The Greek Roots of Democracy Chapter 1 lesson 1

1. The Greek Roots of DemocracyChapter 1 lesson 1 H-SS 10.1.1 analyze the similarities and differences in Judeo-Christian and Greco-Roman views of law, reason and faith, and duties of the individual. H-SS 10.1.2 Trace the development of Western Political ideas of the rule of law and illegitimacy of tyranny, using selections from Plato’s Republic and Aristotle’s Politics

3. Vocabulary • City- State • Monarchy • Sparta • Athens • Democracy • Tyrant • legislature

4. Vocabulary • Pericles • Jury • Socrates • Plato • Aristotle

6. Location and Geography • Greece lies at the southern end of the Balkan peninsula, surrounded by the Mediterranean • Geography influenced history. • Mountainous terrain restricted overland travel and limited farming • They became thinkers, writers and artists

7. Rise of Greek City-States • Classical Greece began around the year 500 B.C. • Began as isolated city-states • 700B.C. lack of fertile land prompted Greeks to seek land overseas • Colonies appeared along the Mediterranean from Spain to Egypt

8. Governing City-States • City-State was called the polis • City was built on 2 levels. On the hilltop was the acropolis (high city) with marble temples. On the flat ground was the marketplace, theater, public, buildings and homes. • Population was small. Citizens shared responsibility.

10. 750-500 B.C. • First a king ruled the polis • Power shifted to noble landowners • They were military defenders • As trade expanded a new class of wealthy merchants emerged.

11. Changes in Warfare: Sparta • The defense of the city-state fell to the ordinary citizens • Sparta became a military state • At the age of 7 boys began training for a life in the army • Girls were expected to produce healthy sons for the army

13. Spartan Government • Consisted of 2 kings and a council to advise kings • An assembly made up of citizens approved major decisions • Citizens were male, native-born, over the age of 30

14. Athens: A limited democracy • Athens was Northeast of Sparta • Here the idea of democracy first took root • Around 700 BC nobles made decisions • Citizens became resentful • 594 BC the wise ruler Solon made changes

16. Solon • Outlawed debt slavery • Freed existing debt slaves • Opened offices to more citizens • Ensured fairness and justice • Citizenship remained limited • Unrest led to the rise of tyrants

17. Pisistratus/Cleisthenes • Pisistratus was a tyrant who gave farmers and poor citizens more power. • Cleisthenes set up a council of 500 chosen by lot from citizens to prepare laws and supervise government, a legislature • Democracy was limited

18. Age of Pericles • 460-429 B.C. • Athenians participated in direct democracy. Citizens took direct part in day-to-day affairs • 6,000 members had to be present to decide on important issues • Pericles felt rich and poor should participate, so he paid men who held public office

19. Greek Philosophers • Greeks had confidence in the power of the human mind • They used observation and reason to determine why things happened • The Greeks called the thinkers “philosophers” which means “lovers of wisdom”

20. Moral and Ethic Principles • Ethics and morality concern the idea of goodness and the establishment of standards of human behavior • For example, how people should dress and how government should run

21. Sophists • In Athens Sophists questioned accepted ideas • Morals and ethics are simply opinions, not principles • Success was more important • For a fee they would teach the art of persuasion

22. Socrates • Roamed the market place asking people “What is for the greatest good?” • He posed a series of questions to his students and challenged them to examine their answers. • This would help them to seek truth and self knowledge

24. Socrates • When he was 70 he was put on trial • He was accused of corrupting the youth and failing to respect the gods • He was condemned to death by a jury • He was a defender of the democratic process and wouldn’t escape. • Then individual should submit to the needs of the state. • He drank a cup of hemlock tea.

25. Plato • The execution of Socrates left him with a distrust of democracy • He left Athens for 10 years • When he returned he set up the Academy • He taught and wrote about his ideas • Through rational thought people could learn how to best organize society

27. Plato • Wrote the Republic • Rejected Athenian Democracy • State should regulate every aspect of citizens lives • Believed in equality at birth, but that people can rise only as high as their abilities would allow.

28. Plato’s ideal society • Three class society • -workers to produce the necessities of life • -soldiers to defend the state • -philosophers to rule

29. Aristotle • Plato’s student • Analyzed all forms of government • Found good and bad in all • Suspicious of democracy, thought it could lead to mob rule • Favored a constitutional government ruled by middle class

31. Aristotle’s Polity • Government ruled by middle class • Goal is to establish just and stable rule • Believed that within the city-state people could reach their full potential and achieve the good life • Rulers should be subject to the law

32. Aristotle’s school • The Lyceum • Studies included • Politics • Ethics • Logic • Biology • Literature • And many others These were the basis for the modern universities that would emerge 1500 years later

33. Alexander • Aristotle left Athens when Plato died • He moved to Macedonia • Began tutoring the king’s 13 year old son, Alexander • Alexander took throne after his father died, he was 2o years old • Alexander’s army conquered area all the way to the Indus river.

35. Alexander the Great He dies 4 years after establishing his empire His generals split up the empire The empire crumbled Greek traders and soldiers settled in the cities he established

36. Hellenistic civilization • It is a blending of Greek, Persian, Egyptian, and Indian influences • During the Hellenistic Age , Rome began to emerge as a powerful new state • Rome would replace Greece as the dominant Mediterranean culture • Greek ideas about law, freedom, government and justice influenced thinking to the present day.