1. Athens and Experiments in Democracy

4. Colonization City states emerge from dark ages Population increases
Lack of arable land causes problems
Era of colonization 750 BC to 550 BC
People went out to establish new colonies
150 different cities along the Mediterranean Sea
Colonization

5. Panhellenic sanctuaries – religious centers that belonged to no one city but rather served as gathering places for all the Greek city-states
Oracle – a place the Greeks believed the gods spoke to mortals
Delphi – most famous oracle for over 1,000 years – 800BC to 390 AD

7. The Oracle at Delphi Greeks felt it was the center of the earth
Discusses ?s from going to war to basic daily problems
Will I become rich?
Will I get a divorce?
Will I get a vacation?
Have I been poisoned?
Advice – know yourself and practice moderation
The Oracle at Delphi

8. Tyrants Tyrants – men who controlled city-states through revolution
Not all tyrants were bad
Bad tyrants surrounded by bodyguards
Most tyrants are eventually overthrown
Drinking songs about tyrants
Tyrants

9. Wealth Coinage – introduced about 6th century BC
Value was based on actual worth
Each city stamped a symbol on it’s currency
Athens was most valuable with Athena on one side and an owl on the other
Wealth

10. Athens Athens was the largest, richest and most populated city-state
Produced the most writers so we know more about it
Plagued by class warfare (?)
Poor were debtors and rich were unhappy
Poor could not pay or earn enough
Rich could not attain political posts
Athens

11. Close to civil war when they put the wisest man, Solon, in charge
Solon abolished debts (How does that work today?)
Divided citizens into 4 groups based on wealth
Top 2 groups could become elected officials
Establishes Heliala – new court of law
All citizens had the right to appeal to a jury of their peers
Anyone could bring a lawsuit
Athens

12. Athens Solon was good at compromising
Solon not popular at times and Athenians had to take an oath not to change laws for 10 years
Solon leaves Athens and travels
Peisistratus rules as a tyrant for decades after fooling people with a fake 6’ Athena declaring him the leader
Assassination attempt on his life over a girl
Exiled twice, championed the poor, he was wealthy, improved trade and agriculture, and built the 1st acqueduct
Athens

13. 1st democracy begins in 508 BC after people grew tired of tyrants
Wise man, Cleisthenes, sets up 1st real democracy
Divided Athenians into 10 tribes made up of people from 3 different geographical locations
People had to work together
Athenian Democracy

14. Council of 500 – 1st legislature chosen by 10 tribes with 50 reps
Council of 500 – 1st legislature chosen by 10 tribes with 50 reps. chosen by random lottery
Each citizen had a chance to serve
Could vote people they didn’t like (600 votes) out of Athens for 10 years (ostracism)
Some ballots had similar handwriting
How would this work today?
Athenian Democracy

15. Athenian Democracy Each citizen could speak at Council of 500
Democracy was only for those that qualified as citizens
Women, children, slaves and foreigners did not count as citizens
Athens experimented with different ways of sharing power
Did not want God kings and power with 1 person
Athenian Democracy

16. Athenian Democracy Many forms of democracy were tried over the years
Many other city-states, except Sparta, experiment with democracy.
Athenian Democracy