History book 5th grade: History books for 5th graders

20 Delightful Historical Fiction Books for 5th Graders

Historical fiction is a well-loved genre, but it can be tricky to find historical fiction books for 5th graders or a specific age-range inside the huge pool of middle school options. Generally, publishing pegs middle grade books as being for kids between the ages of 8-12 and 5th graders are typically aged 10-11 years old.

The stories on this list are those I’ve handpicked to match the interests, reading levels, and overall appropriateness level of the average 5th grader. For these age-based recommendations, I tend to choose books with characters around that age and stories in which the plot includes age-appropriate elements. I also usually choose shorter books for younger kids.

If you’re looking for historical fiction books for 5th graders, this is your list!

📚 Disclaimer in the books: Just so you know, Reading Middle Grade uses affiliate links. This means that when you shop via the links in our posts, we may earn a cent or two at no extra cost to you. Thanks for adding to our book buying fund.

The Best Historical Fiction Books for 5th Graders

Here are 20 of the best historical fiction for 10 year olds:

A Sky Full of Song

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Published: April 11, 2023

It’s the year 1905, and Shoshana, her mother and sisters have fled their home in Ukraine and moved to reunite with her father and older brother in North Dakota. There, the family lives in a prairie dugout and Shoshana and her big sister Libke start attending school. Soon, the girls–especially Shoshana–begin to experience prejudice because of their Jewish religion and culture. Shoshana is tempted to blend into the mostly Christian community around her, but is that the right path to acceptance? Her sister Libke certainly disagrees.

The Orphan Band of Springdale

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Published: April 10, 2018

This historical fiction books for 5th graders, set in 1940s America as World War II rages in Europe, is Gusta Neubronner’s story. Left behind by her father on a bus, 11 year old Gusta moves into her grandmother’s orphanage. While there, the nearsighted, snaggletoothed girl learns about family, sacrifice, and the bitter taste of prejudice. Central to Gusta’s story is the French horn that is “the bravest part of her – her sweet, large, secret, brassy voice.”

The Magic in Changing Your Stars

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Published: August 4, 2020

Can you change your fate—and the fate of those you love—if you return to the past? Journey to 1939 Harlem in this time-travel adventure with an inspiring message about believing in yourself.

Eleven-year-old Ailey Benjamin Lane can dance—so he’s certain that he’ll land the role of the Scarecrow in his school’s production of The Wiz. Unfortunately, a talented classmate and a serious attack of nerves derail his audition: he just stands there, frozen. Deflated and defeated, Ailey confides in his Grampa that he’s ready to quit. But Grampa believes in Ailey, and, to encourage him, shares a childhood story.

As a boy, Grampa dreamed of becoming a tap dancer; he was so good that the Hollywood star and unofficial Mayor of Harlem, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, even gave him a special pair of tap shoes. Curious, Ailey tries on the shoes . . . and instantly finds himself transported to 1930s Harlem. There he meets a young street tapper and realizes that it’s his own grandfather!

Can Ailey help the 12-year-old version of Grampa face his fears? And, if Ailey changes the past, will he still be able to get home again? Featuring an all-African-American cast of characters, and infused with references to black culture and history, this work of magical realism is sure to captivate and inspire readers.

The Summer We Found the Baby

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Published: August 4, 2020

On the morning of the dedication of the new children’s library in Belle Beach, Long Island, eleven-year-old Julie Sweet and her six-year-old sister, Martha, find a baby in a basket on the library steps. At the same time, twelve-year-old Bruno Ben-Eli is on his way to the train station to catch the 9:15 train into New York City. He is on an important errand for his brother, who is a soldier overseas in World War II. But when Bruno spies Julie, the same Julie who hasn’t spoken to him for sixteen days, heading away from the library with a baby in her arms, he has to follow her. Holy everything, he thinks. Julie Sweet is a kidnapper.

Of course, the truth is much more complicated than the children know in this heartwarming and beautifully textured family story by award-winning author Amy Hest. Told in three distinct voices, each with a different take on events, the novel captures the moments and emotions of a life-changing summer — a summer in which a baby gives a family hope and brings a community together.

Far Out!

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Published: April 18, 2023

It’s 1964, the Space Race is well underway, and eleven-year-old Magnolia Jean Crook and the other residents of Totter, Texas, are over the moon about UFOs.

