![]() ![]() Another important ancient Greek concept that influenced the formation of the United States government was the written constitution. By agreeing to follow the rule of law, the United States can prevent abuses of power by leaders who might act as if they are above the law. The rule of law is important because it allows all individuals and institutions (including the government itself) to be held accountable for their actions. In the United States today, the rule of law is a principle that ensures that all laws are publicly accessible, equally enforced, and independently judged, and that they adhere to international human rights ethics. Aristotle believed that people should align themselves with this natural law and govern by its ethics. He claimed the existence of a higher justice in nature-certain essential rights-that superseded the laws written by humans. In ancient Greece the idea of rule of law came from the philosopher Aristotle’s belief in natural law. All Greek city-states had sets of rules by which the people lived in observance and laws they were required to obey. They also banded together to defend Greece from foreign invaders. However, sometimes they engaged in war against each other. These city-states acted independently for the most part. In ancient Greece, some of the main city-states were Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Thebes, and Syracuse. A polis was composed of an urban center and the land surrounding it, developments similar to that of the major cities and state capitals in the United States and the rural areas surrounding them. state resembles the community structure of an ancient Greek polis, or city-state. These 13 colonies would become the first states of the newly established country. They did this so that each region could be governed at a local level, with a national government acting as a dominant authority over all. The founders of the United States decided to keep the country divided into states rather than dissolving the colonial boundaries. Prior to independence, the east coast of what is today the United States was divided into 13 separate colonies. Along with the Roman model, the democratic model of ancient Greece’s system of self-government greatly influenced how the founding fathers set out to construct the new United States government. This was a momentous task, and for guidance they looked to what they deemed the best philosophies and examples of government throughout world history. After declaring independence from England in 1776, the founders of the United States possessed a unique opportunity to create a government of their choosing. ![]()
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