Transcript A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Empires
The Rich/Poor Gap
Rome’s Beginning
The Rich poor gap first began
its growth at the start of the
Roman Empire
Through the Roman victory in
the Punic wars Rome gained
land which went to the leaders,
Aristocrats etc..
The Gracchus brothers
Rome’s first reformers were
Tiberius and Gaius Grachus
They were the 1st to try and
close the Rich poor gap
Together they created a
form of wellfare by offering
land and grain to the poor
U.S. Reforms
GI Bill
Under F.D.R a piece of
legislation was passed that
gave those in the military a
chance at higher learning.
This helped create the
largest middle class in U.S.
history
Welfare
By the 1920s the U.S.
was just one of the many
countries with welfare.
This welfare supports the
poor potentially
decreasing the rich poor
gap further.
United States Rapid Growth
In 2005 both the top 1% and top 10%
saw increases of about 9%, while the
bottom 90% saw a drop of about
0.6%
As a collective body the top
300,000 make roughly as much
as the other 150 million
U.S. & Rome
Will United States follow Rome’s foot steps?
The United States is still focused
on the rich poor gap, and trying to
reduce it.
An example: Forcing AIG and other to
return their money.
Rome essentially abandoned the poor.
They then took the “spoils” of war and kept
them for the upper class
This abandonment led to revolt, lack of
patriotism, etc…
Sources
Ellis, Elisabeth & Esler, Anthony. World History Connections to Today.
Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall, 1997.
Johnston, David. "The gap between rich and poor grows in the United
States.." International Herald Tribune The Global Edition of The New
York Times March 29, 2007. . March 24, 2009
<http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/03/29/business/income.4.php>.
http://www.gibill.va.gov/
http://www.the-romans.co.uk/gallery2/full/republic10.jpg
http://worldmapsonline.com/UnivHist/30287_6.gif