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Who were the most important rulers of the Roman Empire?

During the five centuries of its existence, the Roman Empire (27 B.C.–A.D. 476) was ruled by noteworthy as well as infamous leaders. For example, after his uncle Julius Caesar was murdered, Octavian, (63 B.C.–A.D. 14; also called Augustus) became Rome's first emperor. He ruled during the Pax Romana (a period of peace). This peace allowed the arts, literature, education, and commerce to flourish.

The second emperor of Rome was Augustus's adopted son Tiberius (42 B.C.–A.D. 37). Tiberius was a good administrator, but his economic measures made him unpopular with senators, who plotted his downfall. Tiberius's nephew Caligula (A.D. 12–41; born Gaius Caesar) ascended the throne upon Tiberius's death. After a short period of rule, Caligula became ill. Thereafter he demonstrated the erratic (unusual) behavior for which he is infamous and...

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1. Ancient Empires
   1. Why was the Thutmose family important to Egyptian history?
   2. Was the Mayan Empire the most advanced early civilization in the Americas?
   3. When was King Tut's tomb discovered?
   4. How did the Aztec and Inca Empires compare with the Mayan Empire?
   5. Who were the most important rulers of the Roman Empire?
   6. Why was Julius Caesar murdered?
   7. Did Nero really play his fiddle while Rome burned?
   8. Why was Constantine I called "the Great"?
   9. What was the Byzantine Empire?
   10. What was the T'ang dynasty?
   11. What were the contributions of the Ming dynasty?
   12. Who were the great African kings?
   13. Who was Hannibal?
2. European Empires
   1. What was the Carolingian Empire?
   2. Why is Charlemagne considered one of the great leaders in history?
   3. What was the Ottoman Empire?
   4. Who were the Habsburgs?
   5. Why were King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I of Spain so powerful?
   6. Did Lucrezia Borgia earn her notorious reputation?
   7. Who were the Romanovs?
   8. Who was Peter the Great?
   9. Who was Catherine the Great?
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   13. Why is Henry VIII so famous?
   14. Why did Queen Elizabeth I have an entire age named after her?
   15. Who was Mary Queen of Scots?
   16. Was King George III really insane?
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   19. What is the Magna Carta?
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   2. When was the British Parliament founded?
   3. What was the Bill of Rights of 1689?
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4. United States Government
   1. Why is the Declaration of Independence important?
   2. Why were there two Continental Congresses?
   3. Did George Washington really have wooden teeth?
   4. Why did John Hancock go down in history as the notable signer of the Declaration of Independence?
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   11. How are amendments made to the U.S. Constitution?
   12. What amendments have been made to the U.S. Constitution?
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   15. What was Reconstruction?
   16. What were carpetbaggers?
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   18. How were Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt related?
   19. What were the "fireside chats"?
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   2. What was the Kitchen Cabinet?
   3. Who were the Know-Nothings?
   4. Who were the Whigs?
   5. How did the Republican Party begin?
   6. How did the Democratic Party begin?
   7. What was the League of Nations?
   8. How was the United Nations formed?
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   10. Why was Mohandas Gandhi called "Mahatma"?
   11. What is the Palestinian Liberation Organization?
6. Political Scandals
   1. Why were impeachment proceedings held against U.S. President Andrew Johnson?
   2. What was Teapot Dome?
   3. What happened at Watergate?
   4. What was the Iran-contra affair?
   5. Why were there impeachment proceedings against U.S. President William Clinton?

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