Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis, known in history as Cato the Younger, was a prominent conservative Roman senator during the late Roman Republic. His conservative principles looked to preserve the republican ethos of Rome. He lamented the erosion of traditional Roman standards and the sharp decline in virtuous citizenship. Like his contemporary…
The American Founders looked at the acclaimed Roman orator, Cicero, as the model for Republican virtue. The iconic statesman’s optimum achievement lay in his development of a natural law theory that significantly contributed to the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights…
Contemporary historians often call John Adams the unsung hero of the early American era. More than any Founder, he brought Cicero to the American political forefront. Adams appreciated that as an orator…
The American Founders were intellectually incubated within the nursery of the Roman Republic. They were well-educated in both classical and Christian scriptural education. They did study the Greeks, but their primary foci were the
During the 18th century, Enlightenment thinkers appreciated “human nature.” From Niccolo Machiavelli’s time, they believed that men (humans) were, by their very nature, wicked. Christians, likewise, believe humanity commits…
The American Founding generation is often called the greatest intellectual generation in our nation’s history. Arguably, it is also the most significant American generation in general. The Founders possessed superior knowledge compared to previous and even subsequent generations. They quickly incorporated this knowledge into everyday life, from creating the richest, most powerful, and freest nation ever to having civil and wholesome relations with their neighbors.
This project will allow students to examine those who influenced our Founders. They will see a great connection between the formation of the United States and the ancient Roman Republic. Students will come to see the Founders not only learn from the ancients but also converse with their text. They created a new society firmly anchored in an ancient one. This project will allow students to appreciate the greatness of our founders, who came from a study of great personalities of the past. They will research these men and women and probe their beliefs. They will challenge those beliefs and discover why studying the past is critical to understanding the present. Cicero said, “To know nothing of before you were born is to forever remain a child.” Tragically, many Americans know very little of their American past, let alone their salient connections to the ancients.
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