Lesson 4.2 “Sparta and Athens”
Tyranny in the City-States
What do you call a person who takes power by force and rules with total authority? A tyrant
Why did the farmers support the tyrants when they seized the power from the nobles? The farmers wanted to take part in governing and they were upset with the nobles
What types of things did tyrants do that made themselves popular with the common people? They built marketplaces, temples and walls.
What do you call a government where only a few people hold power? An oligarchy
What do you call a government where citizens share in running the government? A democracy.
What type of government did they have in Sparta? An oligarchy
What type of government did they have in Athens? A democracy
Sparta
Who founded Sparta? The Dorians
How did Sparta get more land as its population grew? They conquered and enslaved the neighboring territories
What term was used to describe the captive workers in Sparta? helots
What does the word rebel mean? - To fight against a group or idea - To protest
What was life like for young boys in Sparta? They left home and began to train for the army at 7 years old.
What was life like for young girls in Sparta? They were trained in sports like running, wrestling and throwing the javelin.
Why was it important for young girls to be physically fit in Sparta? So they could become healthy mothers.
At what age did young men enter the army in Sparta? 20 years old
Where did Spartan males live until they were 30 years old? In army barracks
How old was a Spartan man when he left the army? 60 years old
How were women in Sparta different from other women in Greece? They could own property and go where they wanted.
Who was in charge of the government in Sparta? 2 kings and council of elders
Who was in the council of elders in Sparta? 28 citizens over the age of 60
What word is used to refer to the people in Sparta who would enforce the laws and collect taxes? ephors
What measures did the Spartan government take to prevent anyone from questioning the way the government was run? They discouraged foreign visitors and banned travel abroad.
Why didn’t the Spartan government want people to study literature or the arts? They didn’t want the people to get any ideas about changing the way the government ran.
What were the weaknesses of the Spartan government? They weren’t strong at trading and they didn’t know as much about science and other subjects as other Greeks.
What was the strength of the Spartan government? They had a strong military
Athens
What was life like for young boys in Athens? They went to school.
What types of things did young boys learn at school in Athens? Reading, writing, arithmetic, sports and music.
Who taught Athenian girls? Their mothers
What types of things did Athenian girls learn from their mothers? They learned how to spin, weave and other household duties.
Which types of Athenian girls learned to read and write? Wealthy girls
What was the role of Athenian women? They took care of their houses and taught their daughters
Who ruled the city-states in Athens? Landowning nobles
Why did some farmers become slaves in Athens? They owed money to the nobles
What was the name of the noble who made significant changes in Athens around 600 BC? Solon
How did Peisistratus get the support of the poor in Greece? He divided large estates among landless farmers, he loaned money to poor people and gave jobs to poor people
Name 2 big changes that Cleisthenes made to the assembly in Athens? #1 Members had new powers; they could debate matters openly, hear court cases and appoint army generals. #2 He created a new citizen’s council that could propose laws and deal with foreign countries.
Why was a lottery used to pick members of the council in Athens? People thought it was fairer than an election which could favor the wealthy.
What is Cleisthenes legacy to the world? He is credited with making the government of Athens a democracy.