Watch the Preview for the lesson. Then write down examples of images that support the following statements or answer the questions below.

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1 P r e v i e w Watch the Preview for the lesson. Then write down examples of images that support the following statements or answer the questions below. 1. We live in a democracy. 2. We participate in our government. 3. We have the right to choose our own leaders. 4. But what kinds of governments existed before ours? 5. Where did democracy come from? Teachers Curriculum Institute The Roots of Democracy in Ancient Greece 1

2 V o c a b u l a r y Write each vocabulary word from the Word Bank next to the image it describes. Then draw a line from the vocabulary word to its definition. Word Bank tyranny democracy monarchy oligarchy 1. a. a form of government in which the ruling power is in the hands of one person 2. b. a form of government in which power is held by the people, who exercise power directly or through elected representatives 3. c. a form of government in which the ruling power is in the hands of a few people 4. d. a form of government in which the ruling power is in the hands of an individual who has seized control, often by illegal means Teachers Curriculum Institute The Roots of Democracy in Ancient Greece 2

3 F o u r F o r m s o f G o v e r n m e n t i n A n c i e n t G r e e c e Monarchy A monarchy is a form of government in which the ruling power is in the hands of a single person. Most monarchies have been ruled by kings, usually with the help of a council of advisors. The word monarchy comes from the Greek terms monos (meaning single ) and arkhein (meaning rule ). The Mycenaeans, who ruled ancient Greece from about 1600 to 1200 B.C.E., were warrior people who established monarchies to rule their city-states. The king of each city-state lived in a lavish fortress-palace in the capital city. Beyond the capital city was an outlying network of villages. The people of these villages paid taxes to the king, obeyed his laws, and depended on him for their defense. The king often relied on armed soldiers to enforce his rule and to make sure that the people paid taxes and obeyed his laws. He usually kept political power for life. His eldest son the prince succeeded him on the throne. When there was no prince to take the place of the king, the king s closest military advisors often battled among themselves to become the new monarch. The Mycenaean monarchies survived until about 1200 B.C.E. At that time, many of their eastern trade routes began to close because of fighting between kingdoms in Asia Minor. As a result, the Mycenaeans could no longer obtain raw metals, and their ability to make weapons and conquer other lands lessened. Eventually, the Mycenaeans began to fight among themselves for survival, and they slowly destroyed each other. Finally, a people from the northwest, called the Dorians, invaded Greece and destroyed what remained of the Mycenaean monarchies. Monarchy as a form of government gradually disappeared in Greece. It was replaced by a system in which a small number of individuals shared power and ruled as a group. Oligarchy An oligarchy is a form of government in which the ruling power is in the hands of a few leaders. The word oligarchy comes from the Greek terms oligos (meaning few ) and arkhein (meaning rule ). Around 800 B.C.E., small groups of people began to share ruling power in sev-eral Greek citystates. Political power was often shared among aristocrats, who inherited wealth and power from their families, and a king. Over time, this ruling arrangement changed. Oligarchies developed in which political power rested with a few selected wealthy individuals. Some of these members of the ruling circle were of aristocratic birth, while others were wealthy members of the middle class. Like monarchs, oligarchs usually lived luxurious lives and enforced their rule with military Teachers Curriculum Institute The Roots of Democracy in Ancient Greece 3

4 support. Citizens in an oligarchy enjoyed certain protections. But they lacked full political rights, such as voting. Therefore, most citizens of an oligarchy had very little say in how the city-state was run. Over time, oligarchies began to disappear in Greece for various reasons. In Corinth, for example, the people lived well, but the oligarchy ruled harshly and the citizens eventually overthrew it. In Athens, dissatisfaction with the oligarchy arose as the peasant population increased and food shortages became common. The power of oligarchies was also weakened when powerful and wealthy individuals assem-bled armies of hired, or mercenary, warriors, called hoplites, and used them to intimidate political leaders. By the 400s B.C.E., a stable oligarchy ruled only one city-state, Sparta. Tyranny A tyranny is a form of government in which the ruling power is in the hands of an individual who has seized control, often by illegal means. The word tyranny comes from the Greek word tyrannos, which means usurper with supreme power. Over time, a person who ruled by tyranny, or a tyrant, became known for holding onto power by cruel and abusive means. Tyrannies in Greece first arose during the mid-600s B.C.E. In many city-states, a growing wealthy middle class of merchants and manufacturers became angry with their rulers. This middle class demanded political and social privileges to accompany their newfound wealth, but the ruling oligarchies refused to grant them a say in the government. Various individuals mostly former military leaders responded to the demands of the middle class and promised to make the changes they wanted. Supported by the middle class, these individuals seized power from the ruling groups. Once in power, these leaders or tyrants often reformed the laws, helped the poor, canceled debts, and gave citizens other than nobles a say in the government. As a reward, citizens often gave gifts to tyrants, who in turn became quite wealthy. Many tyrants ruled for short periods of time. In some city-states, tyrants became harsh and greedy, and were simply overthrown by the people. The last important tyrant to rule mainland Greece was Hippias of the city-state of Athens. In 510 B.C.E. a combination of Spartan invaders and Athenians, who were opposed to his harsh rule, forced Hippias to resign and leave Greece. A new form of government one in which all citizens shared in the decision making eventually replaced him. Teachers Curriculum Institute The Roots of Democracy in Ancient Greece 4

