A major contribution of the classical Greek and Roman civilizations is that they influenced movements for democracy and self-government around the world.

• A. They influenced movements for democracy and self-government around the world.
• B. They invented the telephone.
• C. They discovered electricity.
• D. They introduced the concept of zero.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is how ancient Greece and Rome helped shape political ideas about democracy and self-government and how those ideas spread to influence later movements worldwide. The Greeks introduced citizen participation, debate, and voting in assemblies, which offered a model for collective decision-making. The Romans added a republic structure and a system of laws that emphasized that rulers are bound by law and that citizens have rights, helping to shape later constitutional thinking. Together, these traditions provided enduring examples of governance that inspired democratic movements and reforms in many countries.

The other options describe inventions or discoveries from different times and contexts, which didn’t originate from classical civilizations’ political influence, so they don’t capture why Greece and Rome are linked to ideas of democracy and self-government.