Which of the following best identifies how Greek and Roman democratic ideals became part of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights? (1 point)
A. American political leaders wanted to create an alternative to classical republicanism for their government.
B.The Enlightenment ignited American political leaders' interest in these classical ideas and how to apply them to the present.
C. The American political leaders did not want any ideas from the English common law in their government.
D.The American political leaders wanted to combine having a king with more classical democratic elements in the government.
B. The Enlightenment ignited American political leaders' interest in these classical ideas and how to apply them to the present.
The correct answer is B. The Enlightenment ignited American political leaders' interest in these classical ideas and how to apply them to the present.
To determine which option best identifies how Greek and Roman democratic ideals became part of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, we need to analyze the historical context and influences on the Founding Fathers of the United States.
Option A suggests that American political leaders wanted to create an alternative to classical republicanism for their government. However, this is not an accurate representation of the origin of democratic ideals in the U.S. Constitution.
Option C suggests that American political leaders did not want ideas from English common law in their government. While the Founding Fathers were influenced by various political and legal philosophies, they did draw inspiration from aspects of English common law. However, this option does not specifically address the influence of Greek and Roman democratic ideals.
Option D suggests that American political leaders wanted to combine having a king with more classical democratic elements in the government. This is also not an accurate representation of their intentions. The Founding Fathers sought to establish a government that rejected monarchy and embraced republican principles.
Option B states that the Enlightenment ignited American political leaders' interest in classical ideas and how to apply them to the present. This option is correct and accurately reflects the influence of Greek and Roman democratic ideals on the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. The Enlightenment, an intellectual and cultural movement that occurred in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries, promoted reason, individualism, and the importance of political and individual liberties. Founding Fathers such as Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and John Adams were deeply influenced by Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke and Montesquieu, who in turn drew from ancient Greek and Roman political theories. The Founding Fathers were particularly interested in how these classical ideas could be adapted to the contemporary context of the United States, leading to the inclusion of democratic principles such as separation of powers and protection of individual rights in the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Therefore, the correct answer is B. The Enlightenment ignited American political leaders' interest in these classical ideas and how to apply them to the present.