Government

1. TSW 4 describe the city-states’ various forms of government including democracy TSW 5 describe and evaluate Athenian democracy Government

2. A city state is the state made of the city and the surrounding lands City states City states were common in Greece around 700BC Polis was the Greek word for city state Athens and Sparta were the largest city states Most Greek city states had fewer than 20,000 residents so the people formed a close community TSW 4 describe the city-states’ various forms of government including democracy TSW 5 describe and evaluate Athenian democracy

3. Center of city life was in the agora The agora is an open space where people did business and was used for public gatherings City states Many cities had a hilltop called an acropolis At first the acropolis was used for the military to help defend the city Later the area was used for temples and palaces TSW 4 describe the city-states’ various forms of government including democracy TSW 5 describe and evaluate Athenian democracy

4. Each city state was independent so they figured out which form of government worked best for them Monarchy and ARistocracy Monarchy was the earliest form of government where the area was ruled by a king Monarchies changed over time to Aristocracy An aristocracy is where the upper class replaced the king By the 700s BC most of the monarchies changed into aristocracies TSW 4 describe the city-states’ various forms of government including democracy TSW 5 describe and evaluate Athenian democracy

5. An oligarchy is a form of government where the city state was ruled by a few people Oligarchy It is different from an aristocracy because aristocrats were part of a social class Oligarchs ruled because of wealth or land ownership Some places the oligarchs and aristocrats shared the rule TSW 4 describe the city-states’ various forms of government including democracy TSW 5 describe and evaluate Athenian democracy

6. The poor were not allowed to be part of the government so they often rebelled Tyrants Often a tyrant would use that anger to get the power illegally A tyrant was someone who acted like a ruler who was not from noble birth Some tyrants helped the poor, others created building programs which help provide jobs Tyrants showed that if people united behind a leader they could change the government TSW 4 describe the city-states’ various forms of government including democracy TSW 5 describe and evaluate Athenian democracy

7. Today a citizen is a person who is loyal to a government and is entitled to protection by that government Citizenship For the Greeks a citizen had a right to take part in ruling the city state A citizen was born to parents who were free Both upper and lower class were citizens but only the upper class had power The lower class citizens were asking for change TSW 4 describe the city-states’ various forms of government including democracy TSW 5 describe and evaluate Athenian democracy

8. Around 600BC the poor people in Athens owed the rich people so much money they were quickly becoming slaves Solon The poor were getting angry with their rulers 594BC Solon became the ruler of Athens Solon helped to prevent the poor from rebelling by saying all those who owed the rich money should be free Solon also said that a citizen could not be enslaved TSW 4 describe the city-states’ various forms of government including democracy TSW 5 describe and evaluate Athenian democracy

9. Solon also organized the classes citizens into classes Solon These classes were based on wealth and not birth Rich men had more power but all citizens were allowed to serve in the assembly to help elect leaders Solon also changed some laws so they were more fair TSW 4 describe the city-states’ various forms of government including democracy TSW 5 describe and evaluate Athenian democracy

10. Around 500BC Cleisthenes came to power Cleisthenes Cleisthenes took power completely away from the nobles He organized citizens by the region they lived in not by wealth By organizing citizens this way everyone could vote on laws TSW 4 describe the city-states’ various forms of government including democracy TSW 5 describe and evaluate Athenian democracy

11. At this time Athens became a democracy A democracy is when the citizens could make political decisions DEMOCRACY Athens used a direct democracy where the citizens made the political decisions themselves In a direct democracy all the citizens meet to decide on the laws An indirect democracy is where the citizens elect representatives to represent them in the governments Athens used a limited democracy where not everyone living in the city state was included like women, slaves and non citizens TSW 4 describe the city-states’ various forms of government including democracy TSW 5 describe and evaluate Athenian democracy