The whole town is gearing up for the First Annual Come on Down Day—in just one week, they are hoping to host any and all space aliens who would like to visit Earth. But right before the kick-off party, a meteorite goes missing—and MJ’s beloved grandmother Mimi, who is the vice president of the Totter Unidentified Flying Object Organization, is the prime suspect.

MJ is desperate to show the town that this Crook is not a thief. The only problem is that there is a lot of evidence against her, and Mimi herself isn’t helping things. She’s acting suspiciously, pulling disappearing acts, and worst of all, can’t seem to answer any questions about where she was or what she was doing.

But much like UFOs, extraterrestrial visitations, and sending people to space, the impossible has been known to happen.

Front Desk

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Published: May 29, 2018

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets. Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests. Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they’ve been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed. Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language? It will take all of Mia’s courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?

One Crazy Summer

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Published: January 26, 2010

In One Crazy Summer, eleven-year-old Delphine is like a mother to her two younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern. She’s had to be, ever since their mother, Cecile, left them seven years ago for a radical new life in California. But when the sisters arrive from Brooklyn to spend the summer with their mother, Cecile is nothing like they imagined.

While the girls hope to go to Disneyland and meet Tinker Bell, their mother sends them to a day camp run by the Black Panthers. Unexpectedly, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern learn much about their family, their country, and themselves during one truly crazy summer.

When Winter Robeson Came

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Published: January 10, 2023

When Winter Robeson came to visit his cousin, Eden in the summer of 1965, he had another agenda. Winter is a 13-year-old boy visiting Los Angeles from Mississippi. Unbeknownst to Eden and her family, Winter isn’t just there to see Disneyland — he’s looking for his father J.T. Robeson who came to LA 12 years ago and never returned. Eventually, he gets Eden to help him on his search. Not long after, the Watts Riot erupts.

Sunny Side Up

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Published: August 25, 2015

Sunny Lewin has been packed off to Florida to live with her grandfather for the summer. At first she thought Florida might be fun — it is the home of Disney World, after all. But the place where Gramps lives is no amusement park. It’s full of . . . old people. Really old people.

Luckily, Sunny isn’t the only kid around. She meets Buzz, a boy who is completely obsessed with comic books, and soon they’re having adventures of their own: facing off against golfball-eating alligators, runaway cats, and mysteriously disappearing neighbors. But the question remains — why is Sunny down in Florida in the first place? The answer lies in a family secret that won’t be secret to Sunny much longer. . .

Three Strike Summer

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Published: August 30, 2022

Young Gloria and her family lose their farm when an unending drought leads to a lack of produce. They move to California to find work and eventually start picking peaches on a farm. The family is also reeling from the loss of Gloria’s baby brother and struggling to contain Gloria’s spunky attitude, which often gets her in trouble. At the farm, Gloria quickly discovers a baseball team (with only boys! who don’t want a girl on the team!) and is ready to do what it takes to join the team. At the same time, ripples of discontent with working wages lead to organizing that puts Gloria and her family in a precarious position.

Maizy Chen’s Last Chance

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Published: February 1, 2022

This historical fiction book for 5th graders follows Maizy and her mother, who return to Last Chance, Minnesota, when Maizy’s grandfather becomes ill. We learn that Maizy’s mom had her with the help of a sperm donor and seems to have taken a less traditional, unexpected career route since her parents expected her to take over their historical Chinese restaurant, The Golden Palace.

However, Maizy’s grandparents love her, and Maizy quickly bonds with them, especially her grandfather. One day, she sees pictures of several Chinese young men, and when she asks her grandfather about them, he begins to tell her a sprawling story about their family’s history in Last Chance, which is interwoven with love, racism, and community. At the same time, The Golden Palace experiences a hate crime, and Maizy is shocked to discover who the perpetrator is.

A Place to Hang the Moon

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Published: February 2, 2021

This book follows three orphaned kids in England during the WWII evacuation. Orphans William, Edmund, and Anna (aged 12, 11, and 9) are evacuated after their (not nice) grandmother dies. The kids are instructed not to disclose how well off their family is until they’re placed with a new family that feels like a forever family.

In their new countryside dwelling, the kids are placed with several poorly matched families. The first family has twin boys that are just horrid, and the second family is too poor (and could care less about them besides the money she’s paid to look after them). Through it all, the children take solace in each other, stories from William about their parents, and their love of books and the town library.

