1. Connecting with Past Learnings Prehistory-1500
World History
Unit 0

2. Focus Question
What are the characteristics of democracy?

3. The Rise of Democratic Ideas: definition
Definition: Ancient Greeks invented term- Demos: “the people,” kratos or cracy: “the rule of”
Characteristics:
Sovereignty and consent of the governed
All people possess natural and inherent rights
Rule of law
Limits on the power of government
Majority rule and minority rights
Duties of citizenship
S-those who are governed, the people, agree to be governed
A- all human being possess rights that no government can take away arbitrarily...(The Bill of Rights: freedom of press, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion)
R-”a government of laws, not of men,” those in government and government itself had powers limited by written laws
L- if the people’s rights are to be protected, government’s power must be limited... Idea behind separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, and an independent judiciary
M-the minority agrees to abide by the decision of the majority, majority in turn, agrees not to use its power against the minority unfairly... Part of social contract without which society cannot function
D- citizenship carries responsibilities as well as rights... Citizens must be informed, vote, uphold the law

4. Representative Government in Greece and Rome
Greeks-Founders of Democracy: divided into city- states (polis) “politics,” ruled by kings (tyrannos), 650 BC idea of self rule took hold...Athens had a direct democracy-all citizens voted...Plato distrusted democracy, Aristotle believed all forms of government has strengths and weaknesses
Rome- formed a res publica (republic) power rests with citizens and elected officials to represent them...problems-women/slaves not citizens, senate was from upper classes
Greeks introduced democracy, a direct democracy
Rome introduced the idea of a representative government

5. Greco-Roman Views
Law: Romans had written law code-12 Tables of the law were posted in the Roman marketplace for all to see.
Reason and Faith: Greek philosophers believed that the world was based on certain natural laws, or truths, that could be discovered through reason.
Duties of the individual: In Greece, all citizens participated in government; Romans believed that citizenship carried with it a duty to serve the state.

6. The Judeo-Christian Legacy
Judaism and Christianity: moral and ethical principles influenced Western democratic thought; these principles contributed to the belief that all people, not just a limited group of citizens, deserve kindness and respect.
Took 2000 years to alter political behavior-slavery practiced until 1800s, voting rights limited until 1900s

7. Judeo-Christian Views
Law: morality and the laws that govern human action come directly from God (10 Commandments). The Jewish tradition values justice and righteousness.
Reason and Faith: Christianity teaches that all people are equal in the eyes of God.
Duties of the individual: all people, not just a limited group of citizens, deserve kindness and respect.

8. The Rise of Democracy in England
1215-Magna Carta (great charter) limited executive power
1200s-Parliament created
1600s-rise of monarchs, civil war created democratic thinkers-John Locke, “life, liberty, and estate (property)
1689-English Bill of Rights-declared that Parliament would choose who ruled the country, served as a model for the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution
Parliament-mostly nobles at first, added second house- House of Lords, House of Commons

9. Democratic Revolutions
Late 1700s-early 1800s revolutions spread the idea of democracy
American Revolution-colonists had no representation in Parliament, considered it tyranny to be taxed without representation
French Revolution-resulted from success of American Revolution
Latin American Revolutions-by 1822, all Latin American colonies were free from France & Spain
American-DOI justified revolution, Constitution established federal system, separation of powers
French-radicals pushed Rousseau’s ideas too far, unleashing terror campaign
Latin-many constitutions owed a debt to the US Constitution.

10. Conclusion
Democratic ideas lie in the traditions and history of many cultures
The desire for justice and belief in rule of law can be traced to the Code of Hammurabi of Ancient Babylon and the Shari’ah, or law code, of Islam
Democracy can be fragile, its history has more failures than successes
failures can be instructive, giving hope that once won, democratic government will be cherished

11. Focus Question What are the characteristics of democracy?
Sovereignty and consent of the governed
All people possess natural and inherent rights
Rule of law
Limits on the power of government
Majority rule and minority rights
Duties of citizenship