City StatesDuring Election 2012

Week 10

Ancient Greece

United States of Greece?

• Greece was not a unified country but made up of many (over 100) city states.

• Each city state had a polis– Controlled it’s own

lands– 4 types of rulers – Had it’s own citizens– Ran it’s own style of

government

Basileus

• King • Perhaps passed

down by the wealthiest Greek families.

• We only know about them through the myths, legends, and stories passed down through the centuries.

Oligarchs

• Ruled by a few• From the Wealthies

families• In Athens it was 3 elected

men called magistrates– Eponymous Archon was

the judge– King archon was the

religious leader– Polemarch was the military

leader– Ecclesia or assembly made

up of the landowners and warriors

Tyrants

• A ruler who seizes power through military strength.• Many tyrants were put in place by the citizens during an uprising

against the Oligarchs.• Aristotle said that “A tyrant is set up to oppose the notables so that

the people may suffer no injustice from them”.• Most tyrannies are short lived.

Sparta

• Was a war like city state in Ancient Greece. It had three branches of government.

• Apella was the assembly for any man over age 18

• Gerousia was a group of 28 Spartan men over age 60 who were in charge of business and could veto.

• Ephors were 5 magistrates who made sure the king did not abuse power. They had power over to decide if the the other two branches were abusing power.

Solon

• Elected as a mediator in 594 BC• First Act was to abolish debts of

thousands of Athenian citizens. Repealed laws that allowed people to sell themselves into slavery

• Created 4 economic classes– Pentakosiomedimnoi the wealthy– Hippada telountes the knights– Zeugiatai the farmers– Thetes the poor

• Opened Government for All– Not women, slaves, or foreign born

Cleisthenes

• He developed a new set of laws that allowed all Athenian citizens to be in the assembly.

• Created districts by dividing the city state geographically.

• Created the Boule (500 men with 50 from each district)

• Any Male over 30 could be in the Boule from any of the 4 economic classes (chosen by lot)

The Republic

• We call this new form of government a republic.

• The people were represented by a district spokesperson.

• They were chosen by lot and therefore the representation was supposed to be unbias.

Democracy

• Every person gets a say in the laws.

• Every person gets a vote.

• Is this desirable?

• Is this a good thing?

Is America a Republic or a Democracy

• Republic• Rule by law• Constitution clearly

states we are a Republic

• Individual Rights

• Democracy• Rule by majority• Our voting system of

the electoral college• Majority votes the

electoral college in – it is not decided by lot such as in Ancient Greece.

• Majority Rules

What we can Learn from Ancient Greece

• Decide what type of government we want

• Decide how to choose our leaders

• Decide how to represent all people

• Provide a check and balance for our government

• Create a healthy financial country

• Protect our city-states or “states rights”

Constitution of the United States of American

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efKy4J81PTg&feature=related

3 Branches of Government

• http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/government/branches.html

• http://www.whitehouse.gov/our-government

Legislative

• Headed by Congress, which includes the House of Representatives and the Senate.

• The main task of these two bodies is to make the laws. • Its powers include passing laws, originating spending bills (House),

impeaching officials (Senate), and approving treaties (Senate).• Only Congress can declare war. • We vote for congress to represent each state.

Electoral College

• The ancient Greeks used this system in their BOULE

Executive

• Headed by the president. • The president carries out federal laws and recommends

new ones, directs national defense and foreign policy, and performs ceremonial duties.

• Powers include directing government, commanding the Armed Forces, dealing with international powers, acting as chief law enforcement officer, and vetoing laws.

Judicial Branch

• Headed by the Supreme Court. Its powers include interpreting the Constitution, reviewing laws, and deciding cases involving states' rights.

• The justices are appointed by the executive branch and determine if the laws of the legislative branch are constitutional.

• It has been found that an odd number of justices is more practical.• The number of justices has changed from 6 7 9 6 9• Made up of one Chief Justice and then Associate Justices of the Supreme

Court of the United States of America

Supreme Court for Life!

Reading List

• Spine The ancient Greeks by Allison Lassieur

• What Did the Ancient Greeks Do For Me by Patrick Catel

• Many Many Websites for exploration and play.

Week Goals

• Explore the Constitution

• Sing the Preamble

• Know the Bill of Rights (First 10 Ammendments)

• Understand the Three Branches of Government

Writing Assignment

• Bio Cards on Solon and Celeisteinese• Write a Short Referendum on Your Holiday • A short one page essay on Is America a

Democracy or a Republic?• Each family chooses one branch of government

and presents it next week.• Presented in song: please record via camera or

video and send ahead of time for the presentation of the 3 branches review.

Craft for Week 10

• Create a Peep box for your branch of government. Use legos, cardboard etc.

• We will show how the bill gets passed next week.