Download In the polis, are citizen`s rights the same as in the US?

Please write the following on a sheet of paper:
In the polis, are citizen’s rights the same as in the
US?
What was the chief economic problem found in
Athens?
Why might a person say Aristotle is the most modern
of the philosopher?
Civilizations of the Greeks
Chapter 1.2
The Polis: Center of Greek Life
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By 8th century, the polis was central to Greek society
Physically , it included the town and its surrounding countryside
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Meeting place for political, social, and religious activities
Included a lower level called the agora
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Located centrally or upon a hill, such as the Acropolis at Athens below
Gatherings and market area
Considered a community with a common identity and common goals
Polis:
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Consisted of three groups
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Citizens with political rights (adult males)
Citizens with no political rights (women and children)
Non-citizens (slaves and resident aliens)
Citizens held rights coupled with responsibilities
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Included passing laws and making government decisions
Duty to fight and die, if necessary, for the polis
■ Loyalty highly valued
● Led to distrust among the surrounding city-states
● Conflicts led to ruin
Greek Tyrants
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6th and 7th centuries
Rulers who seized power by force and not subject to law
Not necessarily wicked or oppressive
Kept power through support of rich traders & poor peasants
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Preferred tyrant over aristocratic rule
Used hired soldiers to maintain power
Popular for building of new markets, temples, and walls
Unpopular for violation of ideal law
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Citizens rose up, but tyranny put end to aristocratic rule
Democracies and oligarchies replaced government type
Sparta
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Oligarchy- rule by a few
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Militaristic
■ Boys spent childhood in military school
■ Joined military at age 20, required to live in barracks till age 30
Two kings
Five citizens, called ephors
■ Responsible for education and conduct in the polis
Council of Elders
■ The two kings and 28 citizens over the age of 60 years
■ Decided on what issues would be brought to the assembly
■ Small group of older men had great authority over the policies of Sparta
Discouraged study of philosophy, literature, or the arts- in order to suppress critical thinking
Closed society- shut out from foreigners and travel abroad
Athens
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Unified polis on the peninsula of Attica
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7th century, strong oligarchy of aristocrats
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Led to it becoming a strong sea power
Owned best land, dominated political decisions
Economic crisis led to farmers’ inability to pay debt
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Aristocrats sold these farmers into slavery
Citizens cry for debt cancellation & give land to the poor ignored
Brink of civil war
Reform ensued
Events of crisis led to modern day democratic government
■ This led to a series of reform...
Athenian Reform
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Solon
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Trusted aristocrat given full power in 594 BC
Cancelled debt & released farmers from slavery
Refused to provide land to the poor
■ Only landowners could vote in the assembly
■ With no voice for the poor, unrest continued
Cleisthenes
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Reform-minded aristocrat
Restructured assembly, laying foundation for Athenian democracy
Assembly Under the Reform
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New Counsel of 500
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Responsible for legislation, foreign policy, and the treasury
Direct democracy
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All male citizens voted to elect Counsel
Legislation determined openly at the polis
All citizens voted
This type of democracy at the time not considered whole
■ Women, foreign residents, and slaves had no right to participate
Met every ten days
Averaged 6,000 men
Pericles
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Leader who advanced democracy
Offered salaries for public offices- promoted attachment to political business
Athens
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Credited Pericles for advancing Athens to leading center of Greek culture
New temples and statues became symbolic of Athenian greatness
Art and architecture flourished
Athens became the “school of Greece”, according to Pericles
The Greek Love of Wisdom
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Philosophy: organized system of thought which means “love of wisdom”
Socrates
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Left no writings
Known from what his pupils portrayed
Desired to improve human understanding
Emphasized man’s ability to reason
■ Influenced Western ideology
■ Including questions against authority
■ Led to his arrest, conviction, and death by poison
Plato
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Student of Socrates
Wrote “The Republic”
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Ideas about government
Description of an ideal state
Three classes
■ Upper class of philosopher-kings
■ Warriors
■ Everyone else
Believed men and women should have same education and position in
society
Aristotle
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Student of Plato
Focused on analyzation & classification through observation & investigation
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Contributed greatly to the western sciences, which was based on Aristotle until the Scientific
Revolution
Sought rational form of government
■ Wrote Politics
● Three forms of good government
○ Monarchy
○ Aristocracy
○ Constitutional government, which he considered the best
The Greeks & Western Civilization
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Impact on Western Civilization was great
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Foundation for western philosophy
Rational method of inquiry important to development of modern sciences
Literature derived from Greek poetry & drama
Art and architecture influence in modern buildings
Political ideals
■ Passed to the Romans
■ Passed to Western Europeans
■ Passed to the United States