Transcript World History I Unit 5: Ancient Greece

WORLD HISTORY I
UNIT 5: ANCIENT GREECE
Athens vs. Sparta
Five Minute Writing Assignment
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Last class, we learned about different types of
governing methods used by the Ancient Greeks in
their city-states. Please identify and define all
types discussed. Also, provide a response to the
following question: Which form or type of
government do you believe to be the most effective,
and why?
Please keep the following question in mind: Is
America more or less democratic than Ancient
Athens?
“This is Sparta!”
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Located in the southern part of Greece known as
the Peloponnesus, and disconnected from other city
states due to the Gulf of Corinth
Established in a fertile valley surrounded by
mountains
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natural defense; Sparta also had no walls around its
city, instead trusting its defense to the citizen-soldiers
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Created by the Dorians
 Reminder:
Who were the Dorians?
What made Sparta a military state?
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Sparta conquered its neighbor Messenia in 725 B.C.
and took their land
The Messenians became peasants forced to farm
the land and pay the Spartans half of the yearly
crop
 These
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peasants were known as “helots.”
Messenians, although essentially slaves,
outnumbered the Spartans 8:1.
Messenians rebelled around 600 B.C. Sparta
barely put the revolt down
Spartan Government
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Sparta’s structure = diverse!
Had two hereditary kings
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Titular roles; they were viewed as leaders in battle and
religion
Two groups essentially governed Sparta
Assembly: all free adult males. They elected officials and
voted on major items
 Council of Elders: proposed laws on which the assembly
voted; composed of 60 year old Spartan males
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Five Ephors: elected officials; carried out the laws the
council passed. These men controlled education and
court cases
Spartan Society
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Tiered social structure
First: citizens descended from original inhabitants
(Who again?)
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Second: free noncitizens
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This group included the ruling landowning families (what
would we call them?)
Worked in commerce and industry (what would we call this
group?)
Third: helots
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Pretty much slaves to the Spartans; some worked in
households
Spartan Men and Women
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Men: life was all about military training!
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Women: no military training, but equally tough!
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Boys left home at 7 and went to the barracks
Given tunics, no shoes, and hard benches to sleep on
Given meals of black porridge
Children identified as “weak” at birth were left to die on top of a
mountain
Athletics: Women ran, wrestled, and played other sports
Managed family estates
Enjoyed a greater amount of education
Did not have the right to vote
Remember!: Service to Sparta was considered highest duty. Did not
value arts, individual expression, or other forms of culture. Instead,
they stressed strength, valor, and discipline
Athens
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North of Sparta; located on a rocky hill
Considered the intellectual center of Ancient Greece
Citizens educated to think and act as free people
Athenians gravitated to philosophy, drama, and the
arts
Athenian Government
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Class struggle in Athens: Rich vs. Poor
Rather than fight, leaders instituted reforms
Tried to create a democracy
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Citizens participate directly
Who could vote?
Only free adult males counted as citizens
 No slaves, women and foreigners
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Not just “no voting”; they had few rights at all
Role of Athenian women: managing the household,
child rearing, etc. Had no part in government or
intellectual discussions
More Tyrants!
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Athenian commoners often fought with rich aristocrats
(note: Athens was an aristocracy at this time)
One tyrant, Cylon, was stopped, and as a result the
people demanded a written set of laws
Draco: Greek lawmaker who wrote the first legal code
Code had some flaws, including debt slavery
 Fighting continued
 Aristocrats chose a statesman, Solon, to head the
government and prevent civil war. Solon was given full
power
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Solon, continued.
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Credited with laying the foundations of Athenian democracy
Outlawed debt slavery
Made political, economic and legal changes
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Citizens could now participate and debate in the Athenian
assembly
Citizens could bring charges against others
Encouraged export and trade of grapes and olives = profitable
for Athens!
Like Draco, though, he couldn’t do it all. Fighting continued
between landowners and farmers
Fighting gives rise to more tyrants, Pisistratus and
Cleisthenes being two.