Not Your All-American Girl

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Published: July 7, 2020

Lauren is Jewish and Chinese. It’s the 1980s and Lauren and her best friend — who’s blonde with blue eyes — do everything together. So when they don’t have any sixth-grade classes together, they’re bummed! They decide that they will audition for their school’s musical so that they can at least have that time together. Lauren’s audition goes swimmingly, and she’s obviously the better singer than Tara (even better than any of the other kids), but when the cast list is released Lauren is only part of the ensemble and Tara is cast as lead. Upon confronting the director, she explains that Lauren’s half-Jewish, half-Chinese looks don’t match the role of “all-American girl” in the “all-American town” depicted in their musical.

This encounter opens Lauren’s eyes to several microaggressions and brings to the fore her issues with being biracial and looking different from other at her predominantly white school. Looking for a relatable figure, she beings to nurture a love for the singer Patsy Cline whom she mistakenly assumes is also Jewish. There are also changes at home with her mother looking to enter law school, which would make her even less available to Lauren. With the help of her family and two grandmothers, Lauren learns to find her place, while keeping her friendship with Tara.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

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Published: January 5, 2016

Set in Mississippi at the height of the Depression, this is the story of one family’s struggle to maintain their integrity, pride, and independence in the face of racism and social injustice. And it is also Cassie’s story–Cassie Logan, an independent girl who discovers over the course of an important year why having land of their own is so crucial to the Logan family, even as she learns to draw strength from her own sense of dignity and self-respect.

It Ain’t So Awful, Falafel

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Published: May 3, 2016

Zomorod (Cindy) Yousefzadeh is the new kid on the block…for the fourth time.

California’s Newport Beach is her family’s latest perch, and she’s determined to shuck her brainy loner persona and start afresh with a new Brady Bunch name—Cindy.

It’s the late 1970s, and fitting in becomes more difficult as Iran makes U.S. headlines with protests, revolution, and finally the taking of American hostages. Even puka shell necklaces, pool parties, and flying fish can’t distract Cindy from the anti-Iran sentiments that creep way too close to home.

Inside Out and Back Again

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Published: February 22, 2011

Hà has only ever known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope—toward America.

Inside Out and Back Again is the moving story of one girl’s year of change, dreams, grief, and healing. This book was named to multiple state lists, received four starred reviews, and was hailed as a best book of the year by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, School Library Journal, and the Chicago Public Library.

In the Beautiful Country

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Published: June 28, 2022

Living in 80s Taiwan with her mother, Ai Shi (Anna) eagerly anticipates living in the beautiful country (the US) where their father moved a few months ago. As she gives away her favorite clothes and toys to cousins in preparation for the move, she can’t help but brag about the new life awaiting them. But she’s in for a shock when they arrive at their cramped apartment. Her father was conned into buying a failing fast-food restaurant, and Anna’s parents struggle to make ends meet. At school, she feels like an outsider since she can barely speak English. On top of that, her parents are dealing with some unkind customers who mistreat them because they’re Asians. Can Anna find her way?

Elvis, Me, and the Lemonade Stand Summer

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Published:  March 27, 2021

It’s the summer of 1978 and most people think Elvis Presley has been dead for a year. But not eleven-year-old Truly Bateman – because she knows Elvis is alive and well and living in the Eagle Shores Trailer Park. Maybe no one ever thought to look for him on an indigenous reserve on Vancouver Island.

It’s a busy summer for Truly. Though her mother is less of a mother than she ought to be, and spends her time drinking and smoking and working her way through new boyfriends, Truly is determined to raise as much money for herself as she can through her lemonade stand … and to prove that her cool new neighbour is the one and only King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. And when she can’t find motherly support in her own home, she finds sanctuary with Andy El, the Salish woman who runs the trailer park.

The Lucky Ones

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Published: April 19, 2022

It’s 1967, and eleven-year-old Ellis Earl Brown has big dreams. He’s going to grow up to be a teacher or a lawyer—or maybe both—and live in a big brick house in town. There’ll always be enough food in the icebox, and his mama won’t have to run herself ragged looking for work as a maid in order to support Ellis Earl and his eight siblings and niece, Vera. So Ellis Earl applies himself at school, soaking up the lessons that Mr. Foster teaches his class—particularly those about famous colored people like Mr. Thurgood Marshall and Miss Marian Wright—and borrowing books from his teacher’s bookshelf.

