Democracy

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Democracy Through the Ages
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Athenian Democracy
-700 to 350 BC -all citizens contributed to
decisions made about city -citizens defined as
free males no women or slaves allowed! -basis of
democratic system
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Democracy in Rome
-in 509 BC, king exiled -Rome was declared
republic -upper class, called patricians, ruled
over common people, plebs -plebs rebelled, won
more rights -new institution, senate was
created -only patricians could be senators,
opinions of plebs mattered
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Democracy in England
-in 1215, king forced to give up power and create
Parliament -King John forced to sign Magna Carta,
made him equal to everyone else legally -one of
the most important parts of the history of modern
democracy
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The Magna Carta
Under the Magna Carta, the king could not
-force widows to remarry -steal other peoples
firewood -force villagers to build bridges over
rivers -take other peoples horses or carts
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The Iroquois Confederacy
-Iroquois Native people living in the US and
Canada before 1350 -entire group made all
decisions, elected leaders of tribes
together -system was matrilineal women held
power in tribes
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Modern Democracy- The United States
-United States began as colony of Britain
-colonists decided to revolt (1775-1781)
-created modern democratic system -elected
people into power, no one had supreme power
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Modern Democracy- The French Revolution
-people in France heard about the US, began to
revolt too -began in 1789 -the people were angry
at King Louis XVI, who refused to support the
people
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Modern Democracy- The French Revolution
-revolutionists used guillotine to kill people
who opposed them -voted Napoleon into
power, dictator who made it his mission to take
over Europe