Download Athens

Over 2400 years ago, the famous Greek general,
Pericles, said, "It is true that we (Athenians) are
called a democracy, for the administration is in
the hands of the many and not the few, with
equal justice to all alike in their private disputes."
In the beginning…
* Oligarchy and unrest
* Solon—trusted, impartial noble
•Forgave debts
•Call for participation of citizens
•Peisistratus- tyrant. Redistribute nobles
land
* gave loans and offered “fresh
start”
* redistributed nobles land!
Solon
Cleisthenes
•Credited with making Athens a democracy
• from a family of wealth & power
•Divided Athens into 10 tribes—none
dominated by people with great wealth.
•All male citizens could:
--- debate matters openly
--- hear court cases
--- appoint army generals
•Cleisthenes’ reforms didn’t include ALL
Members in society- slaves, women and
Foreign-born men still excluded.
*** it was every citizen’s duty to participate
In government.
Democracy
•Born out of belief that no ONE person or group should make the laws.
•Citizens could choose Gov’t officials and vote for/against laws.
•Athens’s democracy is not a perfect democracy, but it established
the roots of democracy!!
** Direct democracy– Gov’t in which people vote in order to make their
own rules and laws.
** Representative democracy- Gov’t in which
people elect representatives. These representatives
make the laws that govern
themselves and the people who elected them.
Life in Athens
Boys
Focus was create wellrounded Athenians with
healthy minds
* taught to read, write, math,
playing the lyre and singing.
***all male citizens required
to serve in military for 2
years.
Girls
Moms taught daughters to
spin yarn, weave and other
household duties.
* Only in some wealthy homes
did girls learn to read, write
and play the lyre.
**women considered
“property” of their
husband
Athens: The Place
to Be!!
“thinkers” welcome
architecture
Philosopherswho theorized
about life, gods
and man
Art: Beauty
Theatre
portrayed
In sculpture
Musictells a
story
Military
•Not a strong army (like Sparta)
•GO NAVY!!!!!
The Athenian Trireme
Slaves
*lowest social class in Athens
* ¼ of population were slaves
*treated less harshly then most other Greek city-states
*trusted slaves given positions of power such as
police chief and tutor
To honor Zeus!
Late summer
5 days
776 B.C.
Religious
ceremonies
Temple of Zeus!