When Mr. Foster presents him with a copy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Ellis Earl is amazed to encounter a family that’s even worse off than his own—and is delighted by the Buckets’ very happy ending. But when Mama tells Ellis Earl that he might need to quit school to help support the family, he wonders if happy endings are only possible in storybooks. Around the historical touchstone of Robert Kennedy’s southern “poverty tour,” Linda Williams Jackson pulls from her own childhood in the Mississippi Delta to tell a detail-rich and poignant story with memorable characters, sure to resonate with readers who have ever felt constricted by their circumstances.

Clean Getaway

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Published: September 16, 2020

William “Scoob” Lamar is hoping to make a clean getaway with his white G-ma. Especially because his dad is mad at him after an unpleasant school incident and subsequent suspension. At first he’s happy to be spending time with this G-ma, but soon, he realizes that this isn’t quite the trip he expected.

As Scoob and G-ma travel through the US South, G-ma lets him into family history: his grandfather’s life, G-ma’s misdeeds and what life was like when Black people needed the Green Book to move through the US.

There they are: 20 of the best historical fiction books for 5th graders! Which of these have you read and loved? What did I miss? If you want more recs, check out our huge list of 90 middle grade historical fiction books.

More Books for 5th Graders

• Books for 5th graders
• Graphic novels for 10 year olds
• Best books for 10 year old boys

Pin This Post – Historical Fiction Books for 5th Graders

Tennessee Experience 5th Grade Student Book

Grades: 5-5

Subject: SS – Curriculum, SS – United States History

Ages: 10-11


Series: Gallopade Curriculum

Pages: 200

ISBN: 978-0-635-13194-2

Size: 8. 75″ x 11″

Product Code: 131942

Your Price:


$15.99

In Stock

Quantity:

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(min 10)

• Description

**Student Workbooks are not reproducible and must be purchased in Class size quantities. If you need less than 10, please contact us by filling out this form, HERE, and someone will be with you shortly for a custom order.**

The Tennessee Experience Student Book is STATE-APPROVED by Tennessee and on the Official List of Textbook and Instructional Materials! Student Books are consumable, in color, and interactive!

To view a sample, please visit TennesseeCurriculum. com.

The Tennessee Experience 5th Grade Student Book: The History of the U.S.: Industrialization to the Civil Rights Movement, and Tennessee History is 100% ALIGNED to Tennessee Social Studies standards. Every word, activity, map skill, and assessment was written based on Tennessee standards.

Gallopade combines textbook content with workbook activities for an all-in-one student resource. DOK-leveled activities include reading for information, cause and effect, classifying information, predicting possible outcomes, primary source analysis, inference, point of view, problem-solutions, order of events, compare and contrast, analyzing charts and graphs, critical thinking, timelines and sequencing, map skills, fact or opinion, data analysis, and more!

Below is the Table of Contents for the 200-page comprehensive 5th Grade Student Book:

PART 1: The History of the U.S.: Industrialization to the Civil Rights Movement
UNIT 1: Industrialization, the Gilded Age, and the Progressive Era (1870s-1910s)
Chapter 1: Economic Struggles in the South
Chapter 2: The Great Plains
Chapter 3: The Gilded Age
Chapter 4: The Spanish-American War
Chapter 5: The Journey of Immigrants
Chapter 6: Reform Movements of the Progressive Era

UNIT 2: World War I and the Roaring Twenties (1920s-1940s)
Chapter 7: World War I
Chapter 8: The “Roaring Twenties”
Chapter 9: The Great Depression and The New Deal

UNIT 3: World War II (1930s-1940s)
Chapter 10: World War II
Chapter 11: Impacts of War on the Homefront

UNIT 4: Post-World War II and the Civil Rights Movement (1940s-1960s)
Chapter 12: U. S. Society Changes After World War II
Chapter 13: The Cold War
Chapter 14: The Civil Rights Movement & Presidency of John F. Kennedy

PART 2: Tennessee History
UNIT 5: Tennessee Prior to Statehood (pre-1796)
Chapter 15: How Tennessee Got Its Name
Chapter 16: Tennessee American Indian Tribes
Chapter 17: The Cumberland Gap and the Wilderness Road
Chapter 18: The Watauga Settlement
Chapter 19: Change and Conflict
Chapter 20: The Overmountain Men
Chapter 21: The Lost State of Franklin

UNIT 6: Statehood & Early Tennessee History (1796-1849)
Chapter 22: How Statehood Was Achieved at Last
Chapter 23: The War of 1812
Chapter 24: President Andrew Jackson and the American Indians
Chapter 25: The Jackson Purchase

