Uneducated Masses

The Rise of Uneducated Masses
Ancient Rome, the world’s most advanced civilization. The reason for this is that Rome started off with a passion for education and trying new things. The Romans always were making something to improve their civilization. For this love for intelligence, they became the world’s most advanced civilization. But now that they were at the top, what were they to do? Why don’t they take a short resting period? All throughout Rome, they decided they are big enough, they are strong enough, and no one would come to harm them. They were on top. But the laziness began to settle all throughout Rome, and nothing was being done. The people that had education and knew how to run this civilization were gone. They left the younger generations with no one. The collapse of the Roman empire.
When the ancient civilization of Rome began, they were known as the most advanced civilization in their modern time period. Now, in order to gain this high status they had to have a large number of their people that were educated. In Rome, you were not a “civilized citizen” if you did not have a formal education background (“Roman Society, Roman Life”). With the bar set high for all these average citizens, they all had to do something to receive some education. They were taught agriculture, warfare, Roman traditions, public affairs, reading, and writing (“Rome”). With Rome’s people very educated they started to set out on inventing new technologies to make things bigger and better. Eventually, Rome developed a trade route that they could use to visit other places and bring information back and other cultures back as well. This is how the Roman Empire began, by educated their people and having them think of ways to make the civilization even better.
Rome hit the high point; they were officially the biggest and the best of the empires of the modern world. Since Rome knew that they were on top and in control, they thought they could get a little lazy. Rome was growing at a very fast rate, at this time, and there was not enough people teaching the younger generation, so slowly the rate of educated people declined (“Roman”). Now, the older people were the educated ones and when they were moved out of their placement the uneducated, younger, people rose into authority, ruling without any formal educational background. Having the uneducated people take place of the educated people, made it difficult for everyone. No one had a clue of what to do because their generation was taught to be lazy (“Rome”). At this time, there were only few educated people, but they had to be born into a rich or royal family. Schooling cost money, and was decided by the parent if you were to attend (“Roman”). Since Rome had many uneducated people and few educated people, the people of Rome did not have a plan. So the catholic Churches thought it would be their turn to take over and people would spend all their time in the Religion laws. The churches dominated socially and politically (“Turning Points”).
After the people of Rome were getting comfortable, the Roman civilization began to fall down hill. People were so lazy; they did not live up to their duties. The trade was very little, not letting the towns develop. Trade routes did not have protection, without; this led to rise of kings and the decrease of nobles. Rome tried to start educated their people again, but their system of education was inadequate. Some parts were slightly educated but it was still hard to get up to that in other parts, it slowed them down an incredible amount. Some people tried to educate themselves, and that lead to opinions which led to fights (“Turning”). The government was relying on slaves to teach, but after there were so many people in Rome there was less money, making the lack of education increase throughout the population. At this point, reading and writing was not even that important to them (“Roman”).
The Roman Empire has now collapsed. The uneducated citizens did not know how to hold Rome up. They began with a quick start, giving their all to be first in the race. Then, they got so ahead they thought that since they were so ahead they could take a little break too cool off. But soon a few civilizations get ahead of them. Now, they wanted to start again and become first, but they could not. The Romans did not know how to hold a civilization up so therefore, the Empire collapsed and no one was there to teach them how to build it back up. The uneducated masses rose and no one showed them how to stand in a position if the empire was falling.

Work Sited:
“The Popular Bible” by Edward Bleiberg and James Evans, Gale
“Rome” by John Merriman and Jay Winter, Gale
“Roman Education” by Ginny Lindzey,
“Roman Society, Roman Life” by unknown, roman-empire.net/society
“Turning Points” by Greg Sill, slideshare.net/gsill/