3: Democracy In Ancient Athens Flashcards
What does ‘ancient’ refer to?
Something from a time more than 2500 years ago.
In ancient Athens, who could participate in the Assembly?
All Athenian men who are citizens.
What is the Assembly in ancient Athens?
An important part of democratic government where citizens debate issues and vote on laws.
What did the ancient Greeks influence in modern times?
How people think about citizenship and rights.
What form of government developed in Athens?
A democracy in which people participated.
What is a key connection between ancient Athens and modern democracies like Canada?
The roots of democracy.
Fill in the blank: The Assembly is important for _____ in ancient Athens.
[democratic government]
True or False: Only wealthy citizens could participate in the Assembly in ancient Athens.
False.
What did the citizens do in the Assembly?
Debate issues of concern and vote on laws.
Fill in the blank: Cleandros is the _____ of the boy in ancient Athens.
[slave]
What were Athenian men looking forward to as citizens?
Participating in the Assembly.
What is the agora?
A large, open area in the middle of the city filled with market stalls and people shopping and talking.
What does the slave carry through the agora?
A rope covered with red paint.
What happens to the men’s clothing when the slave swings the rope?
It gets marked with red paint.
What is the consequence for men marked with red paint who do not attend the Assembly?
They will be fined.
Why don’t some men want to go to the Assembly?
They would rather stay in the market gossiping.
What does Cleandros suggest about living in a democracy?
They should be happy they live in a place where there is democracy.
What is the difference in the Assembly’s power in Sparta compared to Athens?
In Sparta, the Assembly has no real power to make laws.
Fill in the blank: Ancient Athens was the ______ of democracy.
[birthplace]
What are two questions to consider about Athenian democracy?
- What are the beliefs and values that shaped democracy in Athens?
- What role did citizens play in Athenian democracy?
What is a city-state?
A city-state is made up of a city and the surrounding countryside that controls it. It is independent of other cities.
What does the title of a map indicate?
The title tells what the map is about.
What function does the compass rose serve on a map?
The compass rose shows north, south, east, and west on the map.
What does the legend of a map explain?
The legend explains the meaning of colours, lines, and symbols.
What does the scale on a map show?
The scale shows distance on the map.
In what direction would Athenians travel to reach the island of Crete?
South.
Approximately, how far is it between Athens and Crete?
56 kilometers.
What modern features can be found in cities like Athens today?
Cities have modern transportation systems, schools, and hospitals.
Why were ancient Greek communities isolated from one another?
Greece is a mountainous country, and communities were isolated by the rugged landscape.
What influenced each ancient Greek city to develop its own style of government?
Isolation led each ancient Greek city to develop its own style of government, laws, and armies.
What are independent communities in ancient Greece called?
City-states.
Who ruled the ancient Greek city-states?
They were ruled by kings, aristocrats, tyrants, or democracies.
Fill in the blank: The map shows what Greece looked like almost _______ years ago.
3000.
What does the map of Ancient Greece depict?
It shows some of the city-states, the boundaries at that time, and the names of the surrounding countries and bodies of water.
What were rulers in some city-states called who demanded obedience from the people?
Tyrants
Tyrants are rulers who seize power and govern in a harsh, cruel way.
What system of government developed in Athens that allowed citizens to participate in decision-making?
Democracy
Over time, the Athenians developed a system of government that allowed citizens to participate in making important decisions.
Which city-state is noted for developing a democratic system of government?
Athens
What significant change occurred in many Greek city-states over time?
They became democracies.
What is the approximate date of the beginning of the Iroquois Confederacy?
1265
Fill in the blank: The _______ is where the Council of 500 met in Athens.
Bouleuterion
Where did the Assembly gather in ancient Athens?
Pnyx
What is the name of the market and meeting place in Athens?
Agora
Fill in the blank: The _______ is where 50 members of the Council lived.
Tholos
What were the temples in ancient Athens used for?
