File:A first book in American history with European beginnings (1921) (14596083517).jpg

Identifier: firstbookinameri01sout (find matches)
Title: A first book in American history with European beginnings
Year: 1921 (1920s)
Authors: Southworth, Mrs. Gertrude Van Duyn, 1874-
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, Chicago, D. Appleton and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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istians appealed to those who heard about it, andafter a time there were many Christians and the Romanofficials became alarmed. Though the Christians were quiet and peaceable, theyheld secret meetings and refused to worship the emperor.These two things were against the Roman laws andtherefore could not be allowed. So the Christians werepersecuted. Their homes were taken from them, theywere stoned and crucified and many were burned todeath. But though for years they were cruelly torturedand killed, still the religion spread. Finally the RomanEmperor Constantine made it the national religion in325 A.D. Later, when Rome had lost her control ofworld affairs, we find her still powerful as the head ofthe Christian church. The Roman Empire lasted for about five hundredyears after the rule of Augustus. All the time the nationwas growing weaker. The nobility lived in extravagantstyle while the poor starved. No ones life was safe, forthe emperors ordered people killed in order to seize their 22
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Scene in the Colosseum in Rome.23 A FIRST BOOK IN AMERICAN HISTORY property, and the emperors themselves were murdered bytheir political enemies. Everyone distrusted everyoneelse, and crime and oppression terrorized the whole land.Sometimes a good ruler would try to improve things, buthis reign was not long enough to make the reforms lasting. The first Christian emperor, Constantine, changed hiscapital from Rome to Byzantium. This city he renamedConstantinople. Finally the empire was divided intothe East and West empires. One emperor ruled thewestern empire and another took charge of the eastern,with its court at Constantinople. The old Roman Empire had grown weak and shaky.The Romans could no longer drive back the wild tribeson their northern and western boundaries. By 476A.D. the western empire was a conquered nation, and thenew rulers of Europe were the Germans. Summary The Romans were a practical people who built wonderfulroads, cultivated their land, adopted into their lives the

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