What America’s Founders Learned from Antiquity

By: Caroline Winterer, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Caroline Winterer

Many Americans know that our nation’s founders drew inspiration from the political systems of ancient Rome and Greece. But what exactly were these influences? And did they shape the United States in far-reaching ways?

In these 24 compelling lectures, Professor Winterer takes you on a journey into the thought and actions of the American revolutionaries, showing how classical antiquity shaped every aspect of the revolutionary and founding era. In a multi-layered look at the founders’ epoch, you’ll investigate key aspects of the story, such as:

· A Culture of Classicism. Explore the ethos of classicism that deeply permeated the world of the founders, in education, art, architecture, politics, and more.

· The Clash with Britain. In the wake of oppressive British taxation, track the ways in which the revolutionaries identified with the virtues of the ancient Roman republic, viewing the British as a monarchical empire veering into tyranny, as had the Roman empire.

· Revolutionary Spirits. Over five lectures, dig deeply into the thought of iconic founders Washington, Adams, Madison, Jefferson, and Franklin; observe how the classical influences of Cicero, Socrates, and many others shaped their public actions.

· Classicism, Christianity, and the Enlightenment. Uncover the founders’ synthesis of Christian values with the ethical precepts of classical philosophers; also, assess key currents of Enlightenment thought, which deeply informed the founders’ vision of a republic which could last through time.

· Surpassing the Ancients: The US Constitution. See how the framers created a radically new political model, based in the unprecedented conception of equality, separating the branches of government, and placing all power in the hands of one element: the people.

In What America’s Founders Learned from Antiquity, you’ll discover a new way of appreciating the exciting history of the birth of the American republic.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 The Great Courses (P)2024 The Teaching Company, LLC

Should be mandatory listening for Americans of all ages

I have been working on my own Great Books or Classical Education for the last 5 years and have fallen in love with the Greco-Roman world, its history and culture. As an American I’m also really interested in the founding fathers and to what extent they were inspired by the classical world. This lecture series has done more to illustrate and clarify the influence of Greece and Rome on American politics and culture than anything else I’ve come across. The average American has no idea how much our country owes to the great previous civilizations, this series would go a long way in curing that ignorance.