THE FIRST SETTLERS

Italy is a boot-shaped peninsula with mild climate, fertile soil, and beautiful scenery. The Alps protect it from cold northern winds. Long ago, people from Central Asia crossed the mountains seeking pasture. They learned to build houses, make pottery, spin wool, and form tribes under leaders who became kings. From these tribes came the Romans. Their city became the greatest in the world, but early histories were written centuries later from stories passed down through generations. These tales changed over time and were filled in by guesswork, yet every educated person is expected to know them.