life

• legislative- US
• Senate - 100 senators (two from each state) - six-year terms
• House of Representatives - 435 members (53 from CA, one from 7 states) - two-year terms

• judicial- rome 
• Praetors
• chosen by the Centuriate Assembly
• one-year terms

• judicial- US 
• Supreme Court
• nine members
• appointed by the President, confirmed by the Senate
• lifetime terms