Why Do Societies Collapse?
Driving Question: What are the most important factors leading to the collapse of empires?
All empires eventually fall. The choices their leaders make and the challenges they face determine how and when they collapse. What choices and events are most important in creating chaos and disruption? By examining different empires, we can identify the most significant factors leading to collapse. What can these comparisons tell us about the past, about our world today, and our future?
- Critique the historical narrative of collapse and determine the possible impact on contemporary societies.
- Evaluate the legacy and collapse of the Han Dynasty and Roman Empire.
- Use the historical thinking practice of causation to understand how and why some societies collapse.
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Guiding Questions
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Note: For more detailed directions on completing the three close reads below, refer to the Three Close Reads – Introduction activity.
Skim
Before you read, you should quickly skim the article, by looking at the headings of each section and the charts. Read the questions below as well, so you know what to look for when you read!
Key Ideas
- What are two general factors that usually bring down an empire?
- How might changes in population affect an empire?
- What problems did Rome and the Han Dynasty have with taxes? What were their specific circumstances?
- In both Rome and the Han Dynasty, what was a problem with some of their emperors?
- What factors made it easier for Alexander to conquer Persia?
- Why did the Spanish have lucky timing when they took over former Inca territory?
Evaluate
- Are there any lessons we can learn from the collapse of these empires that might help us think about how to keep our own society from collapsing? If so, what are they? If not, why not?
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Guiding Questions
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Note: For more detailed directions on completing the three close reads below, refer to the Three Close Reads – Introduction activity.
Skim
Before you read, you should quickly skim the article, by looking at the headings of each section and the charts. Read the questions below as well, so you know what to look for when you read!
Key Ideas
- Why did the Romans concede land to the German tribes?
- What’s one thing Diocletian did to stabilize the Roman Empire?
- What are some key differences between the eastern and western parts of the empire?
- What are some reasons that the Roman economy was weak?
- What did the Antonine Constitution do?
- What problems did the Visigoths have with Rome? How did they react?
- What was left of Rome after 476 CE?
Evaluate
- How did changing ideas about what made up the Roman community help the Roman Empire survive and later contribute to its decline?
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Guiding Questions
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Note: For more detailed directions on completing the three close reads below, refer to the Three Close Reads – Introduction activity.
Skim
Before you read, you should quickly skim the article, by looking at the headings of each section and the charts. Read the questions below as well, so you know what to look for when you read!
Key Ideas
- What are some challenges that the Han faced that were outside of their control?
- How did Han rulers deal with tribal groups from the border regions?
- How did farmers and land-owning elite contribute to the empire’s wealth? How did they relate to one another?
- What was the Yellow Turban Revolt? How did it affect the emperor?
- What are the three main theories Chinese historians had for why the Han Dynasty collapsed?
- What’s one modern theory for why the Han Dynasty collapsed?
Evaluate
- How does the decline and collapse of the Han Dynasty compare to the collapse of the Roman Empire? Use evidence from this article and other articles and videos in this unit to support your claim.
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Supporting Materials
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Evaluate the causes for a society’s collapse by creating an anatomy and autopsy of one of the empires included with this activity.
Download “Worlds Collide: Persians and Greeks”
Download “The Macedonian Empire”
Download “The Ptolemaic Dynasty”
Download “The Mauryan and Gupta Empires”
Download “The Zhou and Qin Empires”
Collapse!
Key Ideas
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Guiding Questions
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Before you watch
Before you watch the video, it’s a good idea to open and skim the video transcript. And always read the questions below so you know what to look and listen for as you watch!
While you watch
- How does Jared Diamond define collapse?
- What evidence does Jared Diamond offer in making his argument that societies collapse together?
- What countries did American officials think were the least important to American power during the twentieth century? Were they correct?
- What evidence does Diamond use when he asserts that the environment plays a role in collapse?
- What is Diamond’s point of view on whether or not we are headed for collapse, and what does he think will dictate this outcome?
After you watch
- How does Jared Diamond argue that collapse in the twenty-first century would be different than any previous collapse? Do you agree or disagree with him and why?
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Guiding Questions
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Note: For more detailed directions on completing the three close reads below, refer to the Three Close Reads – Introduction activity.
Skim
Before you read, you should quickly skim the article, by looking at the headings of each section and the charts. Read the questions below as well, so you know what to look for when you read!
Key Ideas
- The Aztecs who found Teotihuacan’s ruins were also the ones who named the ancient city. What does the name mean, and why did they choose it?
- How were Teotihuacan and the cities of the Maya Classic Period similar?
- How were Teotihuacan and the cities of the Maya Classic Period different?
- Why does the absence of a writing system make it hard to determine why an empire falls?
- Why does the author argue that it’s difficult to pin the “collapse” of a society on one single cause?
Evaluate
- How does evidence from Teotihuacan and Maya societies contribute to your understanding of what “collapse” means, and what might happen after societies collapse?