Worshipping their gods
True or False: The first elected Parliament in England occurred before 0 CE.
True
What is one feature of the Athenian democracy mentioned in the content?
Citizens participated in making important decisions.
What does the timeline illustrate about ancient Athens?
Forms of government before the common era (BCE) in ancient Athens and later forms of democratic government.
Fill in the blank: Tyrants are powerful rulers who seize power and govern in a _______ way.
harsh, cruel
What is the significance of the Stoa in ancient Athens?
It is where men gathered to talk.
Name one of the approximate dates listed in the timeline.
1350 or 1792
What type of government was established in Upper and Lower Canada?
Representative government
What factors affected citizenship and participation in government in ancient Athens?
People’s place of birth, age, position in society, and gender
These factors determined who could participate in Athenian democracy.
Why was citizenship in ancient societies often limited to those born there?
To maintain social structure and control over governance
This practice ensured that citizens had a deep-rooted connection to the land and its governance.
What significant change did the Canadian Citizenship Act bring about in 1947?
It established Canadian citizenship independent of British citizenship
Before this act, Canadians were considered British citizens under the law.
Who were considered citizens in ancient Athens?
Children of parents who were born in Athens
Only male citizens could vote and govern.
At what age did a young man become a citizen in ancient Athens?
Age 20, after completing military service
This age marked the transition to full citizenship responsibilities.
Could women participate in Athenian democracy?
No, women could not participate in Athenian democracy
Their exclusion was a norm in ancient Athenian society.
What were metics in ancient Athens?
Residents born outside the city-state who could not own land or become citizens
Metics contributed to the economy but lacked political rights.
What was the status of slaves in ancient Athens?
Slaves could not become citizens and were owned by private citizens or the city-state
Many slaves were captured during wars.
How was identity and status defined in ancient Athens?
By the level of the social structure into which a person was born
Social mobility was extremely limited.
Could metics or slaves ever be granted citizenship in ancient Athens?
Only on very rare occasions
This was an exception to the general rule of strict citizenship criteria.
What were the roles of men and women in ancient Athens?
Men and women had very different roles and generally lived separate lives.
What symbol was attached to the door when a boy was born in ancient Athens?
An olive branch.
What symbol was attached to the door when a girl was born in ancient Athens?
A piece of wool.
What do the symbols for boys and girls suggest about their value in Greek society?
They suggest that boys were valued for victory and public life, while girls were valued for homemaking.
At what age did boys and girls begin to live separate lives in ancient Athens?
Around age seven.
What subjects did boys learn in school?
Reading, writing, math, music, and literature.
What are epics?
Long poems that tell stories about legendary heroes.
Who typically took boys of wealthy families to school?
Their paidagogus (slave tutors).
How long did poor boys usually attend school?
For only a few years.
What did boys do after leaving school at age 13 or 14?
They began to work or learn a trade.
What types of work did girls do in ancient Athens?
They might work on the family farm or at the market.
What type of work did female slaves generally do?
Cooking, cleaning, and fetching water.
What types of work did male slaves typically do?
Work for families or heavy labor.
What are two famous epic poems attributed to Homer?
The Iliad and the Odyssey.
What historical event is depicted in the epic poems attributed to Homer?
The Trojan War.
True or False: Boys and girls in ancient Athens had the same educational opportunities.
False.
Fill in the blank: Boys memorized and discussed poems called _______.
epics.
What skill is the Greek girl learning from her mother?
Household skills such as spinning, weaving, and child care.
These skills were essential for her future role as an adult in Athenian society.
What was the focus of the lives of girls and women in ancient Athens?
The home and household responsibilities.
Women were primarily involved in domestic duties and rarely participated in public life.
At what age did Athenian boys begin their military service?
Age 18.
They were prepared for service through sports and physical education.
What types of sports were part of boys’ education in ancient Athens?
Running, boxing, wrestling, javelin throwing, and discus throwing.
