3.3 Ancient Democracy (TTO-1)

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3.3: Ancient Democracy

Goals

• You should be able to explain what Democracy is
• You should be able to describe what Ancient Athenian democracy was like
• You should be able to compare the Athenian democracy to our modern democracy (name at least two differences)

What are we going to do?

1. Recap

2. Explanation 3.3.

3. Exercises

4. group work

What kind of religion did the Ancient Greeks have?

1. Monotheism
2. Atheism
3. Nationalism
4. Polytheism

Who were at the bottom of the social pyramid in ancient Greece?

What are metoiks?

Which group had the most influence in Ancient Athens?

Did women have any rights in the Greek poleis?

What is democracy?

The literal meaning comes from the Greek language=

• Demos = people
  
• Kratos = the power to govern themselves
  

→ the people have the power to govern themselves.

In Ancient Greece Athens was a democracy.

Demos = the people

In Athens, only citizens could be involved in politics. They had to fulfil a certain obligation first.

After the lawmaker Solon introduced new laws, free men were also allowed to participate in politics. 

 

In Athens, there were people in favour of democracy, but there were also people that were against democracy. 

What does the word kratos mean?

First democracy

The first known democracy in the world was in Athens. Athenian democracy developed around the fifth century B.C.E. The Greek idea of democracy was different from present-day democracy because, in Athens, all adult citizens were required to take an active part in the government

Who were the citizens?

Is Plato in favour or against democracy?

“If we need construction work to be done, we ask architects for advice. If we need ships to be built, we hire people specialized in building ships. The same is for any other project. However, when there needs to be a discussion about the government of the city, everyone gets a chance to say something: carpenters, smiths, sailors, the poor and the rich” (4th century BC)

Plato is against democracy

Plato is in favour of democracy

Protecting the democracy

Every year the Athenian people's assembly voted whether an ostracism (schervengericht) would be held. Preventing a small group of aristocrats or a tyrant from seizing power.

Assignments

Do the following questions: 1, 2 and 4 of paragraph 3.3

15 minutes

Group work

1. Make a schedule of the differences between Dutch and Ancient Demcocracy 

2. What would be your perfect society? Make sure you include something about how your society is governed.

3. Who governs your society? 1 person/ a small group/ everyone? What is your criteria for this? (age/heritage/skills)

Ancient Athens

• A direct democracy: people can vote directly on laws.
• Only free-born Athenian men were allowed to vote.
  
• In Athens, someone is banished every year by ways of ostracism
  

The modern-day Netherlands

• An indirect democracy: people can vote for people that will make decisions for them.
  
• All people from the age of 18 and upwards are allowed to vote. They need to have the Dutch nationality or a residence permit.
  
• In the Netherlands, we can’t banish someone from the Netherlands.
  

What would be your perfect society? Make sure you include something about how your society is governed.
Who governs your society? 1 person/ a small group/ everyone? What is your criteria for this? (age/heritage/skills)

Work on your passport

Find a picture of the Olympic games in ancient Greece

Another word for all stories of the gods and half gods is.....