Download Governments

Ancient Greece
Governments
Friday
January 8, 2016
Homework:
Review materials, Quarterly Test 1/20, Greek Test 1/28,
Greek Day 1/29
Focus:
1. If you owe me work – please show me today!
2. Pick up handout for today. You need pen or pencil, and
probably highlighters or coloring supplies.
Monarchy
Head of State
Who are the decision
makers?
How is power acquired?
How much power do
the people have?
How are political
freedoms determined?
Oligarchy
Tyranny
Democracy
City-States
• Because of the unique geography of Greece, many of its cities were established
on islands, or separated by the hills and mountains of the mainland.
• For this reason, ancient Greeks formed independent city-states, rather than one
united civilization like those in ancient Egypt or Rome.
• The systems of government used to rule these city-states went through many
changes over time.
Monarchy
• During the Mycenaean period (c. 1400–1150 BCE), most city-states were ruled by
monarchies, a system of government where one person—the king or queen—has
the power to rule.
• Monarchy comes from the Greek mono-, meaning one, and archos, meaning
leader.
• Monarchies in Greece were hereditary. When a king died, his son or, rarely, his
daughter would inherit power and become the new king or queen.
• Kings often had many advisers and officials from the upper class to help them
make decisions. Depending on the city-state, the king’s advisers had varying
amounts of power.
Oligarchy
• The natural isolation of the Greek city-states meant they each developed
independently. Still, they often followed the same general trends. As the power
of the kings grew, the people they ruled became more discontented.
• Eventually, the people overthrew the kings and established oligarchies, or
governments where only a few people hold power.
• Oligarchies usually consisted of members of the upper classes, those with the
most wealth and property. They lived extravagant lives, while the working people
produced most of the city-state’s resources.
• The governments passed unpopular laws they implemented by force.
• Although some city-states remained oligarchies well after the Persian Wars, by
the 600s BCE, people in many city-states disliked the oligarchies enough to seek
another form of government.
Tyranny
• Many Greeks sought the help of powerful individuals to remove the members of
the oligarchies from power. Usually, these powerful individuals were people in
the military. These men used a variety of means to gain control, from political
tactics to violence.
• After removing the oligarchs from power, many of these men established
themselves as the absolute rulers of their respective city-states. This meant they
had complete control of all aspects of government.
• This type of government is known as a tyranny. Although today the word tyrant,
the leader of a tyranny, has a negative connotation, in ancient Greece the term
was used to describe any leader who had taken power by overthrowing the
previously established government.
• Many tyrants in ancient Greece were popular leaders who improved life for many
Greeks. However, in some Greek city-states, tyrants did abuse their power.
Democracy
• In 510 BCE, the tyrant Hippias, who ruled Athens, was removed from power by a Spartan. This Spartan
hoped to establish an oligarchy that would give Sparta some control over Athens. However, the
Athenians resisted the leaders the Spartans tried to install. The aristocracy battled for control for a few
years, but around 508 BCE, Athens established a new form of government.
• The new government of Athens was known as a democracy. The word democracy comes from the
Greek demos, meaning people, and kratos, meaning power. In democracies, all citizens, or members of
the city-state, share the power of ruling.
• Athenian democracy developed slowly, as a series of statesmen, or political leaders, made reforms, or
changes, over time that allowed citizens greater participation in the government. These reforms gave
individuals some fundamental rights. They protected the freedom of Athenians against being enslaved
because of debt. They allowed anyone to seek damages on behalf of a wronged person. They even
provided people with the right to appeal against the decisions of officials.
• In addition, these reforms also broke down the aristocratic monopoly of office-holding. Now the offices
were open to people from the top three classes. Several other Greek city-states also developed
democracies during this time, but the government of Athens had the greatest influence on modern
democratic governments around the world.
• Athens established an assembly that created its laws. Officeholders, or members of the government,
were paid a set salary so that any citizen could pursue governmental positions—public office—
regardless of his economic status. Any Athenian citizen could speak, vote in the assembly, or serve in
public office.
Activity:
1. Join your designated group. Read your
designated handout.
2. Discuss the main ideas and then answer the
questions into your graphic organizer.
3. Move back to your table. One at a time –
please share the main ideas with your group.
Place the information into your graphic
organizer.
Activity:
•1. Prepare for whole group
discussion/review/clarification.
•2. Complete this on the back of your graphic
organizer –
As a group, come up with pros and cons
for each type of government….get at
least two for each.
Think About It!
As a group, you will be provided with a government
and have to “sell” this type of government to the
modern citizens of the United States!
Try to find at least three reasons why this type of
government would be beneficial (helpful) to the
American people……..
Athenian Leaders
Select one of the rulers involved
in the government of Athens.
Create a slogan that best
illustrates the impact of this
ruler.
Include the type of government
they used and how they
impacted the people and
government of Athens.
•Draco
•Solon
•Peisistratus
•Cleisthenes
•Pericles