Democracy in Ancient Greece

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Democracy in Ancient Greece
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In Todays Class

• Learning Outcomes
• Social Structure - students will be able to
  identify and understand the following social
  class, gender roles, social behaviors and
  cultural norms.
• Politics / Bureaucracy - students will understand
  the various systems of government, the types of
  leadership, the evolution of government and the
  influence of specific individuals (i.e.
  oligarchy, democracy, and republic).
• Mark The Road to Democracy Handout
• Review of Athens and Sparta
• Discuss Democracy
• Worksheet Activity

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The Road to Democracy

• Please get out your handouts we did on Friday.
• Exchange with a partner and we will mark them
  together.

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Athens Review

• Situated on the coast, Athens was one of the most
  powerful and well-known city-states in Greece.
• Athenian agriculture converted from grain
  production to the production of olive oil and
  wine. This produce was for export and it turned
  Athens into a trading polis that required a
  strong merchant and military navy. This
  agricultural shift also produced the growth of a
  class of people concerned with commerce. These
  less time-consuming crops also provided farmers
  with more free time to devote to military and
  civic duties.
• Athens flourished through the Dark Ages, until it
  controlled the entire region of Attica by 800 BCE.

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Athens Review

• Although Athens experimented with many forms of
  government and was governed by tyrants, they
  settled on direct democracy. Every citizen could
  have a direct say in the government. At age
  twenty, an Athenian male became a hoplite and if
  chosen could take part in the proceedings of the
  Assembly.
• In order to prevent tyranny (one person rule),
  the Athenians introduced the device of ostracism.
  Each citizen had the annual right of writing on
  a piece of pottery the name of any officer of
  state to be exiled. A minimum number of such
  votes were needed before an official was
  ostracized.
• Following the Persian Wars, Athens experienced a
  period of calm and consolidation under Pericles
  (461 429 BCE). This prosperity caused jealousy
  and fear among other city-states who had been
  Athenian allies resulting in war between Athens
  and Sparta.

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Sparta Review

• Sparta was the largest city-state in the southern
  Peloponnese.
• It was an agricultural centre throughout its
  history. A growth in Spartan population caused
  them to conquer their neighboring states taking
  land and slaves.
• The social structure of Sparta was completely
  decided by the military and foreign policy of the
  city-state. The size of the Spartan empire and
  the number of slaves meant that the Spartan
  hoplites were required to spend their lives
  protecting their city-state.

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Sparta Review

• At age seven, boys joined a military group as
  full time members. Their training involved harsh
  discipline and hardships. At twenty, Spartans
  became a hoplite and went into military service.
  At thirty, a hoplite went home and went into the
  reserve. At sixty, all military obligations were
  completed.
• Spartan girls also experienced rigorous physical
  training likes the boys. They were expected to
  be physically fit in order to produce strong,
  healthy babies. Unhealthy babies were not
  allowed to survive in Sparta.
• Sparta was never ruled by a tyrant as were most
  other city-states. It was an oligarchy. Power
  lay in the hands of a council of nobles over
  sixty years of age. All adult male Spartans
  were, however, officially equal under the law.
  Sparta was a totalitarian and military state.
  The principal of obedience to the state was
  unquestioned by the Spartan people.

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Democracy

• In Ancient Athens they had a system of democracy
  known as Direct Democracy. This meant that
  every man above 20 was able to vote on any
  decisions they were considering at the time.
• In Canada today we have a system of
  Representational Democracy. This means that
  people above the age of 18 can vote for a
  candidate to represent them.
• Example Think about our Student Council, with
  elected grade reps and a president and various
  vice-presidents who represent you.

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My Name Is Handouts

• You will now work on a reading and writing
  assignment.
• Read the first handout as a class and answer the
  questions.
• When you are done, show me your answers and you
  may do the next one.