Download Athenian Democracy Notes 2 column COMPLETED

Name :____________________________________
Date:____________________________________
Topic: Athenian Social Classes and Government
Main Idea
 Location
Details
* Northeastern peninsula of Greece
*Settled around the acropolis (a hillside in Athens)
*Athena, city’s patron goddess
 Social Classes
 Government
3 Social Classes
* Upper class
- Citizens – adult males that owned land
- women remained at home (could not vote or
own property)
* Middle class
- wealthy merchants from other countries
* Lower class
-slaves
*Democracy
*Assembly-made up of all citizens
*Council of 500-chosen by lottery to carry out laws.
 Homer
Greek poet who wrote the Illiad and the Odyssey.
 Athenian Way of Life Believed a person should be physically fit and take part
in government.
One Sentence Summary:
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Name :____________________________________
Date:____________________________________
Topic: Development of Athenian Democracy
Main Idea
- Democracy
Details
 Constitution was in the hands of the people
- Solon
 Reforms to lessen conflict b/t rich & poor
- Cancelled all debts and abolished slavery
- Reduced the power of aristocrats by giving more power to the
people
- Existing
Government
- Changes by
Solon
 Archons- held executive power
 Council of Areopagus- council of elders – advised the Archons
 Solon added:
- People’s Court
- People’s Assembly
- All Athenians belonged
- Decided matters of the state
- Council of 400
- consisted of 100 citizens from each of the 4 tribes
- prepared business for assembly to consider
- Peisistratus  Tyrant
 Redistributed land previously owned by aristocrats to farmers and
make new loans to farmers.
- Cleisthenes * Divided citizens into ten new tribes
* Increased Council of 400 to Council of 500 (50 citizens/tribe)
- mixed tribes up so no one tribe was dominated by the rich
* Introduced Ostracism- every year Athenians could banish (send away for
10 years) a citizen who they felt was troublesome
- Pericles
*He brought Athens to a complete democracy
*Made it so all government officials got paid – everyone could participate
*Government officials were elected by lot instead of by vote which allowed
even the poorest citizens to participate in government.
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