10 Questions
What was the basis of the Athenian democracy?
City states
Who are the first leaders of Greek democracy?
Pericles and Cleisthenes
How did slavery contribute to the success of Athenian democracy?
It allowed citizens to move away from the rural areas.
What was more important in Greek civilization: land or the agora?
The agora
What was the purpose of Greek tragedies?
To reflect governing notions and beliefs
Who was eligible to participate in the Athenian democracy?
Any citizen born to Athenian parents who completed military training
How many citizens regularly attended the meetings at the Assembly?
Thousands
How did the elections favor the rich and powerful over the ordinary citizens?
They were able to travel to the Assembly more easily
What is required for the success of the Greek democracy?
Active participation
What is the purpose of the Assembly?
To pass laws
Study Notes
- Athenian democracy was founded on the infrastructure of city states or polis.
- The first leaders of Greek democracy were Cleisthenes and Pericles.
- The slave population in Athens outnumbered the free citizens by far. Slavery actually contributed to the flourishment of the Athenian Democracy as it allowed the landowning citizens to move away from the rural areas.
- Wealth lay in the rural land however the agora was superior to the land in Greek civilization.
- Greek culture was made up of war culture and artistic culture, playwrights, scriptwriters seemed to develop almost a counterculture, however, the latter extended beyond solely aesthetic appreciation.
- Theatre was popular, especially the Greek tragedies. They did not only serve to entertain as the also reflected important governing notions and beliefs.
- Citizens had to be born to an Athenian father and an Athenian mother, over 18 years old and completed their military training.
- Only around 5000 regularly attended the frequent meetings at the Assembly.
- However, this was not always the case as most men had to travel long distances and were often away fighting in war so they would only go when a very important vote was being held. This meant that the elections favoured the rich and powerful over the ordinary citizens.
- The Greek democracy required active participation, a sense of civic duty, discipline and discussions.
How did the Greek democracy work? The Greek democracy was founded on the infrastructure of city states or polis. The first leaders of Greek democracy were Cleisthenes and Pericles. The slave population in Athens outnumbered the free citizens by far. Slavery actually contributed to the flourishment of the Athenian Democracy as it allowed the landowning citizens to move away from the rural areas. Wealth lay in the rural land however the agora was superior to the land in Greek civilization. Greek culture was made up of war culture and artistic culture, playwrights, scriptwriters seemed
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