5 Democracy A democracy is a form of government in which the ruling power is in the hands of all the people. The word democracy comes from the Greek terms demos (meaning people ) and kratos (meaning power ). Democracy developed in ancient Greece about 500 B.C.E. in the city-state of Athens, where many people began to oppose the rule of the tyrants. The main governing body of the Athenian democracy was the Assembly. The Assembly was open to all 30,000 to 40,000 adult male citizens, but usually only 5,000 people attended. Both rich and poor citizens attended the Assembly. This body met about 40 times a year to direct foreign policy, revise laws, and approve or condemn the conduct of public officials. Assembly members reached all their decisions through public debate and vote. A smaller, important executive body, the Council of 500, was responsible for the day-to-day running of the state. This body whose members were chosen annually in a lottery proposed new laws and enforced the Assembly s decisions, or decrees. The Council also administered the state s finances, received foreign ambassadors, and oversaw the maintenance of the Athenian fleet. An important aspect of Athenian democracy was the fact that its public officials did not have much individual power. In wartime, a group of 10 generals made decisions about military matters. These generals were elected annually and could be reelected several times. Nearly all government officials including generals and assembly and council members, as well as citizens who served on juries were paid for their services. This allowed both poor and rich male citizens to fully participate in the Athenian government. Teachers Curriculum Institute The Roots of Democracy in Ancient Greece 5

6 P r o c e s s i n g Read the following descriptions of modern nations in today s world. Then decide which form of government each nation has. Write the name of the country in a blank underneath the name of its form of government. 1. monarchy 2. oligarchy 3. tyranny 4. democracy Myanmar: Since the early 1960s, the country of Myanmar (also known as Burma) has been ruled by a military junta (HUHN-tah) a committee of military leaders. The junta has absolute power and prevents all forms of opposition. Although there are political parties in Myanmar, the junta heavily regulates their activities. Saudi Arabia: The modern nation of Saudi Arabia was formed in 1932 by King Abd-al-Aziz Al Saud, who united the country under his family s rule. Since 1953, every ruler of Saudi Arabia has been one of his 45 sons. In 2005, King Abdullah became the fifth son of Abd-al-Aziz to succeed to the throne. There are no recog-nized political parties or national elections in Saudi Arabia. Cuba: In 1959, Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba as a result of the Cuban revolution. Until 2008, he ruled over nearly all aspects of Cuban life through his control of the Communist Party, the government bureaucracy, and state security forces. Castro became ill in 2006 and turned over power to his younger brother, Raul, who had served as Cuba s defense minister since Oman: The nation of Oman, in Southwest Asia, is ruled by a sultan, Qaboos bin Said Al Said. He is the 14th descendant of the Al Bu Sa idi dynasty, the royal family that has been ruling Oman since Qaboos has a tremendous amount of power in Oman, because he serves not only as the sultan, but also as prime minister, defense minister, finance minister, foreign affairs minister, and governor of the central bank. Oman has no political parties or legislature. Austria: Austria has had its current form of government since Austria s head of state is the federal president, who is directly elected by popular vote. All Austrian citizens over the age of 16 have the right to vote. Citizens may also participate directly in their government. They may introduce bills through popular initiatives and may voice their opinions on bills through referenda. Teachers Curriculum Institute The Roots of Democracy in Ancient Greece 6