Greek Influence on Western Culture Essay - 806 Words

What were the contributions to Western civilization from the ancient Greeks? 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. The people of ancient Greece developed a sophisticated language with an extraordinarily rich vocabulary. It has existed for nearly 3,500 years, the longest of any language derived from early Indo-European. It also has a heavy influence on the English speaking civilization of the West. Like English Greek, was phonetic, and, was the first language that used vowels. Greeks incredibly diverse vocabulary also influenced and contributed to modern English.†¦show more content†¦He also stated that people should rise up against tyranny. He said that all men have a duty to disobey bad orders. These ideas are all exemplified in Western culture, where value is placed on effort, and not only and result. The rise against tyranny also affects the establishment of a new type of sys tem, known as democracy. Greece was one of the first people to have recorded the events of their democratic system. Democracy is a Greek word literally meaning the power of the people to rule. Early democracy was established in ancient Athens, a Greek city-state, and was probably the single most powerful and stable democratic government in Greece. Greek democracy has a powerful hand in influencing modern democratic practices. Greek democracy was separated into three ruling bodies, the Assembly, Council, and the Courts. The Assembly, tried serious crimes, made executive statements and laws, and elected certain officials. It is very similar to the modern day Senate who also approve executive statements, make laws and elect certain officials. Like modern democratic government the Assembly made decisions based on majority rule. The Council, or Council of 500, was a board made up of five hundred citizens who were randomly chosen to become part of this board. All citizens could hold a pos ition in the council, and could be elected twice in one lifetime. Citizens that were on the board were randomly selected to be head of State for the day.Show MoreRelatedGreek And Roman Influence On Western Culture1063 Words   |  5 PagesGreek and Roman Contribution To Western Culture Greek and Roman culture are the most often thought of in history, and that is due to the many contributions it had to the future. Greeks were very philosophical and were constantly questioning morality. The Classical age of the Greeks, 479-323 B.C.E., is mentioned in reference to tragedies. During this age, Greeks were exploring their minds and searching for deeper understandings. 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