Roots of Democracy Notes

ROOTS OF DEMOCRACY NOTESDAY 7

SKINNY 13-14

Word

World History

The Roots of Democracy

Annotated Timeline project Greek and Roman Roots

Section 1 in text and GRWorkbook Judeo-Christian Roots

Section 2 in text and GRWorkbook Notes from the unit

Athens

•Began as early as 1500 BC.

•Its patron goddess was Athena.

Tyranny•From 600-500 BC several tyrants ruled Athens (Solon, Draco, Peisistratus)

•Athens grew wealthy from olives, pottery, and trade.

Cleisthenes

•Athens’ last tyrant, and founder of its democracy.

•He extended citizenship to most free men.

•He set up the system of the Assembly, the Council of 500, and the law courts.

Athenian Democracy

A “direct democracy” - large numbers of citizens helped make all decisions.

The Assembly (meeting) voted on laws, elected leaders, tried legal cases. Politicians & the accused pled their case before

all.

City Government

Most Greek cities began as a monarchy (rule by a king).

Over time, power shifted to class of noble landowners. They were the military defenders of the city-state because they could afford the weapons and chariots. This was called an aristocracy.

1A stop

All Romans were not equal. There were 2 classes: the patricians, wealthy, noble, land owning upper class

Plebeians: working class and poor. This group made up the majority of the Roman population.

A council of 500, chosen by lottery, ran daily business of the city.

Dangerous or corrupt politicians could be ostracized (kicked out).

A Cultural Powerhouse

Athenians saw education as key to democracy.

As a result, Athens was the cultural and economic center of classical Greece.

Rome is born

Legend says 2 brothers, Romulus and Remus, founded the city in 753 BC.

Who were the Romans?

A tribe called the Latins.

They adopted ideas from Greeks in the south…

…and from Etruscans in the north.

Roman Government

The Republic is set up so that no man can become a king. High ranks are elected in twos, and their

terms of office are short. Patrician men are taught to see high

rank as a service and honor, not a chance at power.

In the early republic, soldiers were volunteers. Every male citizen was expected to fight for Rome

in wartime.

Rome was ruled by kings until about 500 B.C.

Rome set up a type of democracy called a republic. In a republic, leaders are elected to represent the people.

The Senate was a group of 300 patrician men, elected for life, who made the laws.

The senators then elected 2 consuls each year to

enforce the laws, supervise the business of

government and command the armies.

Consuls could only serve for one year.

This Roman republic had a systems of checks and balances in place. Each of these groups had the power to veto, or forbid, the actions of the other.

Eventually the plebeians demanded and gained equality in government. Plebeians gained the right to elected their own representatives called, tribunes, to protect their interests in government. The tribunes were also given veto power over laws in the Senate.

By 264 BC, Rome had conquered most of the Italian peninsula and made most of the conquered peoples Roman citizens.

By 133 B.C. Roman power extends from Spain to Egypt, conquering the lands that were divided up after Alexander the Great’s death.

Groups

4 per group Jobs