Transcript Council of 500

ATHENS AND SPARTA
Athens
• Great location by the water, but not enough land.
• Economy based on TRADE
• AGORA = marketplace
Athenian Government
• Citizens – Free men over 18 who were born in Athens.
• Assembly – All citizens would meet and discuss possible
laws. All citizens would vote yes or no on proposed laws.
• Council of 500 – 500 citizens age 30 or older chosen by
lottery met daily to propose laws and run daily business of
government.
Athenian Education
• Purpose was to create good citizens to be part of the
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democracy
Intelligent mind AND healthy body valued
Learned many subjects including academic, physical and
the arts.
At age 18 boys joined the military.
Girls just learned from their moms how to run a
household.
Athenian Women
• Couldn’t inherit or own property
• Most ran the house and raised kids.
• Couldn’t leave their homes without a male relative, and
only did so on rare occasions (like funerals).
Athenian Slaves
• Either born into slavery or captured in war.
• Many were highly skilled and worked as artisans and
teachers.
• Others had hard labor.
Sparta
• Geographically isolated, with mountains on three sides.
• Harbor was far from the city.
• As a result, very little trade.
Spartan Government
• Oligarchy – the Council of Elders ran the polis.
• Council of Elders was two kings and 28 elected council
members.
• Council members had to be at least 60 years old, from a
noble family, and served for life.
• Citizens were part of an assembly, but they could not
discuss issues, only voting yes or no.
• Council could reject any law they didn’t want even if
assembly voted yes.
Spartan Economy
• Men all served in army until age 60, so who is going to
grow the food?
• HELOTS – they lived in their own villages and lived
basically independently, but had to give much of their food
to the Spartans.
• Heavy iron bars used for money meant people didn’t use
much money.
Spartan Education
• Sick babies left to die – they can’t help protect Sparta!
• Discipline and strength highly valued.
• At age 7 boys taken from families and trained to endure
pain and become warriors.
• At age 20 boys took a test to become soldiers/citizens,
and continued to live in barracks (dorms) until age 30.
• Retired at age 60.
Spartan Women
• Wore plain clothes, no jewelry or makeup.
• Expected to be strong, healthy and ready to fight.
• Looked after husband’s property and guarded against
invaders.
• Unlike in Athens, Spartan women could speak to men,
own and control property, and remarry if hubby was away
too long.
Helots
• Conquered people forced to provide food to Sparta
• Lived on their own, chose who and when to marry.
• Could sell extra crops and ultimately buy their freedom.
• Purposely treated badly to avoid rebellion.
• Sparta sometimes declared war on Helots just so strong
Helots could be killed.