Empires Comprehension Pack PDF

STAGE 5 Unit focus: Countries Text focus: Information Text Empires An empire is formed when one country takes control and rules over other countries around the world. T...

STAGE 5 Unit focus: Countries Text focus: Information Text Empires An empire is formed when one country takes control and rules over other countries around the world. There have been many large empires in the history of the world, stretching back to ancient history. British Empire The British began taking control of other countries towards the end of the 1500s. Queen Elizabeth I was in charge, and sea travel to distant lands was becoming easier. This opened up whole new parts of the world to explore and conquer. At its height, just before the First World War, it ruled over 400 million people. It was the largest empire in history. Like most empires, the British imposed their own laws and customs on the colonies. This was often against their will, and many people were treated horrifically as a result. Roman Empire The Ancient Roman civilisation began as a republic that was ruled by a group of leaders rather than an emperor. Julius Caesar was the last republic leader, but even by his reign, the Romans had built a vast empire. At its peak, somewhere around 100 CE, the Roman Empire stretched from Egypt to Britain and covered an area of land roughly the same size as the United States of America. This was in a time when there were no cars, machines or weapons more sophisticated than bows and arrows. This made travel across the empire excruciatingly slow. The Maya The Maya were one of the most successful civilisations in Mesoamerica; modern-day Mexico, and South America. Between around 2600 BCE and 900 CE, they built a vast empire across the continent. It was most powerful between 250 CE and 900 CE all resources ©2023 Literacy Shed http://www.literacyshedplus.com when it ruled over most of modern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador. The Maya were fierce warriors who often used violence to take control of other tribes and cities. Mongol Empire Beginning in 1206 CE, Genghis Khan took his Mongol tribe on a rampaging tour around Asia and Europe. Over the next few hundred years, they spread from Central Asia, through Central Europe and to the Sea of Japan. They rarely travelled by sea, so all of the land that they conquered was joined together. This meant that their empire was the largest continuous (joined up) empire in history. RETRIEVAL FOCUS 1. Who was reigning over Britain when the British Empire began? 2. Who was the final leader of the Rome republic? 3. When were the Maya at their most powerful? 4. Which civilsation in the text spread through Asia? 5. Who started the empire in your previous answer? VIPERS QUESTIONS V In the Roman Empire section, which word means “top”? V If something is “imposed” onto you, what does it mean? I Why might people have fought against empires that tried to conquer them? I Why do you think the author of the text seems impressed by the size of the Roman Empire? V Find and copy a word that makes the speed of something seem painful. all resources ©2023 Literacy Shed http://www.literacyshedplus.com