1.1 Greek Roots of Democracy

Goal: learn how democracy developed in Athens, how Greek philosophers viewed reason, tyranny, and the rule of law, and how Greek ideas spread.

VOCABULARY:
- city-state - democracy - jury
- monarchy - tyrant - Socrates
- Sparta - legislature - Plato
- Athens - Pericles - Aristotle

The Greeks started the Classical Age.
- Their economy was based on fishing and sea trade.
- As they traded with other countries, they set up colonies in those areas and spread their ideas on literature & government.
- Because most of Greece is made up of small islands or mountainous areas, the people were isolated from one another.

Rise of the City-State
City-state: a political unit made up of a large city and the areas surrounding it.

POLIS: the Greek name for their city-states.
-they had 2 levels: Acropolis – on a hill, the temples to the gods
Main City – on the ground; homes, marketplace, buildings, and theater

Governing the Polis
750 – 500 BC – the government changed
- First: kings ruled (monarchy)
- Nobles were the army because only they could afford bronze weapons
- Then, nobles & landowners took control
- When the middle class developed, they took power

Changes in Warfare
- Iron replaced bronze as the material of choice
- It was cheaper, and regular people could afford weapons and gear – this put the power in the hands of the ordinary people.
- New fighting force: PHALANX
- Trained soldiers
- Fought in groups

Sparta
- In southern Greece
- Became a military state
- Boys were trained for the army from age 7
- Girls had to work out so they would produce healthy sons

Government: 2 kings + council of elders + assembly of the people
- Citizens were male, over 30, born in Sparta

Athens
- North of Sparta
- Birthplace of democracy (government by the people)
- Ruled by the aristocracy (nobles) until the working people wanted more rights
- Farmers were in trouble – many had to sell their families as slaves to pay debts
- One ruler, Solon, started positive changes
-Got rid of debt slavery
-More people could be involved in gov’t
- Rise of tyrants ( rulers who get power by force)
They made more changes to help the people, mostly the farmers and the poor

Council of 500 – new legislature (lawmaking body)

Athens is a limited democracy because not everyone had a say in the gov’t and there were still tyrants

Persian Wars
- The Persians had an empire that stretched from Asia Minor to India
490 – Persians invaded at Marathon and were forced to retreat
480 – 2nd invasion
- Sparta & other city states fought with Athens
- Persian fleet was destroyed and the threat of invasion was ended

Age of Pericles (460-429)
After the Persian Wars, Athens was the most powerful city-state
It started to take over other city-states and created an empire

New ruler: Pericles
-he changed gov’t to a direct democracy
-people represented themselves
-you got $ to hold office, so the poor could
get involved
- juries were created

Economic and Cultural life
- Polytheistic (many gods)
- Temples built to honor gods
- Rebuilding projects helped the economy
- Free thinking was encouraged
- Philosophy was born

Peloponnesian War
- War between Athens and Sparta
- Covered all of Greece
- Sparta won, Athens fell

Greek Philosophers
Philosopher: one who uses observation and reason to figure out why things happen
Looked at morality and ethics
3 main philosophers:
- Socrates
- Plato
- Aristotle

SOCRATES
“Socratic Method” – questioning to get deeper answers
Arrested for corrupting the city’s youth
Had to drink poison as punishment

PLATO
student of Socrates
Started a school
The Republic: described his ideal state
3 classes: workers, soldiers, and philosophers

ARISTOTLE
student of Plato
Studied government
Thought middle class should rule
His works were the basis of study at the first universities

Alexander and the Hellenistic Age
Alexander – Prince of Macedonia (North of Greece)
Tutored by Aristotle
His dad, Phillip, took over all of Greece and wanted to take Persia, but was killed first
Alex becomes king, builds an army, and starts his campaign in 334 B.C.
Conquered Persia, Asia Minor, Egypt, and Babylon

Alexander the Great”
In 7 years his empire stretched from Greece to India (2000 miles)
After his death:
-Greek ideas and culture spread
-locals took Greek culture and added it to their own
This was the Hellenistic Age
During this period, Rome became a new powerful state and replaced Greece as the dominant power