Sparta and Athens: Military vs. Democracy

Sparta and Athens: Military vs. Democracy

Sparta: A Military Society

• Sparta was located on the Peloponnesus Peninsula in southern Greece.

• Sparta invaded nearby city-states and enslaved the people who lived there.

• The Spartans called these enslaved people helots.

Multiple Choice

What were people enslaved by the Spartans called?

• tyrants

• kings

• democrats

• helots

A Military Society

• In about 650 B.C. the helots rebelled.

• The Spartans crushed the uprising.

• The leaders decided to make Sparta a military society.

• The leaders thought this would make citizens more loyal and obedient. 

Multiple Choice

Why did Sparta decide to make a military-based society?

• They thought everyone would be healthier.

• They hated Athens.

• They wanted to make their slaves stronger.

• They wanted citizens to obey them.

Spartan Men

• All boys and men were prepared for a life of war.

• Boys left home at age seven.

• They lived in harsh military camps where they learned to read, write, and to use weapons.

• Spartan leaders believed harsh treatment would make boys into adults who could survive the pain of battle.

Multiple Choice

Why did Spartan leaders make young boys live in harsh military camps?

• They thought it would better prepare them to survive the pain of war.

• They wanted to make sure they were not distracted by women.

• They wanted to make them into healthy slaves.

• They thought it would keep them out of trouble.

Multiple Choice

At what age were Spartan men allowed to leave the military?

• 20

• 30

• 60

• 7

Spartan Women

• Spartan women enjoyed more freedom than women in other city-states because the men were often away from home.

• Girls were trained in sports such as wrestling.

• The main role of women was to raise sons for the military.

Multiple Choice

Why was the main goal of women to make more soldiers for the military?

• It was the main goal because Spartans hated women and wanted the men to leave them.

• It was the main goal because Sparta is a military society.

• It was the main goal because women had nothing better to do.

• It was the main goal because women were too weak for sports and wars.

An Oligarchy

• Sparta’s government was an oligarchy.

• Two kings ruled together, but had little power.

• The council of elders acted as judges and the assembly made decisions about war and peace.

• The assembly elected five people each year to be ephors.

• The ephors enforced laws and collected taxes.

Multiple Choice

Ephors are...

• elected council members of Sparta

• angry people

• military Spartans

• kings

Education

• Sparta's leaders believed education could lead to unrest.

• For this reason, the government discouraged people from studying literature and the arts.

• Foreign visitors were not welcome.

• People could leave Sparta only for military purposes.

• Trade was limited.

• Sparta became isolated.

Multiple Choice

Why didn't Spartan leaders want their people to become educated?

• Educated people made bad soldiers because they thought too much.

• Educated people could disrupt citizens and cause people to want to overthrow their government.

• Educated people were annoying.

• Spartans couldn't read and didn't think anybody else should be able to either.