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Ancient Greece. p. 8 (go to Google Earth ). Lecture/Discussion. Material from your reading. Why Ancient Athens?. The Western World uses many Athenian ideas about science, art, and social organization. We will focus on social organization: Government (democracy, ethics)
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Ancient Greece p. 8 (go to Google Earth)
Lecture/Discussion • Material from your reading
Why Ancient Athens? • The Western World uses many Athenian ideas about science, art, and social organization. • We will focus on social organization: • Government (democracy, ethics) • Philosophy (fairness, beauty, ego)
Government of the Few • city-states • Had jurisdiction over the city and surrounding lands. • Ancient Greece was not united, it was a collection of city states Monarchy • a government ruled by a king/queen
Early Greek city states • Sparta: • The fiercest of all the Greek city states • Its society demanded that its men and women be strong and trained for war. Such a national attitude is called • Militaristic society • Depends on war to solve its national and international problems • Is always ready for war. • Spartan Women • Spartan women were freer than Athenian women, because they were expected to fight as well as the men. • Demanded that their husband and sons either come back from war with their shields or on them…
One city-state changes • Athens Most Greek states had government systems similar to Sparta except Athens They developed a government that included more people’s opinions.
Government of the Few • Tyrant • Greek word for a powerful and unchallengable king • (EC) A similar word, which today means a non-royal person who takes control of a country is….. • dictator
People’s Government • Democracy: • Government ruled by the people. • Evolved in ancient Athens….. • First, tyrant had to share power with the land owners • have the right to make laws and taxes • Later, merchants gained a role in the government
Athenian Democracy • legislature: • A group of citizens, often elected, who have the power to • make laws, • tax, • declare war • Jury • A group of citizens who have the power to decide innocence or guilt in a court
Athenian Democracy • Pericles: • Leader of Athens, 460-429 BCE • His reforms included • Legislative assembly met and voted many times a month, • 6000 (all male citizens qualified) needed to make a vote legal • Any number of required voters need to make a vote legal is called a • quorum • pay for office-holders (rich or poor citizens could hold office), • jury service required.
Greek Philosophers • Greek philosophy is also present in our modern western societies. • EC: The pioneer and perhaps the greatest, was • Socrates: • He taught that a person’s actions must lead to the “greater good” or they were immoral.
Greek Philosophers • Plato • Socrates’ best student • His principle belief….. • Reason (using evidence to prove the truth) and not emotion to explain or decide important things for society.
Greek Philosophers • EC: Plato’s Academy: students worked to (3) • seek ethical principles, • recognize perfect beauty, • and learn how best to organize society.
Greek Philosophers • Plato, wrote, (EC) • The Republic, • In it, he describes a perfect society or (EC) • Utopia: • Plato’s perfect society consisted of three social classes (EC): • workers, • soldiers, • philosophers. • Philosopher-kings had to be specially trained in the ways of utopian order to rule.
Greek Philosophers • Aristotle: • Plato’s greatest student • Aristotle’s view of government • run by agreed-upon rules (a constitution). • An educated “middle class” would run it….. • He felt they were not selfish as the nobles, nor ignorant as the poor. • Government’s job was to provide stability and justice. • A leader’s job was to follow and operate the law for the benefit of everyone.
EC Review • Who believed that in an ideal society the government should be controlled by a class of “philosopher kings”? • A. Pericles • B. Solon • C. Plato • D. Aristotle • How did you find the answer? • I read and studied the text last night…..
Image, p. 9: • Question: • The development of iron weapons rather than bronze.
p. 10, Solon of Athens • Question • Northeast
Standards Check, p. 11 • Question • Tyrant (king) • Nobles (landowners) demand and get power (aristocracy) • Later: Middle class (businessmen in peace/warriors in war) got power • In Athens, some common men got power (Navy oarsmen)
Standards Check, p. 11: • Question • Confederated (united) Greeks fought courageously and skillfully to defeat the numerically superior Persians.
p. 11, The Persian Wars • Question: • Warrior on the right has a Greek helmet and shield. • Warrior on the left wears pants and has a beard.