UNIT 7: Tennessee in the Civil War Era (1850s-1900)
Chapter 26: A State Divided
Chapter 27: The Tennessee Constitutional Convention of 1870
Chapter 28: Difficulties for Newly Freed Slaves

UNIT 8: Tennessee in the 20th Century (1900 — present)
Chapter 29: 19th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution
Chapter 30: Tennessee in the Great Depression
Chapter 31: Tennessee in World War I & World War II
Chapter 32: Tennessee and the Civil Rights Movement
Chapter 33: Music Industry in Tennessee
Chapter 34: Influential Tennesseans
Chapter 35: Three Grand Divisions of Tennessee
Chapter 36: Tennessee’s Government Structure

Shipping
Standard Shipping – 3-8 business days, 10%, $10 minimum.
Saver Shipping – 7-10 business days, 6%, $5 minimum.
If no shipping method is specified by the customer, standard shipping will be used.

Payment Terms
All public institutions and/or established accounts with authorized purchase orders may charge their orders. Terms are Net 30 days. Price subject to change. Not responsible for errors or omissions in this catalog. Gallopade is a sole-source provider for the Tennessee Curriculum products. Please include catalog code TN19 on all ordering methods.

Description

**Student Workbooks are not reproducible and must be purchased in Class size quantities. If you need less than 10, please contact us by filling out this form, HERE, and someone will be with you shortly for a custom order.**

The Tennessee Experience Student Book is STATE-APPROVED by Tennessee and on the Official List of Textbook and Instructional Materials! Student Books are consumable, in color, and interactive!

To view a sample, please visit TennesseeCurriculum.com.

The Tennessee Experience 5th Grade Student Book: The History of the U.S.: Industrialization to the Civil Rights Movement, and Tennessee History is 100% ALIGNED to Tennessee Social Studies standards. Every word, activity, map skill, and assessment was written based on Tennessee standards.

Gallopade combines textbook content with workbook activities for an all-in-one student resource. DOK-leveled activities include reading for information, cause and effect, classifying information, predicting possible outcomes, primary source analysis, inference, point of view, problem-solutions, order of events, compare and contrast, analyzing charts and graphs, critical thinking, timelines and sequencing, map skills, fact or opinion, data analysis, and more!

Below is the Table of Contents for the 200-page comprehensive 5th Grade Student Book:

PART 1: The History of the U. S.: Industrialization to the Civil Rights Movement
UNIT 1: Industrialization, the Gilded Age, and the Progressive Era (1870s-1910s)
Chapter 1: Economic Struggles in the South
Chapter 2: The Great Plains
Chapter 3: The Gilded Age
Chapter 4: The Spanish-American War
Chapter 5: The Journey of Immigrants
Chapter 6: Reform Movements of the Progressive Era

UNIT 2: World War I and the Roaring Twenties (1920s-1940s)
Chapter 7: World War I
Chapter 8: The “Roaring Twenties”
Chapter 9: The Great Depression and The New Deal

UNIT 3: World War II (1930s-1940s)
Chapter 10: World War II
Chapter 11: Impacts of War on the Homefront

UNIT 4: Post-World War II and the Civil Rights Movement (1940s-1960s)
Chapter 12: U.S. Society Changes After World War II
Chapter 13: The Cold War
Chapter 14: The Civil Rights Movement & Presidency of John F. Kennedy

PART 2: Tennessee History
UNIT 5: Tennessee Prior to Statehood (pre-1796)
Chapter 15: How Tennessee Got Its Name
Chapter 16: Tennessee American Indian Tribes
Chapter 17: The Cumberland Gap and the Wilderness Road
Chapter 18: The Watauga Settlement
Chapter 19: Change and Conflict
Chapter 20: The Overmountain Men
Chapter 21: The Lost State of Franklin

UNIT 6: Statehood & Early Tennessee History (1796-1849)
Chapter 22: How Statehood Was Achieved at Last
Chapter 23: The War of 1812
Chapter 24: President Andrew Jackson and the American Indians
Chapter 25: The Jackson Purchase

UNIT 7: Tennessee in the Civil War Era (1850s-1900)
Chapter 26: A State Divided
Chapter 27: The Tennessee Constitutional Convention of 1870
Chapter 28: Difficulties for Newly Freed Slaves