These sports were integral in preparing boys for their roles as soldiers.
What was the role of men in Athenian society?
To work, shop, discuss politics, and vote outside the home.
Men engaged in various activities during the day, emphasizing their public and political roles.
What significant event occurred when a girl turned 15 in ancient Athens?
Her father chose a husband for her.
This marked the transition from childhood to adulthood for girls.
What rights did women have in Athenian society?
Women could own clothing, jewelry, slaves, and land but could not sell or give away these possessions.
Women had limited rights and were under the guardianship of a male relative.
True or False: Women participated in the Assembly in ancient Athens.
False.
Women were excluded from political participation and decision-making processes.
How did wealthy families manage household work in ancient Athens?
They employed slaves to do the housework.
Wealthy women still engaged in weaving cloth for their family’s clothing.
Compare the rights of men and women in ancient Athens.
Men had more rights and public roles, while women were largely confined to the home and had male guardians.
The societal structure emphasized a clear gender divide in roles and responsibilities.
What was the primary purpose of education for Athenian children?
To prepare them for their adult roles in society.
Education varied significantly between genders, with boys focused on physical and intellectual training, while girls learned domestic skills.
What is the most important idea of Athenian democracy?
Citizens being allowed to rule themselves
This is the basis of democracy.
What principle did Athenians believe was fair in decision-making?
Majority rule
Decisions were made by voting, and a law supported by more than half the voters was passed.
Who had the right to belong to the Assembly and vote in Athenian democracy?
All male citizens
Exceptions included those who committed acts causing them to lose citizenship.
Who were denied voting rights in Athenian democracy?
Women, slaves, and metics
These groups were excluded from the democratic process.
What was the societal acceptance regarding slavery in Athenian society?
Slavery was accepted and the right to own another person was not questioned
Even great thinkers like Socrates did not challenge this norm.
What was the highest value in Athenian democracy?
The common good
Individual and minority rights were not prioritized.
How did slavery contribute to Athenian democracy?
It provided free time for men to participate in government
Many Athenians, even the poor, owned slaves, allowing them to engage in civic duties.
True or False: Athenian democracy included strong protections for individual rights.
False
Individual and minority rights were largely absent in Athenian thinking.
Fill in the blank: Athenian democracy was based on the idea of _______.
fairness in self-rule
What were the roles of slaves in Athenian society?
They performed work, allowing Athenian men leisure time
This contributed to the civic engagement of male citizens.
What is the significance of majority rule in Athenian democracy?
It ensured that laws reflected the will of more than half the voters
This principle is foundational in democratic systems.
What is an ostrakon?
A broken piece of pottery used to scratch the name of a person for exile
This practice is where the English word ‘ostracize’ comes from.
How often did the Assembly meet?
About 40 times a year, every 8 to 10 days
What was required for a vote to grant citizenship to a non-Athenian?
At least 6000 members of the Assembly needed to be present
What are the three institutions often referred to as the ‘pillars’ of Athenian democracy?
The Council of 500, The Assembly, The Court
What were some of the issues the Assembly made decisions on?
- War and peace
- Treaties with other city-states
- Religion
- Taxes
- Construction of ships
What would happen if a citizen did not take part in the operation of government?
They would be looked down on
Where did the Assembly meet?
At a large open area at the top of a hill called the Pnyx
What could citizens bring to the Assembly?
Private concerns, such as complaints against someone who cheated or harmed them
True or False: The Assembly meetings were typically quiet and orderly.
False
Fill in the blank: A pillar supports or holds up something, while the Assembly could vote to _______ one person.
exile
What is direct democracy?
A type of democracy where citizens vote directly on government decisions
In contrast to representative democracy, where elected officials make decisions on behalf of citizens.
How does direct democracy differ from representative democracy?
In direct democracy, citizens vote directly; in representative democracy, elected officials make decisions
Canada today practices representative democracy.
What was the role of citizens in the Assembly?
