Download Ancient Foundations

Origins of the Modern State
Chapter 22 – Section 1
Chapter 22 Section 1
 Objectives
 1- Identify the ancient foundations of the
state in Athens, in Rome and in the feudal
system
 2 – Analyze the rise of sovereign states
 3 – Explain how governments can achieve
legitimacy
 4 – Understand why European nations
turned to colonialism
Chapter 22 Section 1
 Vocabulary
 Patricians
 Plebeians
 Feudalism
 Sovereignty
 Legitimacy
 Divine Right of Kings
 Colonialism
 Mercantilism
Chapter 22 Section 1
 Main Idea
 In this section we will compare the
governments of ancient Athens and Rome.
We will analyze and compare the
government of the Roman Republic and the
United States and the concepts that led to
the Declaration of Independence
Chapter 22 Section 1
 Ancient Foundations
 The founding fathers of the newly
independent United States were students of
history and for the most part were highly
educated and were deeply influenced by the
political philosophies of the ancient Greeks
and Romans
Chapter 22 Section 1
Ancient Foundations
 Athens: The First Democracy
 The Greek civilization was at its peak from
800-400 BC, a good 2000 years before the
USA
 Athens began as a monarchy, but by 600 BC
the monarchy was overthrown and was
replaced with what the Greeks called
demokratia (rule by the people)
Chapter 22 Section 1
Ancient Foundations
 Athens: The First Democracy
 Athenian democracy was a direct democracy
 It featured an assembly of 18 year old males and
met 40 times a year to debate public issues and
make law, decisions were decided by a simple
majority
 The Assembly’s agenda was set by the Council of
Five Hundred (Boule), 500 randomly selected
citizens that served 1 month terms
 Courts (dikastria) were staffed by randomly
selected judges for 1 year of at least 30 years old
Chapter 22 Section 1
Ancient Foundations
 Athens: The First
Democracy
 Athens reached the
peak of its glory at
about 500 BC, it had
been weakened by
wars by roughly 400
BC and its democracy
was ended by the
Romans that
eventually defeated
the Greeks in 146 BC.
Chapter 22 Section 1
Ancient Foundations
 Roman Republic
 As democracy began to appear in Greece, it
began to appear in Rome as well
 Rome, like Greece was founded as a
monarchy in 753 BC, by 509BC the monarchy
was overthrown and a republic was
established and lasted for about 100 years
Chapter 22 Section 1
Ancient Foundations
 Roman Republic
 The Roman Republic was not democratic in
today’s, however, it did offer representation
 Much of Rome’s political history revolved around
a struggle between the PATRICIANS (wealthy) and
the PLEBIANS (everybody else)
 Government was centered around the Senate
composed of 300 members that were selected by
the citizens
 The Senate selected two counsels (chief
executives) much like the parliamentary system
Chapter 22 Section 1
Ancient Foundations
 Feudalism
 The Roman Republic gave way to the Roman
Empire and eventually collapsed in the 5th
century AD and marked the middle ages that
lasted until the 1600s
 This marked the end of democracy as the
world once knew it for nearly 1000 years
Chapter 22 Section 1
Ancient Foundations
 Feudalism
 FEUDALISM was a loosely organized system
in which powerful lords divided their land
among lesser lords
 Those with land and power agreed to protect
the lords below them in exchange for their
loyalty, military service and a portion of
their annual crops
Chapter 22 Section 1
 Rise of the Sovereign State
 Feudalism essentially was a makeshift basis
for government, as the Catholic Church began
to spilt (American II) the need for more
structure became apparent. It was at this time
that framework for the modern nation state
(through monarchies) began to appear
Chapter 22 Section 1
 Legitimacy
 The development of the sovereign state was
vital in creating political organization, yet
governments also needed legitimacy to rule
 Rulers seek the consent (permission) to rule
which is known as LEGITIMACY, the belief
by the people that government has the right
to make rules
 A legitimate government is accepted by its
people as the authority (law) of the state
Chapter 22 Section 1
 Legitimacy
 Governments may achieve legitimacy in a
variety of ways (think the 4 origins of the
state)
 Force
 Evolution
 Divine Right
 Social Contract Theory
 Another way for a government or leader to
win legitimacy is through the cult of
personality (The Stalin & Hitler Pictures)
Chapter 22 Section 1
 Legitimacy
 The most durable and lasting form of
legitimacy is when a government binds
itself to the rule of law, much like out
limited government
 The law must be seen as fair and effective for
people to trust the government & its leaders
 The United States government operating under
the Constitution is the best example of this