History·Ancient Greece & Rome·conceptual
Fall of the Western Roman Empire
Describe how the Western Roman Empire gradually declined due to a combination of factors — military pressure from invading peoples, political instability, economic problems, and an overstretched empire — and finally fell in AD 476, while the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire continued for nearly a thousand more years
Suggested ages 9–11
Evidence of understanding
- Name at least two reasons why the Western Roman Empire declined and fell
- State the date AD 476 as when the last Western Roman emperor was removed
- Explain that the Eastern (Byzantine) Empire survived for nearly 1,000 years after the West fell
Assessment prompt
Could Fall of the Western Roman Empire explain why the Roman Empire fell apart and tell you that while the western half collapsed, the eastern half kept going for centuries?
Standards alignment
No external standards are linked to this topic.