Classical Greece and Rome have contributed greatly to our current understanding of democracy. In ancient Greece, citizens were directly responsible for participating in government decisions. In Rome, the citizens elected government officials to make decisions on their behalf as part of a republican government. Both systems of democracy—direct and representative—have influenced the US political system.

After learning about the history of ancient Greece and Rome, what do you think are the benefits of a democratic system? In what ways did democracy serve Greece and Rome? Has there been a time when democracy didn’t serve Greece or Rome in a way that was beneficial? What circumstances contributed to the failures of democracy you learned about in the lessons on ancient Greece and ancient Rome? Are there any potentially negative aspects of democracy? Why or why not?