The Influence Of Ancient Greece's Direct Democracy

Decent Essays
Today’s society would not have been how it is today without the influences from ancient Greeks and Romans. Those civilizations ended more than 2,000 years ago, but its influence on politics, philosophy, art, architecture, language and literature are still present.
Our government in America today is based on the ideas from Ancient Greece and Rome. We call Greece “The Birthplace of Democracy.” This is because Greeks invented the idea of democracy. Democracy gives the people power and a say in how they are ruled. I cannot imagine what America's government would be like without the influence of the Ancient Greek's Direct

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Ancient Greek democracy appears to have ended as a result of both internal and external factors. Like the subsequent Roman Empire, the Athenian state appears to have over-reached in its militaristic ambitions, ultimately weakening it; while the relative strength of other empires enabled them to take Greece over. The imposition of rule by foreign empires finally ended Greek democracy. From internally, Athens moved from being a defender of its own nation to an aggressor though it would have no doubt maintained that this was in its national security interests. One of the consequences of this aggression and ambition was the loss of the alliances that had helped repel the Persians and in some cases their subjugation (Brand, n.d., p.28).…

    • 481 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The ancient philosophical and political ideals of classical Greece and Rome strongly impacts the current government of the United States. Classical Greek scholars formulated the idea of separating powers of government, that is central to the model of the American government as well as many other nations in the modern day. Other key ideas offered by those ancient Greeks would also be important to the constitution of the United States. In spite of the huge cultural accomplishments of the Greek world, the best inheritance of classical Greece was in their philosophical tradition. A considerable amount of their philosophical scholars created political designs that would later impact the improvement of the United States of America, almost two millennia later.…

    • 576 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Greek Contributions Dbq

    • 617 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Greek historian Herodotus wrote, "In a democracy, there is, first, that most splendid of virtues, equality before the law" (http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/ancient-greece-democracy). This quote shows that in a democracy, there is equal opportunity for all. Therefore, the ancient Greeks have made many improvements to modern day…

    • 617 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ancient Athens Government

    • 655 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Founding Fathers of the United States of America established a Government. It several ways that Government is modeled after the government of Ancient Athens. This comparison is not one-hundred percent because Athens was a true Democracy and America is a Constitutional Republic. We will look at these two governments and how they are alike and different. Ancient Greece at one time was ruled by a select few.…

    • 655 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Athens made the democracy. Democracy was made in 510 BC. The greeks named it democracy because democracy means “government by people”. Citizens had a say in the government. The Athenian democracy was divided into 3 branches.…

    • 826 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The Athenian government consists of a Democratic government. In theory, a Democracy is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Taken from that theory of the Athenian Democracy, the “people” referred to men over the age of 18 who were born from Athenian parents. Men ruled the government, where they were able to vote and make political decisions regarding the country. Women, foreigners and slaves were not allowed to participate in the government at all.…

    • 426 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Was ancient Athens truly democratic ? To say about how Athens was more of a democratic civilization, it was not because of how most things that certain people are allowed to do in the city it was because there was not much laws and our order between one another. but between the democracy and the city of Athens it was not so secure about their laws or order because of how most people were citizens at some weren’t because of how they were born in the city with their parent but their parents came to Athens as uncivilized people. But in order to be a citizen there in Athens you would have to be born there and also your parents to be from there as also to be able to have law and order in the population of the city. Also as of how men had more…

    • 407 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Democracy is a form of government that the superior power is in the people directly or by the ones they elected for free. People all over the world have different beliefs about who invented democracy. Some think America did, others believe the Greeks did, and a few believe that the Native Americans where the real founders. After doing some research and reading a few articles I have come to the conclusion that the Greeks were indeed the original founders of American Democracy. The main reason that people don’t believe that Greeks are the founders is because that was one of their earliest forms of government and around 460 B.C they had evolved their democracy into an aristocracy, leaving it unclear that they had invented it way before it was…

    • 1050 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ancient Greece was the very first democracy in history, and their beliefs in Freedom and Liberty for their citizens. The two types of freedoms were political (Governed by their own laws), and individual (do what we want). Freedom is the Central theme associated with democracy. After Greece’s downfall, democracy was not known again till the American Revolution. History is made by Great People.…

    • 515 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    So they went to the Greek’s invention: democracy. The idea of letting the people being governed having a say in how they were governed appealed greatly to the new country.…

    • 1473 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Greek and Roman culture have paved the way for much of American culture throughout history and current time. Whether it is language, religion, or architecture, ancient Greece and Rome are to thank for their contribution on many aspects of society’s daily lives in America society today, as the American political system was greatly influenced by these two civilizations. These two democratic systems had many similarities and many differences but without them there may not be the justice and equal democratic system that we have today. Although there were characteristics about their systems that ultimately failed, these two ancient worlds were very far beyond their time in many ways. Athenian democracy developed around the fifth century BC in Greek city-states known as Polis.…

    • 1899 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ancient Athenian Democracy

    • 1305 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Ancient Athenian Democracy Concludes an Unjustified Verdict of a Futuristic and Wise Man A court case requires evidence, accusers, the accused, and the jury. What links all these components together is a matter of persuasion through cross examining to prove the accused innocent or felonious. A court case also represents a cities governing and regulating systems efficiency. In the Trial of Socrates, one will come to discover the deficiencies of the accusers, Meletus, Lycon, and Anytus’ charges and the forthright manner of Socrates.…

    • 1305 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ratifying The Constitution

    • 1240 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The American government we know today did not just appear out of nowhere, it developed over time and there were some errors, but it ultimately lead to what we have today. Today, our government is based off The Constitution, which has been in place for 200 years, but the framers did not get it right the first time, nor were the ideas used in it their own. The Constitution is a culmination of many factors, including ideas from renaissance philosophers, grievances against the king and England that lead to independence, and the failed government under The Articles of the Confederation. These factors along with the constitutional convention and ratification process molded and shaped our constitution and what is included in it to with stand 200 years…

    • 1240 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Greeks are, for the most part, appropriately admired. Although ancient Greek civilization has negative qualities, the advancements they contributed should not be disregarded. Many positive aspects of Greek life, including politics, art, rationalism, and scientific thought, continue to resonate throughout modern society. The negative components in Greek society were mainly issues regarding equality. There were great divides between genders and between socioeconomic classes.…

    • 1330 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    According to Lincoln, democracy means “Government of the people, by the people and for the people,” (Nicolay, 209). Whereas, Lysias supports the restoration of democracy because he believes that fighting for equality and rising up in rebellion is worthwhile. It is important to point out that, democratic practices are not the same in Ancient…

    • 373 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays