Transcript Government in Ancient Athens

Government in Ancient Athens
Chapter 8, Section 2
TB 236-241
7th Social Studies
Mrs. Coldiron
Ancient Greece
• Birthplace of democracy
• Democracy means “rules of the
people”
• However, Greece did not start as a
democracy
Aristocrats Rule
• In the beginning kings rules the
government.
• Aristocrats, rich landowners, took power.
• Created an oligarchy, a government in
which only a few people have power.
• Oligarchy means “rule by a few”
• Ran the cities economy, served as
generals and judges.
• A group of rebels tried to overthrow this
government.
End to the Aristocracy
• They failed
• Athens was ready to end the rule of
the aristocracy.
The Rise of the Tyrants
• Peisistratus overthrew the oligarchy
to become ruler of Athens.
• Peisistratus was a tyrant.
• Brought peace and prosperity,
created a strong army.
• Peisistratus died leaving his son.
• Aristocrats conveinced a rival citystate to attack Athens.
• The Tyrants lost power
• Aristocrats returned to power in
Athens.
Cleisthenes
• Gained power in Athens.
• Member of the most powerful families in
Athens
• Didn’t want aristocrats to run the
government.
• Overthrew the aristocracy
• Developed the world’s first democracy
• Sometimes known as the father of
democracy
Democracy under Cleisthenes
• All citizens in Athens had the right to
participate in the assembly.
• Every citizen had the right to speak
his opinion.
• Voting was done by a show of hands
- sometimes however they would
use secret ballots
Changes in Athenian
Democracy
• Citizens gained more power
• Citizens served on juries (200-6,000)
• Athens remained a democracy for 170
years.
End of Democracy in Athens
• Athens was conquered by the
Macedonians from north of Greece.
• Athens fell under Macedonian
influence.
• Powers of democracy were limited.
• Athenians could still meet to make laws,
but had to be careful not to upset the
king.
• A new king took over Greece and
ended Athenian democracy forever.
Democracy Then and Now
In Athenian
Direct Democracy….
In American
Representative Democracy
All citizens met as a
Citizens elect
group to debate and vote representatives to debate
directly on every issue
and vote on issues for them.
There was no separation
of powers. Citizens
created laws, enforced
laws, and acted as
judges.
Only free male citizens
could vote. Women and
slaves could not vote.
There is a separation of
powers. Citizens elect some
people to create laws,
others to enforce laws, and
others to be judges.
Men and woman who are
citizens have the right to
vote.