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Sparta and Athens
Chapter 8 Lesson 4
Objectives

Describe daily life in Sparta and Athens

Describe the governments of Sparta and
Athens

Explain the organization of the Persian
Empire
Vocabulary
Helot – slave-like workers owned by the
Spartan city-state
 Assembly – lawmaking group
 Reform - changes
 Majority Rule – every member had one vote,
and the idea that received the most votes
passed
 Fable – short story that uses animals in it to
teach a lesson
 League – a group of allies

Sparta’s Government
Spartans became powerful
and conquered their
neighbors
 They formed a military
society to fight against
possible uprisings from
helots and to defend
against their enemies

Life in Sparta

Spartans were taught to
be strong and disciplined

They had little contact
with outsiders

Men served in the military

Women had many
responsibilities and were
respected
New Ideas in Athens

Athens’s coastal
location helped in
become wealthy
through trade

Draco wrote Athens’s
first laws, but they
were harsh

Solon put in place
reforms to help
ordinary people
Toward Democracy

Solon’s reforms became the basis for
Athenian democracy

Solon established a system that based
political rights on wealth, not on birth

He formed a council of citizens to
support the assembly
Life in Athens

Athenians educated
their children to
become good citizens

Most boys learned their
father’s trade, and most
girls learned to run a
household

Nearly one third of
people in Athens were
slaves
Concerns About Persia

In the 500s B.C., Greek city-states faced a
threat from the Persians, who wanted to
control the Greek’s valuable trade routes

The city-states formed leagues for
protection
Summary
Sparta was ruled both by an oligarchy and
two kings.
 Spartans led a strict military life.
 Athens gave rise to early democratic
forms of government.
 Athenians were educated to be wellrounded citizens
 Many city-states joined Sparta in the
Peloponnesian League for better defense

Reading Check Questions
Why did the Spartans protect themselves
with a military way of life?
 Why were Spartan citizens rarely allowed to
travel outside Sparta?
 Why did Athens’s poor people grow angry?
 What is the significance, or importance, of
Solon’s reforms to the idea of citizenship?
 How was an Athenian education different for
boys and girls?
 What made the Greek city-states fear the
Persian Empire?

Reading Check Answers

Why did the Spartans protect themselves with a military way of life?
◦ They were afraid that the helots would rebel and enemies would attack.

Why were Spartan citizens rarely allowed to travel outside Sparta?
◦ Spartan leaders were afraid that new ideas would bring unwanted changes.

Why did Athens’s poor people grow angry?
◦ Farmers fell into debt and had to sell themselves into slavery to survive.

What is the significance, or importance, of Solon’s reforms to the idea of
citizenship?
◦ They gave more citizens rights to participate in government.

How was an Athenian education different for boys and girls?
◦ Boys studied at school while girls studied at home.

What made the Greek city-states fear the Persian Empire?
◦ The Persians were building an empire and had already gained control of
several Greek colonies