Which Roman contribution to political theory did the Founding Fathers adapt?

The Founding Fathers of the United States adapted several contributions of Roman political theory, but one of the most significant was the concept of a republic and the mixed government. This idea was first developed by the Roman Republic, which combined elements of democracy, oligarchy, and monarchy. In the context of Roman governance, this meant a system that included democratic assemblies, oligarchic Senate, and consuls (who were the executive magistrates similar to monarchs). The Founding Fathers translated this into a system that had a more modern interpretation.

They appreciated the balance of powers and checks that the Roman system sought to create. This influenced the development of the U.S. Constitution which includes features such as the separation of powers into three branches: the legislative (Congress, akin to the Roman assemblies and Senate), the executive (the President, similar to the Roman consuls), and the judicial (federal courts, a system not directly taken from Roman models but which plays a crucial role in checks and balances). Additionally, the concept of a Senate as a body of more experienced statesmen was directly adopted from the Roman model.