World History – Western Political Thought

Ancient Greeks Did not eat meat that had not been sacrificed to a god Did not know about tomatoes, potatoes, oranges or lemons Saw the beard as a sign of manhood, and barbers were leading citizens

Wiped their hands on bread instead of napkins, and fed the bread to the dogs Wore long T-shirts made of cotton, although slaves only wore loincloths Only men and boys were allowed to be actors, and they wore masks to show their moods A Spartan specialty was black soup made from salt, vinegar and blood

Boys in Sparta went to military camps at age 7 and learned how to read and write at age 10 Olympians performed in the nude and ate sheep testicles to enhance their performance Believed priest had the power to talk to the gods Used urine to treat wounds and whiten their teeth Played with the yo-yo 3,000 years ago

But the ethical and moral ideas of the ancient Greeks have directly influenced the development of Western political thought. How?

The idea of direct democracy* comes from the ancient Greeks *people participate and represent themselves

Athens Citizens- adult male residents, granted certain rights and responsibilities Only 1/10 of population were citizens and eligible to participate. No citizenship for women, slaves, and foreign residents.

Roman Republic In ancient Rome, you had to be rich to be a citizen.

Aristocracy- Greek word aristokratia, which comes from the root words aristos, meaning "best," and kratos, meaning "rule."

Aristocracy- power is in the hands of a hereditary ruling class or nobility (rule by the best)

Rome saw the rise of the Republic Representative democracy- citizens elect representatives.

Greek and Roman Point of View Citizens should vote, debate, make laws, serve on juries, hold office The world has natural laws that can be discovered through reason and logic Democracy can be protected by having 3 separate branches Laws should be written down

logic and reason can be used to think about the world and the nature of the universe, human society, and morality. The Search for Truth

People are born with dignity and worth People can choose between right and wrong People are responsible to help others and the community Jewish and Christian point of view also supports democracy

These religious ideas spread throughout Europe The Jews were exiled from Judea in 70 A.D. and spread throughout Europe, bringing their ideas with them Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire and became the dominant religion of Europe Islam spread throughout the Middle East and became the second largest religion in the world.

Today’s belief systems Christianity Islam Non-religious Hinduism Chinese Religions Primal faiths Buddhism Sikhism Judaism

Classical Greek Philosophy Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle Greek philosophers or “lovers of wisdom”

Socratic method Question and answer Knowledge is virtue.

Socrates taught Plato. Plato taught Aristotle. Aristotle taught Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great built the Greek Empire.

Plato Rule by Philosopher -Kings A perfect society would be governed by the wisest; not the richest or most powerful

Plato and Aristotle wrote about Tyranny Tyranny = ruler that does not serve the public interest

Student of Plato Used reason to learn about reality Beginning of the scientific method Aristotle B.C

The universe is put together in an orderly way and is subject to absolute and unchanging laws.

People can understand these laws through logic and reason.

Truth is best understood from the observation of living things

3. The U.S. Constitution Is influenced by the philosophers, and has influenced political systems all over the world.

Twelve Tables Defined law in writing

Aristotle compared the constitutions Of 158 city-states and found 3 types of governments:  Rule by one man - monarchy/tyranny  Rule by a few men - aristocracy/oligarchy  Rule by many - democracy

3 Types of government monarchy oligarchy democracy

Plato vs. Aristotle essence/truth can be found by looking inward (introspection) primary principles come from pure thought all knowledge exists independently of nature. Essence/truth can be known only by studying nature. primary principles are attained by examining nature nature and knowledge are inseparable.

The Magna Carta influenced ideas in the Declaration of Independence

The Magna Carta England, 1215 No tax levied except by the common consent Declaration of Independence, 1776 No taxation without representation No taxation without representation

The Magna Carta England, 1215 Right to trial by jury Due process of law Declaration of Independence, 1776 Right to trial by jury Due process of law