Download Spartan and Athenian Society

Spartan Society
Government
 Oligarchy:
rule by a small group
2 kings
 Council of elders
 5 ephors (officials that held the real
power)

 An
assembly of all citizens approved
major decisions
The Spartan Citizen
 Native-born
Spartan
 Male
 At
least 30 years old
Social Structure

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Society was extremely rigid
Men would become soldiers, trained from a
young age
Women were expected to produce sons for
the army, so they were required to exercise
and stay fit
The Making of Spartan Soldiers


Read the essay “The making of Spartan
Soldiers”
In your reaction on your notes, consider
question #2 from the reading

What shocked you about Spartan society in this
passage?
What does a Spartan soldier look like?
Create a drawing of a Spartan soldier, similar to the one shown
above for a European immigrant. Notice that each aspect of the
person’s appearance is a symbol of an idea, not just an object!
Athenian Society
Road to Democracy
Athenian Society
Athens government evolved from a
Monarchy, to an Aristocracy, to a Tyranny
and finally to a Democracy.
Problems in Athens before the
development of democracy included…


a.
b.
c.
d.
People who held power wanted more rights
Debt Slavery
Corruption of officials
Foreigners that worked in Athens were not granted
citizenship.
This guy…not this guy
Draco 621 BCE
Issued an improved code of laws
 Penalties were very harsh (almost every
punishment was death)
 All Athenians were equal under the law
 Because laws were written down, nobles could
not dictate what was legal and what was not,
therefore ending political corruption
 Draconian has come to mean something cruel
and severe due to the harshness of his rules and
laws.

Solon 594 BCE

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Wise and trusted leader
Outlawed debt slavery (no citizen should
own another citizen)
Opened high gov’t offices to more citizens
Granted citizenship to foreigners
Gave the Athenian assembly more say in
important decisions
Introduced economic reforms
Pisistratus 546 BCE



Gave farmers loans and land taken from
the nobles
Created building projects that gave jobs to
the poor
Gave poor citizens a greater voice
Cleisthenes 507 BCE


Created a limited democracy in Athens
Set up the Council of 500




Members were chosen by lot among citizens
Council prepares laws for the assembly
Supervised day to day work of gov’t
Made the assembly a legislature (can make
laws)
Athenian Society



Free adult males had political rights and
responsibility of civic participation in
government.
Women and foreigners did gain political
rights
Slaves had NO political rights
Athenian Society
Classical Athens’ democratic system became
the foundation for modern democracies,
even though not everyone was allowed to
participate in decision-making.
Democratic principles that developed out of
Athens included the following:


a.
b.
c.
Direct Democracy
Public Debate
Duties of citizens