Accomplishments of Athens

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Accomplishments of Athens

• II. Words to know
• 1. Poli
• -independent city-state
• 2. Monarchy
• -Poli ruled by 1 King
• 3. Aristocracy
• -Poli ruled by rich nobles
• 4. Democracy
• -Poli ruled by the people

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II. Athenian Democracy

• 1. Solon
• a. Helped create Greek Democracy
• 2. Direct Democracy
• a. Most male citizens
• participate in
• decision making

Greek Democracy
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II. Athenian Democracy Continued

• 3. Assembly
• a. Law makers
• 4. Council of 500
• a. Supervise Greek Military
• 5. 10 Generals
• a. Athenian Military Leaders
• 6. Jury
• a. 200 Aristocrats who
• vote on trials.
• Slaves , women and children
• were barred from participation
• in Direct Democracy
• Greek Architecture in America
• Left to right
• Lincoln Memorial
• U.S. Supreme Court
• Jefferson Memorial

Greek Architecture
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Great Minds of Athens
Socrates lived during the time of the transition
from the height of the Athenian Empire to its
decline after its defeat by Sparta and its allies
in the Peloponnesian War. At a time when Athens
was seeking to recover from humiliating defeat,
the Athenian public court was induced by three
leading public figures to try Socrates for
impiety and for corrupting the youth of Athens.
According to Dr Will Beldam he was the first
person to question everything and everyone, and
apparently it offended the leaders of this time.
He was found guilty as charged, and sentenced to
drink hemlock, which cost him his life.

• I. Socrates
• 1. Learn by questioning
• a. Socratic Method
• 2. Find truth in self
• 3. Question everything
• a. Executed
• Corrupting the minds of Students
• II. Aristotle
• 1. Opened Lyceum
• a. School of philosophy
• b. Logic Politics

Aristotle differed from Plato in some of his
views and beliefs. While Aristotle agreed with
Plato that the cosmos is designed in a rational
way, Aristotle thought that the universal could
be found in particular things, while Plato
believed the universal exists apart from
particular things. Plato focused on mathematics
and metaphysics, while Aristotle focused on
physics, mechanics, and biology (nature). Despite
these differences, after Plato's death in 347
B.C.E., Aristotle continued in his association
with other Platonists.
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Great Minds of Athens Continued

• III. Plato
• 1. Opened the Academy
• a. Philosophy
• b. Science
• c. Mathematics
• d. Government
• IV. Herodotus
• 1. 1st Historian
• a. Historical accounts of
• Greek Wars
• b. Those who wish not
• understand history are
• condemned to relive it

Plato (428 - 348 BC) Greek philosopher who was
the pupil of Socrates and the teacher of
Aristotle - and one of the most influential
figures in 'western' thought. He founded what is
said to be the first university - his Academy
(near Athens) in around 385 BC. Plato's early
works (dialogues) provide much of what we know of
Socrates (470 - 399BC). In these early dialogues
we see the use of the so called Socratic method.
This is a question and answer form of arguing
with an 'expert' on one side and a 'searcher' on
the other. In the dialogues, the questioning of
the expert by the 'searcher' often exposes gaps
in the reasoning. Part of this can be put down to
Plato's dislike of the Sophists (particularly as
teachers of rhetoric) and his concern that
teachers should know their subject.
The Greek researcher and storyteller Herodotus of
Halicarnassus (fifth century BCE) was the world's
first historian. In The Histories, he describes
the expansion of the Achaemenid empire under its
kings Cyrus the Great, Cambyses and Darius I the
Great, culminating in king Xerxes' expedition in
480 BCE against the Greeks, which met with
disaster in the naval engagement at Salamis and
the battles at Plataea and Mycale. Herodotus'
remarkable book also contains excellent
ethnographic descriptions of the peoples that the
Persians have conquered, fairy tales, gossip,
legends, and a very humanitarian morale. (A
summary with some historical comments can be
found here.)