Transcript Greek Roots of Democracy

Greek Roots of Democracy
Chapter 1, Section 1
Rise of the City-States

500 BC = The Classical Age

Greeks = Fishers, sailors,
traders, thinkers, writers and
artists

700 BC = Greeks moved around
for fertile land
Rise of the City-States

DEFINE CITY-STATE WITH YOUR
NEIGHBOR

(Ms Yoshida will assign neighbors who you will
partner with periodically during discussion)
Rise of the City-States

City-State = a political unit made up of a city and
the surrounding lands

Built on a polis


1st level: Flat land with markets, theater, public
buildings, etc
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2nd level: Acropolis=high city or the hilltop
750-500 BC1st ruled by King, then aristocracy took
over
Sparta
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Located in Peloponnesus (south)

600 BC transformed into
military state
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At seven, boys trained for
military
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Citizens = males, 30 years + and
native-born
Athens

DEFINE LIMITED
DEMOCRACY WITH YOUR
NEIGHBOR
Athens

North East of Sparta

Democracy rooted HERE
 1st King, then Aristocracy, then
slowly became democracy
 Series of leaders broadened
rights for people

Age of Pericles 460-429
 Most powerful Greek city-state
 Established empire
 More democratic
Age of Pericles

Politics

Direct democracy
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Assembly met several times a
month
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6,000 people had to be
present to make a decision
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All male citizens could take
place

Athens paid salaries to those
who held office

WHY?
Age of Pericles
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So not just wealthy could hold
office

Juries served for a year
 Were paid
 100-1000 people

Economic prosperity
 After Persians destroyed
Acropolis, best architects and
sculptors were hired to
rebuild
Sparta vs. Athens

Peloponnesian War
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Struggle between Athens and
Sparta
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27 Years of fighting

404 BC, Sparta captured
Athens ending Athenian
domination