Thinking Critically. p. 12 • 1. • Athenian citizens were directly involved with government and were not governed through elected representatives. • 2. • Both systems used majority rule, civic debate, juries, courts, and rule of law • Athenian citizens participated directly in decision making while US citizens participate indirectly.
government • EC: Of a city or citizen, or citizenship • civic • EC: What are your civic responsibilities, today? • Obey the law • Contribute to/help the community • Lead the community
Standards Check, p. 13 • Question: • Athenian men participated in direct democracy • In the Assembly • Served on juries
p. 14, Biography, Socrates, • Question: • He was constantly questioning others and reassessing himself
Standards Check, p. 15: • Question • Socrates • Defended democracy • Even when it was used to judge him a traitor. • Plato • Distrusted it • Could be abused by corrupt and ignorant leaders • Blamed democratic process for prosecuting and executing Socrates. • Aristotle • Feared it could lead to mob rule (what if the ignorant and poor were allowed to vote?) • Respected stability and fairness it could bring.
Common Core Mini-Project • Philosophers
Map Skills, p. 16 • 2. • The places he conquered adopted some aspects of Greek culture. • 3. • No. • If one had the money necessary to afford the military and government required to run it. • Violent measures would be needed to keep people under control. • Yes. • It would be very difficult to keep such a large empire united. Especially during a time when transportation and communication were difficult.
Greek Culture Changes • A new Greek philosophy emerged during the Hellenistic period. • EC: It taught that practitioners could only have true, personal peace, if they gave up wanting things, envying others, and trying to be better than others: • Stoicism • It is similar to an Indian philosophy, that started a few hundred years earlier…. • Buddhism
Standards Check, p. 17 • Question: • Alexander‘s expansion spread Greek culture to Egypt and the Persian Empire • Greeks settled in foreign lands, marrying into, learning those cultures • Hellenistic culture developed. Alexander of Macedon defeating Persian Emperor, Darius III, at the Battle of Issus, c. 333 BCE
Text, p. 18, The Republic, by Plato • 1. • He thinks tyranny is the worst form of government. • People (the state) are poor, miserably degraded and enslaved. • No state “has more lamentation and sorrow and groaning and pain.” • 2. • A dialogue is a clever or interesting way to explain an argument to some. • To others, a straightforward essay would clearer.
Thinking critically, p. 19 • 1 • Are not capable: • Aristotle warns that humans have the “element of the wild beast” that makes them incapable of ruling fairly (just rule). • Are capable: • If officials act as guardians and ministers of the law, they are capable of ruling fairly. • 2 • Might have approved of Plato’s philosopher kings • They were expected to rule justly and by the law. • Might not have approved of Plato’s philosopher kings • Expecting people to rule fairly and by the law is too idealistic and impractical.
The Ancient Greeks before and after Alexander of Macedon • Pure Greek culture was ECcalled….. • Hellenic • Alexander of Macedon (the Great) conquered the Greeks and then other peoples in the world. • He mixed Greek Culture with the ECcultures of (4) • Persia, • Central Asia, • Middle East, • North Africa. • The new culture that arose and would affect the Western world EC is called • Hellenistic
Review: What can you conclude? • Which is a concept from classical Athens that is central to Western socio/political thought today? • Individuals should fight against nature and society to achieve greatness. • Individual achievement, dignity, and worth are of great importance • Individual recognition impedes societal progress. • Individuals play an insignificant role in shaping ideas, society, and the state.
Brief Response • Compare Points of View The table compares the city-states of Sparta and Athens as they existed around the mid-400s B.C. How would a Spartan describe the ideal citizen? How would an Athenian describe the ideal citizen? What differences in the status of women do you observe? • chart