1. Athenian Democracy

2. Background Cleisthenes- born into a noble Athenian family
Took Power from Nobles
Residence not wealth
All citizens vote
Bust of Cleisthenes created in by Anna Christoforidis 2

3. democracy rule by the people demokratia demo: kratia: the people
power or rule
rule by the people

4. Democracy
Developed around the 5th Century B.C.E. in the Greek polis (city-state) of Athens
A “democracy” is a form of government where citizens can vote
Athens had a “direct democracy” -the citizens voted on every single issue with a simple majority winning the vote 4

5. Direct Democracy 5

6. Athenian Democracy Ekklesia Boule The The The Dikasteria (Assembly)
(Council of 500)
The Dikasteria
(The Courts)

7. Ekklesia (Assembly)
All citizens were part of an assembly that met 40 times a year to vote on issues
Voluntary?
The Ekklesia met on a central hill in Athens called the Pnyx

8. Boule (Council of 500)
500 citizen council was selected randomly to decide which issues should be brought to the Assembly
50 citizens from the council were chosen to handle the daily issues of running the city-state

9. Dikasteria (The Courts)
Hundreds of citizens served in juries to make sure they could not be bought off.

10. Document Based Question
Was ancient Athens truly democratic?