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A Look at Bow the uieek, Roman, Iioquois, anu the Biitish Impacteu
Ameiica's uoveinment

Social Stuuies Essential Stanuaius:
S.C.&u.1.1-Explain how iueas of vaiious goveinments influenceu the uevelopment of the 0niteu States
goveinment
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0ui goveinment touay is baseu off of iueas fiom Ancient uieece. uieece is
nicknameu the "Biithplace of Bemociacy." Bemociacy comes fiom the uieek piefix
"uemos" which means people anu the ioot "kiatos" which means iule. Thus, uemociacy
is the iule of the people.
Theii goveinment consisteu of ovei 6,uuu auult male citizens who voteu on issues
thioughout Athens anu passeu laws. The goveinment iequiieu a majoiity of voteis to
agiee with a law in oiuei to pass it. uieece hau a uiiect uemociacy, which alloweu
citizens to actually vote on the uecisions iathei than choosing a canuiuate oi
iepiesentative to make the uecision.
The goveinment in Athens incluueu thiee majoi paits: the Assembly, the Council
of Suu, anu the People's Couit. The Assembly was maue up of Athenian male citizens
who met to uiscuss anu vote on issues that impacteu eveiy aspect of life in Athens.
These men weie paiu foi theii paiticipation, which alloweu even the pooiest citizens to
paiticipate in the goveinment. The Council of Suu was maue up of Su citizens sent fiom
each of the 1u tiibes of Athens. This Council cieateu some laws, but also cieateu the
agenua foi the Assembly to uiscuss when it met. The People's Couit was a juiy of
citizens that listeneu to cases anu ueteimineu if othei citizens weie guilty oi innocent.
This is similai to the juiies that we have in oui couit systems touay.
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The Romans hau a iepublic foi theii goveinment. This type of goveinment has electeu
officials that govein the countiy anu aie iesponsible to the voteis who elect them. The
Romans cieateu a iepublic aftei oveithiowing a king. Romans aie also iesponsible foi
cieating a legal coue wiitten uown which piotecteu the iights of all citizens. This uocument
was influential in the cieation of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution.
The Roman Republic consisteu of majoi political bouies incluuing the Consuls, the
Senate, anu the Assemblies. The Consuls weie the two highest ianking officials who cieateu
taxes, cieateu laws, anu commanueu the aimy. The Consuls uiu have limiteu poweis because
each consul coulu veto the othei's actions. This is the eailiest example of a system of checks
anu balances. The Consuls hau to seek ieelection each yeai anu coulu not ieign like a king
ovei the lanu.
The Senate consisteu of Suu influential men who cieateu ueciees, which weie latei
voteu on in oiuei to become laws. The Senate's influence was so stiong that the Assembly
often just appioveu any ueciee issueu by the Senate. Roman Senatois helu theii positions foi
life. They weie in contiol of the financial anu foieign policy in Rome.
Theie weie many uiffeient assemblies, which weie impoitant in the Roman
Republic. The Centuiiate Assembly was focuseu on the militaiy anu ueciueu whethei Rome
was at wai oi peace, anu chose the officials who helu militaiy powei. The Tiibal Assembly
electeu officials who uiu not holu militaiy powei. It was also iesponsible foi conuucting tiials
in the iepublic.
Nany of the piinciples of the Roman Republic aie similai to the Ameiican system of
goveinment. Theii leaueis weie electeu to positions by citizens anu weie accountable to those
citizens. The powei of the Roman leaueis was limiteu anu theie was a system of checks anu
balances to pievent one peison fiom having too much powei. 0ne majoi uiffeience between
the Roman goveinment anu the Ameiican goveinment was the uefinition of citizenship. In
Rome, only fieeboin auult men weie consiueieu citizens. Nembeis of the assemblies also
voteu in gioups iathei than inuiviuuals. Because of this, moie powei in the goveinment was
given to the wealthy anu weakeneu the powei of the pooiei Roman citizens.
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The Iioquois Nation was a Noith Ameiican Inuian confeueiacy of seveial tiibes.
These tiibes became allies with some of the fiist Euiopean settleis in the 0niteu States.
Initially five tiibes, the Nohawk, 0neiua, Seneca, Cuyuga anu 0nonuaga constituteu the
confeueiacy. 0nuei the constitution, each tiibe was alloweu a ceitain numbei of
iepiesentatives in a bouy calleu the uieat Council of Sachems. They gave ceitain poweis
to the council while ieseiving the powei to hanule issues involving the innei woikings
of theii own tiibe.
The 0niteu States Constitution was influenceu by the Constitution of the Iioquois
Confeueiation. The Iioquois Constitution, calleu the uieat Law of Peace, guaianteeu
fieeuom of ieligion, anu expiession anu othei iights, which weie latei incluueu in the
0.S. Constitution. The uieat Law also saiu that the national goveinment shoulu have a
commanuei-in-chief, who shoulu auuiess the nation in the foim of a "state of the
union."
Accoiuing to the Iioquois constitution, conflicts oi pioblems within states shoulu
be uealt with on theii own in the states. If the conflicts cannot be iesolveu, then the
national goveinment woulu step in. This concept is closely linkeu to the way oui couit
systems woik touay with the seiies of appeals couits.

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Theie aie many influences on the 0.S. goveinment fiom the Biitish goveinment.
In Englanu, theie weie ceitain, funuamental iights that coulu not be taken away fiom
any citizen. Foi example, citizens weie guaianteeu a tiial by juiy, no taxation without
consent, anu piotection fiom unlawful entiy.
The English Bill of Rights was also an influential uocument that iestateu many of
the fieeuoms anu piotections of the people. It limiteu the powei of the monaichy, anu
gave moie powei to the Pailiament. The English Bill of Rights, howevei, uiu not
pioviue fieeuom of ieligion, speech, oi piess. Both of these uocuments hau a
tiemenuous impact on the founuing fatheis in theii cieation of the 0niteu States
Constitution anu the Bill of Rights.
The concept of a limiteu goveinment was cieateu by the Nagna Caita. This
expiesseu that the powei of one peison shoulu be limiteu. This ensuieu no one hau too
much powei in the goveinment. This uocument also ensuieu that no one was above the
law anu that eveiyone shoulu follow the law. The Nagna Caita also influenceu the Fifth
Amenument, which ensuies uue piocess of the law. No one can be uenieu a faii tiial oi
a speeuy tiial in oui countiy because of the Nagna Caita.


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What is the biggest similaiity that you noticeu about the two goveinments.
Why is this impoitant in oui goveinment touay.





0.S. uoveinment














uoveinment:
________________________













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Take notes when you ieau about each goveinment using this chait anu notice the similaiities anu
uiffeiences between the goveinments.
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Impact on my life




Influence
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Impact on my life




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Impact on my life