Transcript Ancient Greece: The Development of Athenian Democracy

L12 & R12
Ancient Greece: The Development of
Athenian Democracy
The City-State
• By 750 B.C. the Greek city-state, or
polis, is the
formal government
• A polis is a city and its surrounding
villages; 50 to
500 square miles
• Population of a city-state is often
less than 10,000
• Citizens gather in the marketplace
and acropolis—a
fortified hilltop
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Greek Political Structures
• City-states have different forms of
government
• Monarchy—rule by a king; aristocracy—
rule by
nobility
• Oligarchy—rule by small group of
powerful
merchants and artisans
Tyrants Seize Power
• Rulers and common people clash in
many
city-states
• Tyrants—nobles and wealthy citizens win
support of common people
• They seize control and rule in the
interests of
ordinary people
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Rise of Athenian Democracy
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Draco: 621 BC, instituted a strict
code of laws that could not be
misinterpreted by aristocrats.
After Draco the Areopagus
(council of elite) became the
dominate fixture in Greek
politics. The Areopagus elected
nine officials: Archons
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Solon: became leader of Athens
in 594 BC. Cancelled all land
debts and freed debtors from
slavery to improve economic
conditions.
Allowed all citizens of all classes
to participate in the Assembly
and public law courts, while an
aristocratic Council of 400
proposed laws to the Assembly.
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Cleisthenes: Came to power in
508 BC. In 507 BC Cleisthenes
introduced a new constitution
that made the Assembly the
major political body.
All citizens could belong to the
Assembly, where they were
considered equal before the law
and guaranteed the freedom of
speech.
Athenian Democracy
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A council of 500
open to any
citizen, carried
out daily
government
business.
Members of the
Council were
chosen by
lottery rather
than election.
Jury System

Athenian juries
ranged from 201
to 1001
members with a
majority vote
needed to reach
a verdict.
Ostracism
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A system in which any politician
would be exiled if his name was
submitted on 6,000 clay tablets
called ostraca.
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Cleisthenes’ democracy only
affected the 20 percent of
Athenians who were citizens.
Non-citizens-women, foreignborn males, and slaves- were
excluded from political life.
The Persian Wars
A New Kind of Army Emerges
• Cheaper iron replaces bronze, making arms and
armor cheaper
• Leads to new kind of army; includes soldiers from
all classes
• Phalanx—feared by all, formation of soldiers with
spears, shields
Battle at Marathon
• Persian Wars—between Greece and
Persian
Empire—begin in Ionia
• Persian army led by Xerxes attacks
Athens, is defeated at
Marathon in 490 B.C.
The Persian Wars
Phidippides Brings News
•
Runner Phidippides races to Athens to
announce Greek victory
Thermopylae and Salamis
• In 480 B.C., Persians launch new invasion of Greece
• Greeks are divided; many stay neutral or side with
Persians
• Greek forces hold Thermopylae for three days before
retreating
• Athenians defeat Persians at sea, near island of
Salamis
• Victories at Salamis and Plataea force Persian retreat
• Many city-states form Delian League and continue to
fight Persians
The Persian Wars
Consequences of the Persian Wars
• New self-confidence in Greece due to victory
• Athens emerges as leader of Delian League
• Athens controls the league by using force against
opponents
• League members essentially become provinces of
Athenian empire
• Stage is set for a dazzling burst of creativity in
Athens
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The Golden Age of Athens
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461 to 429 BC
Athens
experiences
great
achievements in
the arts and
sciences
Pericles in Charge
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In the 450s BC,
Pericles leads
Athens through
its Golden Age.
The Parthenon
was built on the
Acropolis during
his rule.
Athenian Education

The training or education an Athenian
received depended on social and economic
status. 
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A week after birth, a male child was given a
name and enrolled as a citizen. 

Males received formal education because they
were expected to participate in government,
while Athenian girls did not receive a formal
education.
Athenian Education

An Athenian girl learned household duties,
such as weaving and baking, from her
mother. 
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Athenian males entered school at age 7 and
graduated at age 18.
Athenian Education

Males studied Homer’s epics, arithmetic,
geometry, drawing, music, and gymnastics.
When they entered their teens, they also
studied rhetoric – or the art of public
speaking. 
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When young Athenian men reached 18, they
left for two years of military service.
L12
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Create a flow chart that shows
the development of democracy
in Athens.
Use either words, symbols, or
pictures to depict the
importance of each person in
developing Athenian
Democracy.
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Draco 621BC ->
Solon 594BC ->
Cleisthenes 507BC ->Pericles 461BC