More than two thousand years ago the inhabitants of ancient Greece created a civilization like no other. New advancements such as democracy, medicine, literature and architecture helped Greeks to form a civilization that generations would try to replicate. The contributions of the ancient Greeks shaped western civilization in a positive way. In the areas of government, medical ethics, and the arts, the ancient Greeks gave us tools that have stood the test of time and contributed to successes we have today. Democracy, the backbone of American government, was initially created by the ancient Greeks. Their willingness to make wise decisions based upon the opinions of the majority was something Americans admired and later on attempted to copy. …show more content…
Writers, sculptors and builders all worked to create new concepts. In the areas of literature for example, the playwright Sophocles in his work, Antigone, had characters discuss values that the ancient Greeks held to be important. In regards to ancient Greek gods, Sophocles wrote, “ Nor do I think your orders were so strong that you, a mortal man, could overrun the gods”. (Document Six) The use of literature to share things that are significant to culture is a method that is still common today. Similarly sculptors can also use their talents to present ideas they find meaningful. In Myron’s famous sculpture, the Discus Thrower, we learn that athletic competition, such as the Olympics, was an important part of Greek life. In modern culture we also use sculptures that represent the events and people we find to be significant to our society, such as historical figures like presidents. Literature and sculptures were not the only way ancient Greeks used the arts to express their values. Architecture was also a critical way of conveying a place’s importance. Using specific features such as columns and marble in buildings like the Parthenon, one can immediately establish that this structure was essential. (Document Seven) In modern times places like Washington D.C followed many of the architectural styles used by the Greeks when they made important governmental buildings. The U.S Capitol, the Supreme Court
In examining the impact that the ancient world has had on modern Western civilization, the two ancient civilizations which are frequently understood as having had the greatest influence are Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. These two civilizations would eventually come to shape much of what would become the modern European culture, politics and society, and by extension, a vast proportion of global culture and society. In examining the trajectory of modern history in an era of globalization of Western ideas and modes of living, the importance of these civilizations in world history is extensive, contributing to cultural, political and social trends which may well dominate the globe in the future.
The Ancient Greeks have done so much for the western civilizations. Their success in art, philosophy, architecture, science, government, and history have influenced the western civilizations to use their ideas. Many different people came up with different ideas to contribute to their government. New ideas and conclusions were constantly being made because of philosophers asking questions all the time. They really helped shaped Ancient Greece's government.
The word democracy comes from two Greek words: demos, meaning "the people," and kratein, meaning "to rule." These two words are joined together to form a democracy, literally meaning "rule by the people". Nowadays democracy could be referred as a rule of the majority. It is a system of government in which the citizens exercise power directly or choose delegates from among themselves to form a governing body, such as a parliament. The Greek system of government was maybe more like a true democracy or administered by the general population than any other ever. On the other hand, most American politicians with mindfulness and knowledge have realized that the U.S. is not a Democracy as a country, regardless of the way that most people declare it to be a Democracy. Greek and American democracy have some similarities such as the amount of nationalism and patriotism saw in the people when a lack of representation for a city-state or nation as a whole is seen, and they both vote for their political leaders.
In addition to Politics and Science, Art and Architecture from Greece influenced Western civilization. The Athenians built many important building using long structures called columns, such as in the Parthenon (seen in document seven). These can be seen in many buildings across America, such as the Stock exchange and the Lincoln memorial. Another example of Athenian Art was the Olympics. You can see in document eight that the Greeks valued sports and were very athletic. This contribution still exists today all over the globe. Sports are very important to people of all
Ancient Greek culture had major influences on today’s culture; some of these influences include mathematics, government, art and architecture; they even did research in the field of medicine. Many cultures and religions have adapted their ideas from the ancient Greeks. Without the influences of the ancient Greeks our society wouldn’t be the way it is today. The Greek culture lasted from around 776 BCE to 146 BCE (though it is argued to have begun around 1000 BCE), during this time they invented many technologies and refined old technologies. These things are what caused the ancient Greek culture to be such a powerful influence on western society today.
America is a country whose emergence is contributed to many sources. More specifically, the American form of Democracy stretch back beyond the formation of the United States, having origin in ancient Greek thinking, the Enlightenment, as well as the English and their injustice, The United States owes its birth as a country to many areas of influence.
Democracy did not occur in a matter of seconds, it took years of evolution to become what it is today. The thought of a self-government during a world ruled by monarchs would have you locked up in a mental hospital. As you can figure, democracy did not just come out of the nowhere, it had to be planned out and modified over the years. The earliest contributions and influences of The American Government came from philosophers, some of them are the part of our founding fathers and others influenced them to develop the strong nation we are today.
The Greek civilization contributed greatly to the development of modern Western culture. Three of the most important contribution that are the foundations of our society are Language, Philosophy, and Government.
Ancient Greece had a major impact on the Western World due to many factors. Documents 1 and 2 reveal that the Western World has been impacted by political factors of the ancient Greeks, whille documents 4, and 5 show us that the Western World was impacted due to cultural reasons.
The ancient Greeks have made many contributions to Western civilization in the areas of architecture, art, and dramas. For example the ancient Greeks believed delicate curves and columns add dignity and grace to buildings. This idea is still used today and is seen in many buildings such as the White House. Ancient Greek
When America developed their government it was pretty unique in comparison to the rest of the world at the time, it seems an almost near miracle that anything could be created all the way from the ground up like it seems it was. That is not, however, the entire story. There were many people that inspired and influenced American democracy, for example John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Baron de Montesquieu.
The Western world was highly influenced by the ancient Greeks. The Greeks changed the way the world looks at art, math, architecture, philosophy, sports, and drama. Without the ancient Greeks, the modern world would not be the same. Men such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle changed the way we look at philosophy. The Athenians created the first known democracy, setting the stage for future governments. The Euclidian Theorem and the Pythagorean Theorem among others made mathematics easier and more developed. Even current architecture can be traced back to the Parthenon and other pieces of Greek architecture. The Olympics even started in ancient Greece, creating one of the finest traditions the world has ever known. Without the ancient
The ancient Greeks and Romans were perhaps two of the greatest civilizations of the ancient world. These two civilizations thrived in their ancient environments which eventually led to a vast amount of prosperity within these two cultures. It is because of this prosperity that these ancient cultures were able to make a variety of advancements in literature, architecture, art and a variety of other fields. These two civilizations also produced some of the ancient world’s greatest writers, leaders, and philosophers. The cultures of ancient Greece and Rome made a number of contributions to western civilization in the form of advancements in literature, architecture, art, government, and philosophy.
The civilization of ancient Greece blossomed for more than 2,500 years ago but the ideas of the ancient Greeks continue to influence the way we live today. People of ancient Greece seeked to explain the world through the laws of nature. Greece produced many magnificent achievements in areas of science, philosophy arts and government that still influence our lives.
Have you ever really looked into the development of history? Have you ever wondered who contributed to western civilization? The ancient Greeks were perhaps one of the greatest civilizations of the ancient world and are among one of the biggest landmarks in all of world history. The Greeks affected philosophy, math, science, arts, architecture, drama and etc. Many of Greek principles and concepts have since been applied in civilizations throughout much of western history and have had a continuing impact on people in different phases of history. Numerous of philosophers, authors, and artists originated in Greece are believed to have influenced much of the world. There were other empires that were bigger than those of Greece, such as Rome and the British Empire, but none of these cultures produced more great thinkers, philosophers, and artists than Greece.