UNIT 8: Tennessee in the 20th Century (1900 — present)
Chapter 29: 19th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution
Chapter 30: Tennessee in the Great Depression
Chapter 31: Tennessee in World War I & World War II
Chapter 32: Tennessee and the Civil Rights Movement
Chapter 33: Music Industry in Tennessee
Chapter 34: Influential Tennesseans
Chapter 35: Three Grand Divisions of Tennessee
Chapter 36: Tennessee’s Government Structure

Shipping
Standard Shipping – 3-8 business days, 10%, $10 minimum.
Saver Shipping – 7-10 business days, 6%, $5 minimum.
If no shipping method is specified by the customer, standard shipping will be used.

Payment Terms
All public institutions and/or established accounts with authorized purchase orders may charge their orders. Terms are Net 30 days. Price subject to change. Not responsible for errors or omissions in this catalog. Gallopade is a sole-source provider for the Tennessee Curriculum products. Please include catalog code TN19 on all ordering methods.

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Trojden | Ancient Rome: Vigasin A. A.

Chapter 11

Getting acquainted with the chapter, think: in which country – in Greece or in Italy – were natural conditions more favorable for people’s lives? What was it expressed in?

The city of Rome originated on the banks of the Tiber River in Italy. In this country, located on the Apennine Peninsula, favorable conditions for the life of people. There is a warm climate, a lot of pastures and lands suitable for arable farming, viticulture and horticulture. It rains more than in Greece. Along the entire peninsula stretch low mountains, rich in building stone and metals. In the first millennium BC. e. Italy was inhabited by many peoples.

1. The legend of the founding of Rome. Once on the left bank of the Tiber lived a tribe of Latins. In one of their cities, King Numitor ruled. His younger brother was the evil and envious Amulius. He took away power from Numitor, and forcibly made the daughter of the king Rhea Sylvia a vestal priestess of the goddess of fire and the hearth of Vesta. From now on, the young girl had to live at the temple of Vesta and throw firewood into the hearth of the goddess. Like other Vestals, she was forbidden to marry and have children. However, less than a year later,0003

how Rhea Silvia gave birth to two boys. She swore that their father was Mars himself, the god of war. Having heard the news of the birth of the twins, the cruel Amulius ordered them to be drowned in the Tiber, and Rhea Sylvia was taken into custody. The servants dragged the basket with the children to the river. At this time, the Tiber overflowed, covering the deserted banks with stagnant waters. The servants threw the basket into the shallow water, but, aiming for a tree branch, it did not drown. At the plaintive cry of the twin brothers, a wolf came running and fed them with her milk. And soon one of the shepherds saw a basket with babies and brought it home.

She-wolf. The statue stood on Capitol Hill.

1. Ancient Appian Way in Italy.

2. Temple of Vesta in Rome.

The shepherd and his wife, naming the foundlings Romulus and Remus, brought them up brave and strong. For many years the twins led the life of shepherds and hunters, and when they learned the secret of their birth, they decided to take revenge. Arming their friends, they broke into the royal house and killed Amulius. Having returned to their grandfather, old Numitor, royal power, the twins decided to found a new city in those places where they were fed by a she-wolf.

Veneration of Vesta and Mars

The goddess Vesta was worshiped in all Latin cities. Her priestesses were girls from the best families. The Vestal Virgins were highly respected. As the priestess of Vesta walked down the street, the crowd parted before her. If the Vestal Virgin happened to be in the way of a criminal who was being led to execution, then the death penalty was replaced by a less severe punishment.

However, for 30 years Vestals were not allowed to marry and have children. Violators of the ban were punished with death. Only after 30 years of serving the goddess Vesta, her priestesses could marry.

The god of war Mars was considered the guardian of Rome. His sacred animal was the wolf. The first spring month, March, was named after Mars. Outside the city, on the Field of Mars, a temple was built to this god.

Vestal. Ancient Roman statue.

Soon the brothers quarreled: Rem chose one of the coastal hills for the construction of the city, and Romulus chose another hill – Palatine. When he began to build a defensive wall, Rem jumped over it in mockery. Enraged, Romulus struck Remus with a blow that turned out to be fatal. “So let everyone who violates the boundaries of the city perish!” cried Romulus. The murder of his brother did not prevent him from founding the city and naming it after himself (Rome – in Latin Roma).

