Classical education is arguably one of the most influential educations in American history. Not only does it allow the student to study the great literature of ancient Greek and Roman writers, but it also allows the student to develop written and spoken language while learning about the great men and their accomplishments. Without knowledge of the past, it is impossible to look to the future. To be considered an educated person in today's society, it is imperative to possess an understanding of ancient Greek and Roman civilization. Our nation's founding fathers believed this and used their knowledge gained through classical education to develop the system of government we have in place today. This essay will examine ancient Greek and Roman styles of government in an attempt to show how the Founding Fathers took the best parts of these governments and applied them to America and the Constitution. Ancient Greece was not a unified nation. The Greek peninsula contained several islands with mountainous terrain, which made travel and communications difficult. Consequently, each community developed its own political system, known as city-states. These city-states then formed their own system of government, which varied considerably depending on them. Corinth, for example, was an oligarchy. An oligarchy is a system of government led by a small group of powerful leaders. Other city-states developed a system of government that contained multiple styles of government. The government of Sparta, for example, included a monarchy, an oligarchy, and a democracy. It contained two kings, a council of 30 nobles, and an assembly of all Spartan men. Athens, however, is considered the most influential city-state in Western civilization...... middle of paper ...... by vote of individual members. This gave more power to the wealthier class in government and hindered the influence of lower-class citizens. As both civilizations show, our nation's founders created a system of government in America based on the best parts of each government. They believed that some uneducated people should have no influence on the decisions of our government and that those who are educated will want to be involved in government. If this reasoning is correct, then the Founding Fathers knew that uneducated people would not care about the government or governments of ancient civilizations. Thus assuming that educated people will know or want to know about ancient civilizations. Works cited by Plutarch and Bernadotte Perrin. "Life of Solon". The Lives of Plutarch in eleven volumes. Cambridge (Mass.): Harvard UP, 1988. 451+. Print.