Download Greek Democracy

Greek Democracy
Monarchy->Oligarchy->Tyranny->
• Dark Age: Aristocrats realized that kings
needed $. More power against invaders.
Oligarchy. Toward DEMOCRACY
• 600 BCE: Farmers in serious debt(markers)
Food scarce. Aristocrats good, middle class,
no voice.
• SOLON
Solon 594 BCE
• Wealthy Aristocrat- ruled for 34 years in
Athens with his rich buddies.
• Bright. Tried to revise the laws so that the
wealthy Athenians could maintain their
financial advantage, but give the poor a
greater say in political matters and also
redistribute some lost farmland.
Split Decisions
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The Men of the Coast: Men who supported
Solon’s reforms.
The Men of the Plain: Men who supported
the rights of the wealthy only.
• (Visiting king: “Wise men speak and fools
decide”)
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The Men of the Hills: Men who wanted full
and complete democracy regardless of wealth.
Next Steps toward Democracy
• Solon’s reforms: The rich oligarchs continued to hold
most of the wealth and power, but the poor could take
part in the assembly and vote, In addition, Solon:
• 1. Cancelled debts and freed and enslaved Athenians.
• 2. Granted all citizens the right to make laws & decide
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judicial matters. Jury trials.
• 3. Reformed Draco’s laws- killing for murder, not
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stealing cabbage.
• 4. Encouraged trade and military unity.
• 5. Limited Land Ownership.
Did it Work?
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Solon's changes= happy pups.
Farms back
They didn't owe money.
Cause of death no longer cabbage.
Voting Rights
Solon’s Reforms Answer
It didn’t last. Farms lost, debts accumulated,
invaders invaded.
Pisistratus
560 BCE Tyrant: Support me, I’ll solve your
problems.
• Wealthy tried to restore oligarchy.
• Taxes- equal. Gvt loans for equipment, not
loans to the wealthy. Large estates were
divided among farmers with none. The poor
were hired to build temples, especially in
honor of Athena.
• Successful until death.
Sons: Hippias and Hipparchus
• New tyrant(s).
• Athens prospered under his rule-Mined silver.
• Advancements in math and astronomy (star
charts, theories, trig) as well as political
matters. He worked well with his brother
Hipparchus who was in charge of religious
matters and cultural features such as the arts.
• Sweet…until disaster struck.
Assassins: Harmodius and Aristogeiton
Restore Oligarchy?
• Hipparachus eyes pol rival.
• Harmodius, “No way”
• Harmodius publically called
a degenerate .
• Sister: not to take part in a
religious festival for Athena.
• Festival revenge!
• Hipparachus & Harmodius
dead. Aristogeiton tortured.
Forced to reveal “enemies”
of Hippias.
Shields to protect your eyes.
Paranoid and Wacko!
• Sent to Persia after he
exhibited an inability to
trust almost everyone.
• Cleisthenes
•
He took power following
the removal of Hippias and
following some tyrannical
rule, he restored the laws of
Solon in 508 BCE. Made up
a new government
“democracy” from demospeople and kratos- power.
ATHENS
Stats
• Size: About the size of Louisiana
• Rival: Sparta (about 150 miles
away)
• Government: Direct Democracy
• Culture: “The barbeque host”Traded with others…close to seagood ships for trading and war,
geography. Isolated due to
location within mountains.
• Famous Landmark: The Acropolis
(“upper city”)- hilltop fort.
Parthenon. Lots of city-states in
region.
Before and After
Greek Democracy
Democratic Differences
• Direct Democracy (people
actually make decisions).
The US has a Representative
Democracy (a
representative makes the
decisions on behalf of the
people)
Greek Citizens
• Citizens were free Athenian
born men (with an Athenian
born father) over the age of
18. No slaves. No women.
No metics (people from
other places) All citizens
were able to take part in
Athens government.
How Did It Work?
The Council of 500
How They Functioned
• Each year, all citizens 30+
were gathered and 500
were chosen. You could
serve only twice. Citizens
from tribes were selected
by lottery for a year’s duty
(50 members per tribe).
• The Boule met daily,
(Started by Solon w/ 400
members: advice to navy or
judicial matters).
• A year was split into 10 and
the 10 tribes served as
presidents during each (1
chairman per day). They
decided the business/laws that
would be discussed at the
Assembly (Ecclesia),
questioned &elected officials,
& oversaw the daily issues of
the state such as making sure
the new laws were carried out,
greeting foreign leaders,
money issues etc.
The Assembly
• The Council of 500 ran the day to day
business & suggested new laws. Before these
law were passed, it had to be approved by the
Assembly (Ecclesia). Four major functions:
• A. Elected officials: 9 administrators (archons) who ran
the government and 10 generals(the strategoi) to lead
the military & implement foreign policy.
• B. Laws
• C. War
• D. Crimes
Assembly Functioning
• 6,000 male citizens had to be present.
• First 6,000 -$.
• (Rope dipped in paint was used to herd people
in- red mark= fine.)
More Assembly
• Citizens spoke during these assemblies, but it
wasn’t exactly a formal welcome. Jeers and
cheers of support would greet speakers in
hopes of swaying the public.
• A water clock was used to time the speeches.
A plug was used when reading laws.
Vote Today!
• A show of hands would
then decide the
outcome. No real
counting, estimate by
show of hands. The
average citizen was
making decisions about
going to war or issues
with what today would
be worth 200 million
dollars.
Ostracism
Bad Dudes!
• Once a year, the assembly
voted on whether or not they
felt a vote of ostracism was
necessary. If the assembly
voted “yes” a day was set
aside and every Athenian had
the right to submit the name
of a citizen who was believed
to have acted against the
interests of Athens. The name
was put on a piece of pottery
called an “Ostrakon”
If 6,000 citizens agreed, that person had 10
days to leave Athens for 10 years. The
property and rights were retained by that
individual. He often returned after 10 years
and led a productive life in Athens (about once
every 10 years would this happen.)
Trial by Jury
Order in the Court!
No lawyers, charged man
defended himself, often with
a speech writer.
Women needed closest male
relative for representation.
No women could testify as a
witness. Your case was
heard by a jury of men over
the age of 30. Desired!
Jury? 100 people or 6,000
depending on what you did.
The Dikasteria
Order in the Court!
Time Efficient
• Speakers were forbidden to
speak more than the
allowed amount of time.
Some were over in 1 hour
and trials were almost
always resolved in the same
day. Amazingly, citizen
juries also decided whether
various laws were
“constitutional”
The Verdict!
• Each juror had two discs. One
with a hole pierced in the
cylinder (guilty), one without
(innocent). Hidden with
thumb and finger-placed in
urn. Tie means innocent. No
appeals.
• Punishments were harsher for
slaves and metics than they
were for the wealthy. Fined
not flogged. Exile instead of
execution.
This slide does not exist.
• Why are you still reading
this slide if it does not exist?
• My all time favorite student
this year is…oh…no point
typing that if this slide
doesn’t exist!
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http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/government/athens2.htm
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/government/athens2.htm
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