UGC111 April 7, 2014World Civilization IProfessor Vance WatrousTA: Yuriko NagatsumaIdan Lavian, 50087728 IntroductionSince the time of the earliest civilizations, religions and rules for effective governance have been in existence. Ancient peoples created institutions in order to better govern themselves and live more civilized lives. These institutions, religious and secular alike, were borrowed by later generations and civilizations attempting to mimic the successes of their predecessors. This tradition of borrowing institutions from the past extends even to governments today, in particular the government of the United States of America. Many ancient civilizations achieved substantial success in their progressive development of the social good, to the point that many societies, especially that of the United States of America, borrow from people of the past. In this essay I will describe the meaning and application of the Articles of the U.S constitution, and explain how the ideas expressed in the constitution can be traced to sources in antiquity. Freedom of SpeechDemocracy is an invention of the ancient Athenians in 505 BCE. Democracy, as the Athenians defined it, is based on the principle of collective governance as well as the freedom and importance of speech. Freedom of speech in ancient Athenian democracy was stressed, and the most important policy decisionswere made because of various speeches given to the people by their leaders. Oration was an art in ancient Athens, and the leaders of the people were the most practiced in it. Their defense of, and emphasis on, free speech is shown in an excerpt from Thucydides called Pericles’ Funeral. In this source, Pericles gives a traditional funeralspeech, addressing the people during the Peloponnesian war against the Peloponnesian League. He states how important the freedom and equality its citizens is to their country through their political institutions compared to others in those times. As it states “its administration favors the many instead of the few; this is why it is called democracy. If we look at the laws they afford equal justice to all in settling private differences. As for prestige, advancement in public life goes to men with reputations for ability: class considerations are not allowed to interfere with merit, nor again does poverty bar the way… There, far from exercising a jealous surveillance over each other, we do not feel called upon to be angry with our neighbor for doing what he likes, or even to indulge in those injurious looks which cannot fail to be offensive, although they inflict no positive penalty.” (Pericles)Comparing the first amendment of the constitution to this source, the story ofPericles shows that the amendments are a reflection of Greek Democracy by declaring equal justice to all classes and citizens. Democracy is an institution that has survived through the modern era, albeit with slight differences. The first and second amendments of the U.S constitution establish our democracy. Included inthose amendments are the rights of free speech for the people and for the press. Further, the government is obligated to abide by the wishes of the majority. Today in our modern government the freedom is protected and emphasized as it was in Ancient Greece. Policy today is still driven through speeches, similar to the funeral oration of Pericles. In the first two amendments, it is stated “Congress shall make nolaw respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or the press; or the right of the people peaceablyto assemble, and to petition the government for a redress grievances.” Republic GovernanceThe Romans were the first to implement a republican form of government in 509 BCE. In this form of government, the people chose leaders to represent them in making policy decisions. Leaders of the government were appointed by the people who voted for them to lead and represent them. After a period of time, the people would reelect new leaders to be in charge of the government. Our Republican Government originates from the Romans. In Rome, the people had the right to acceptand decline laws made by the Senate. As we know from Polybius, ‘Why Romans and Not Greeks Govern the World’”. Polybius was a Greek general and Ambassador to Egypt for the Achaean League. The inner workings of the Roman Republic were presented to Polybius. He is told that the republic was created by combining the merits of Kingship, Aristocracy and Democracy. This source states “roman consuls exercise authority over all public affairs. All other magistrates except the tribunes are under them bound to obey them, and they introduce embassies to the senate….. to pass to thesenate, in the first place it has to the control of the treasury, all revenue and expenditure being regulated by it; with the exception of payments made to the consuls, no disbursements are made without a decree of the senate… but there is a very important part left for the people. For the people alone have the right to confer honors and inflictpunishment, the only bond by which human society is held together.” (Polybius) The twenty fourth amendment of the constitution imitates the Republican government. In the modern American governing system, the people elect the leaderswho will make governmental decisions on their behalf. After a predetermined term in office, the chosen representative of the people steps down, and the people elect new leaders who will take up the role of their predecessors. To make sure leaders will not posses too much power for too long, and to prevent the possibility of dictatorship, checks and balances were built into the system to distribute their power equally. In the constitution, it is stated“all legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a congress of the United States, which shall consist of a senate and house of representatives…. The executive power shall be vested in a president of the United States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and, together with the vice president, chosen for the same term be elected as follows.” Even though our modern republic gives the people the right to vote for leaders, they don’t have the power to change the laws made by the leaders. The Roman