Romulus became the first king of Rome. Now he appeared in a garment bordered with a purple stripe, and with a staff adorned with the figure of an eagle. He was accompanied by a guard of twelve warriors. They were called lictors. On the shoulders of the lictors were bundles of rods with axes stuck in them. The king could order to flog the guilty Roman, and to cut off the head of the one who committed a serious crime.

2. City on seven hills and its inhabitants. The Romans believed in the legend of the twin brothers and were proud that the founder of their city was the son of the god of war, Mars. However, Romulus hardly existed in reality. In our time, archaeologists have excavated in Rome and proved that this city did not arise immediately. Long before the legendary date of its founding – in 753 BC. e. – on the hills of the left bank of the Tiber, not far from the sea, there were several settlements. They gradually united: their inhabitants drained the swampy lowlands between the hills, built common fortifications and temples to the gods, and elected common rulers. So from these settlements on the Palatine, Capitoline and other hills, the city of Rome arose.

This is what the Palatine (on the left) and the Capitol might have looked like.

Lictor. Drawing of our time.

In those days, the Romans lived in round huts, the walls of which were made of twigs and plastered with clay. Near the huts there were a garden and a kitchen garden, and outside the city there were fields and pastures. The Romans grew barley and wheat, grapes, and flax. They raised cattle, pigs, horses and donkeys, were engaged in blacksmithing, weaving, making pottery.

While at war with other Latin cities, the Romans stole cattle from their neighbors, seized weapons and slaves, and most importantly, pastures and arable land. The dominions of Rome grew steadily.

Legend about the feat of Mutius

(according to the story of the Roman historian Titus Libya)

Tsar Tarquinius expelled from Rome (this nationality lived north of Tiber). The Etruscan king Porsena stood up for the exile. A large army laid siege to Rome. Then the Roman youth Mucius penetrated into the enemy camp, plotting to kill Porsena. But it was not the king who sat in the royal place, but his scribe. He gave out wages to soldiers. Drawing his sword, Mucius killed the scribe. The young man was seized, Porsena ordered to torture him. “The Romans are not afraid of torment!” said Mucius, and he himself put his right hand into the fire of the altar. The amazed Porsena ordered the young man to be released. “Beware, king,” the daredevil said in parting, “three hundred Roman youths have sworn to kill you!” The frightened Porsena lifted the siege of Rome, and Mucius was nicknamed Lefty (Scaevola in Latin).

Ancient coin depicting a she-wolf and boys.

In the VI (6th) century BC. e. Rome has become a populous city, located on seven hills.

3. What kind of government was in ancient Rome. The descendants of the noble inhabitants of ancient Rome called themselves patricians. They lived in large families in which the power of the fathers was very great. For disobedience, the father could punish even adult sons, up to selling them into slavery. Families were united in a clan, whose members celebrated common holidays, helped each other. In addition to the patricians, immigrants from Latin settlements conquered by Rome, as well as from other regions of Italy, lived in the city. They were called plebeians.

Only patricians took part in the administration of ancient Rome. The elders of the clans sat in the council, which was called the senate. The supreme power belonged to the National Assembly, which consisted of male patricians. It declared war, made peace and elected a king who ruled for life.

Legend has it that seven kings ruled Rome one after the other. The last king was called Tarquinius, nicknamed the Proud. He was not elected, but seized power by killing his predecessor. Tarquinius executed some patricians, evicted others from Rome, seizing their property. Then the Romans rebelled and expelled Tarquinius along with his entire family. They decided not to choose more kings.

Explain the meaning of the words: vestal, lictor, senate.

Test yourself. 1. To whom do the names of Numitor belong. Amulius, Rhea Silvia, Romulus, Remus? What is known about them from the legend of the founding of Rome? 2. What is the name of the priestesses of the goddess Vesta? What were their responsibilities? What were they strictly forbidden to do? How did the Romans treat them? 3. What kind of government was in ancient Rome? 4. What was the name of the first and last of the kings of Rome?

Work with the map (see p. 213). 1. Determine which tribes and nationalities inhabited Ancient Italy. 2. Describe the area in which the Roman state was located at the end of the 6th (6th) century BC. e.

Describe drawing Palatine (left) and Capitol (see p. 216). What did the settlement on the Palatine Hill look like? What did the temple of the main god of the Romans Jupiter look like on the Capitoline Hill?

Think. It is known that the Greeks spoke Greek, the Egyptians – Egyptian. What language did the Romans speak?



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