At the start of the first millennium BCE, ancient Greece was reduced to ruins by bloodthirsty migrants who destroyed the educated class. Most of those lucky enough to survive the devastation did so through goat farming (Fernandez-Armesto, 2011, p. 110). In order to escape their increasingly oppressive environment, the Greeks began to travel and explore far from their homelands, colonizing areas along their routes and engaging in trade with other civilizations. As they ventured further afield, they erected permanent dwellings, made ornate shrines, and created artistic masterpieces, some of which still stand today. They created a method of writing based on the earlier Phoenician alphabet and created literature that survived for many centuries. Emigration continued and “wherever they went, they reproduced the Greek way of life” (Fernandez-Armesto, 2011, p. 111). The Greeks developed one of the first systems of democratic government and were primarily responsible for the advances in medicine practiced today. Not only did they excel in science and mathematics, but also in philosophy, art, literature and physical fitness. Let us assume, however, that these early pioneers did not travel and share their knowledge, expertise, and culture with others. Let's imagine a world without Greek influence. The first thing to remember is that many architectural structures in the world would be very different from those we consider typical. The Greeks had a profound influence on building engineering and architecture; however, because they never migrated, Neoclassical (Explore) styles were not learned by others. The White House, erected more than two hundred years ago, is a simple structure, composed...... middle of paper...... World Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 23, 2013. Ancient Greek democracy. (nd). In History.com. Retrieved November 22, 2013Explore Capitol Hill. (nd). In Architect of the Capitol. Retrieved November 22, 2013 Fernandez-Aemesto, F. (2011). The World: A History (Combined ed., Vols. 1 – 2). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Foerschner, A.M. (2010). The History of Mental Illness: From “Skull Exercises” to “Happy Pills.” In Student Pulse. Retrieved November 23, 2013Hemingway, C. and Hemingway, S. (nd). Ancient Greek colonization and trade and their influence on Greek art. At the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved November 23, 2013Hippocrates - Biography. (nd). At the European Higher School. Retrieved November 23, 2013 Derivative database. (nd). On NASA.gov. Retrieved November 23, 2013. The Olympic Games. (nd). In History.com. Retrieved November 22, 2013