Every member had an equal right to speak and vote
This included citizens from various backgrounds, regardless of their social status.
What method was most often used for voting in the Assembly?
Voting was most often a show of hands
This indicated the immediate support or opposition of citizens present.
What did a white stone indicate in the Assembly voting process?
Support for a certain decision
A brown stone indicated opposition.
How were votes counted in the Assembly?
Citizens dropped stones into large jugs, which were then separated and counted
This method was used in addition to the show of hands.
What is a decree?
A decision made by people who are in authority
Decrees were often announced following the voting process.
What phrase was used to announce a decision in the Assembly?
“It seems best to the Demos…”
‘Demos’ refers to the people or citizens in the context of direct democracy.
What is one advantage of voting by secret ballot?
It protects voter privacy and reduces pressure
This method contrasts with direct democracy’s open voting methods.
Fill in the blank: In direct democracy, citizens vote directly to make _______.
decisions
What was the full-time government of Athens known as?
The Council of 500
Also referred to as the boule.
Where did the Council of 500 meet?
In the Bouleuterion at the agora
The agora was the central public space in ancient Athens.
What was the term length for members of the Council of 500?
One year
How were the citizens of Athens divided for the Council of 500?
Into 10 tribes
How many members from each tribe served on the Council?
50 members
What age requirement was established for Council members?
Over the age of 30
How often did a group of 50 Councillors from each tribe serve?
For one-tenth of the year
How were Council positions chosen?
Through a lottery
How many times could a citizen serve on the Council?
Only twice
How long did the chairman of the Council serve?
24 hours, a day and a night
What was the role of the Council of 500?
Planned the agenda for Assembly meetings and supervised the running of the government
What could not happen without the approval of the Assembly?
No laws or decrees could be made
How many members of the Council were on duty at all times?
50 members
Where did the members of the Council live?
In the Tholos near the agora
Fill in the blank: A _______ is a political group in Athenian society.
tribe
Fill in the blank: In a lottery, names are drawn by _______ from a large number of choices.
chance
Fill in the blank: An _______ is the list of topics that will be discussed at a meeting.
agenda
What is a magistrate?
A government official who works for the court
Magistrates were citizens chosen by lottery for a one-year term.
Who is the defendant in a court case?
The person who is accused of a crime
Defendants are central figures in criminal trials.
What role does the plaintiff play in a court case?
The person who brings a complaint about another person to court
Plaintiffs initiate legal proceedings.
What is a klepsydra?
A device used to time the speeches of the plaintiff and defendant
It involved a jar of water that measured speaking time.
How were magistrates chosen in Athenian courts?
By lottery
This method ensured a random selection of citizens for a one-year term.
What was the typical jury size in Athenian trials?
Between 501 and 1500 people
The jury size depended on the importance of the case.
Who could serve on a jury in Athenian courts?
Any male citizen over the age of 30
Jurors were chosen by lottery on the day of the trial.
Could women participate in Athenian legal cases?
Yes, but a female defendant needed a male citizen to speak for her
Women could participate before a magistrate but had restrictions in jury trials.
Could metics serve on juries in Athenian courts?
No, metics could be involved in legal cases but could not serve on juries
Metics were resident foreigners in Athens.
How did Athenian citizens argue their cases in court?
They argued their own cases without professional lawyers
This required good speaking skills to persuade the jury.
What was the purpose of hiring professional speech writers in ancient Athens?
To help wealthy Athenians make more effective arguments
This practice aimed to improve persuasive speaking in court.
What happened after both sides had been heard in an Athenian trial?
The jury would vote on the defendant’s innocence or guilt
If guilty, the jury would then vote on the punishment.
True or False: In Athenian courts, the jury decided both guilt and punishment.
True
The jury had the authority to determine both aspects after the trial.
Fill in the blank: In Athenian courts, _____ were chosen by lottery on the day of the trial.
jurors
This ensured a random selection of jury members for each trial.
