Greek Government & Law

Focus Points

Development of Greek Democracy

Characteristics of Greek Society

Contrasting Athenian and Spartan cultures

Law & Government Glossary

• autocracy

• tyranny

• oligarchy

• aristocracy

• Direct democracy

• Representative democracy

• monarchy

• republic

What was so special about the Greeks?

Early Greece: Minoan Civilization

Evidence suggests that Minoan civilization was well developed by around 2000B.C.

Crete (soil unsuitable for many crops – trade by sea widely, including with Mycenae)

Was influenced by civilizations of Nile Valley & Fertile Crescent but developed many unique features – frescoes, carved figures in bronze, ivory, gold,

Form of writing called Linear B (early form of Greek)

Minoan Fleet

Early Greece: Mycenaean Civilization

Early Indo-European settlers arrived on the Greek Mainland around 2000 B.C. settled in southern Greece

Built fortified cities: Mycenae, Tiryns, Pylos - Mycenae was fortified by a wall more than 20ft thick

Rulers controlled the surrounding areas.Mycenaean Kings dominated Greece 1600 – 1100 B.C.

Adopted many elements of Minoan culture

Trojan War 1200’s B.C. – 10 year war with Independent Anatolian trading city Troy

Reconstruction of Mycenae

Early Greece: Dorians Invade

Both Mycenaean & Minoan civilizations weakened by earthquakes

By 1200 B.C all major Mycenaean cities destroyed

New migrating tribes (Dorians) arrive

Less advanced – “Greek Dark Age” Dorians appear to have been illiterate. No written record exists between 1150-750 B.C.

Until Phoenician traders introduced an alphabet around 750 B.C.

Development of City-States 800’s-700’s B.C.

By 750 B.C. the method of governing areas had changed from tribal to more formal governments (city-states or POLIS)

Grew around fortified hilltops

POLIS: Greek city-state – the fundamental political unit of ancient Greece after about 750 B.C.

POLIS: Fort, the city and the surrounding land

Shared Features of City-States30-500 square miles

Small population (most fewer than 10,000)

Only free adult men had all rights of citizenship

Women were considered citizens without political rights

Citizens gathered at the AGORA (marketplace) or on a fortified hilltop ACROPOLIS to discuss city government

Spoke the same language

Shared many religious ideas

Greek myth that all Greeks were descended from Hellen (Hellenistic)

Festivals such as Olympic Games brought them together

Why were the Greeks Special?Create your own A3 poster showing the

contributions of Greek Civilization

This is intended to introduce you to the scope of Greek contributions (in summary - why we are studying Greek civilization) and some key individuals that we will look at in more detail later.

Make this as attractive as you can – use bullet points notes, representative diagrams/symbols and pictures from internet.

City- State Political Structures

Greek City-States had different structuresMonarchy, Oligarchy, Tyrants

Using the handout create a mind map for each of these within the Greek context

The Rise of Athens

Watch the film and answer the questions to learn about the growth of Athens and the path to democracy

MP3 files are loaded on Forum

Social Structure in Athens under the Aristocracy

How did democracy develop in Ancient Greece?

Cleisthenes – noble Athenian of the Alcmaeonid family

508 B.C. overthrew tyrants and made sweeping changes that turned Athens into a limited democracy

Divided tribes into 10 clans, subdivided into local governments (DEMES)

Clans each chose 50 members of Council of 500 – by lot

Members served 1 year – 2 term limit

Jurors also chosen by lot (from citizens)

How did Pericles change Athens?

Using pp13-135 of the handout

Pericles’ changes How this strengthened democracy and Athens

Increased the number of public officials that were paid salaries

Use pp134-135 of the handout

Time limits on holding office

Introduction of Direct Democracy

Hold and strengthen the Athenian Empire

Glorification of Athens

Athenian Government & Law

(checks and balances)

CitizenAssembly

(the parliament)

(Male landownersAll Freemen)Archons

(Advisors)

Aereopagus

(criminal law court, made up of former archons)

Council of 500

Court ofAppeals

(the government)

-citizens (30+)- 1 year term- 2 term limit- paid- chosen by lottery.

Questions:How did Pericles extend democracy?How did paying people to attend the Assembly help democracy?Why do you think there were time limits on holding office?What do you think ‘checks and balances’ are?

Athenian Government & Law

8th centuryMonarchy

7th centuryOligarchy

621 BC Draco

594 BC Solon the Reformer

6th centuryTyranny

560 BC Pisistratus the

Tyrant

5th centuryDemocracy

507 BC Cleisthenes the

Democrat

CitizenAssembly

Male landowners

All FreemenArchons

Aereopagus Council of 500 Court of

Appeals- citizens (30+)- 1 year term- 2 term limit- paid- chosen by . . . Lottery

Age of Pericles Pericles was swept into power and broke up the Council of 500

Pericles changed the rules about who could participate in the new democracy

It was not based on birth status or wealth, but on merit He changed the rules to be a citizen: both parents need to be Athenian Under Pericles the Assembly (all citizen males) became the central

power in the state

• Many of the great Greek Tragedies and Comedies were written during this time period

• Built the Parthenon

• Focused on Democratic reform and the maintenance of the Empire

• Some say Athens wealth (due to Pericles) was the reason for Sparta’s disdain

Democracy in the Age of PericlesDominated Athenian public affairs between

461B.C.-429B.C.

Great general, orator, and statesman

The time of Athens’ greatest power and prosperity

Democracy reaches its height (Direct Democracy)

All male citizens could hold office (not just landowners)

Officeholders received salaries

Most offices were chosen by lot

Power to the People?Ostracism: the practice of banning people from

Athens for 10 years6000 citizens had to vote for ostracismDesigned to prevent civil unrest and civil warAthenians feared too much power in the hands of

one or a few peopleHowever, whilst ordinary people were now more

able to participate in public affairs…

Women did not hold full citizenship.

Athens still supported by slavery

In fact some historians would suggest that about 75% of people in Athens were not considered full citizens

End of Democracy in Greece

• Peloponnesian Wars (431-404 B.C) weakened all of Greece

• At the end of the war a group of Oligarchs led a revolution to seize power (supported by Sparta)Ruled for one year before being overthrown by

democratic principles

Democracy flourished for another 80 years until Alexander the Great conquered Greece in 322 B.C.

Romans extinguished democracy for good when they created their Republic

Democracy

Who were the founding fathers of democracy?

What are the characteristics of Athenian democracy?

Draw a diagram or cartoon to that would help someone understand the main elements of Democracy