01/11 Athens: A Young Democracy

01/11 Athens: A Young Democracy

A Social Studies Lesson

Athens

• Athens was another important Greek city-state.

• It was located northeast of Sparta.

• The people who lived in Athens were descended from the Mycenaean people.

• The Athenian people had different ideas about government and society than the people of Sparta.

Multiple Choice

Where was Athens located?

• northeast of Sparta

• with the Mycenaeans

• Minoa

• south of Greece

Athens: Boys

• In Athens, boys studied arithmetic, geometry, drawing, music, and public speaking.

• They also practiced sports.

• Boys finished school at age 18.

• At that age, they were expected to be active in public affairs, or the government and society of Athens.

Multiple Choice

In Athens, boys finished school at 18. How is this different from Sparta?

• In Sparta, boys would have been raising new children at 18.

• In Sparta, boys would have been in the military at 18.

• In Sparta, boys were fishing at 18.

• In Sparta, boys were forced into sea battles at 18.

Athens: Girls

• Girls in Athens were educated at home.

• They learned spinning, weaving, and other household duties.

• In some wealthy families, they learned to read, write, and play music.

• Women were expected to marry and raise children.

Multiple Choice

How were women in Athens different from women in Sparta?

• They wrestled.

• They were expected to raise men for the military.

• They ate more fish.

• They were allowed to be educated.

Solon

• About 600 b.c. most Athenian farmers owed money to the nobles.

• To avoid an uprising, the nobles turned to a respected merchant named Solon.

• Solon ended the farmers’ debts and freed those who had been enslaved.

Multiple Choice

What did Solon do to help farmers?

• He ended farmers' debts and freed enslaved people.

• He killed nobles.

• He set farms on fire.

• He started an uprising.

Multiple Choice

Why was Solon chosen to lead Athens?

• He was stronger and smarter.

• He was handsome.

• He was a respected merchant.

• People feared him.

Peisistratus

• In 560 b.c. another tyrant took over the government.

• His name was Peisistratus.

• He gave citizenship to people who did not own land.

• He hired the poor to build temples.

Multiple Select

What helpful things did Peisistratus do?

• hired the poor

• ended farming debt

• took over the nobles' homes

• gave people citizenship

Cleisthenes

• After Peisistratus died, Cleisthenes took over and gave the assembly even greater powers.

• Cleisthenes also created a new council of 500 citizens to help the assembly manage government business.

• Each year a lottery was held to choose the council members, which meant meant that every citizen had a chance to be a council member.

Multiple Choice

What was special about council members under Cleisthenes' rule?

• They were richer than everyone else.

• They owed farms.

• They used enslaved people.

• They were selected by a lottery.

Multiple Choice

What was the benefit of using a lottery system?

• No one would fight.

• It gave every citizen the chance to be a council member.

• It made the nobles angry.

• It created nice tyrants.

Cleisthenes' Effects

• Cleisthenes' changes made the Athenian government more democratic.

• However, people who were not citizens still could not participate in the government.

• This included all women, foreign born men, and enslaved people.

Multiple Choice

Women, foreign born men, and enslaved people could be citizens.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

How did Cleisthenes' make Athens more democratic?

• He allowed more citizens to participate.

• He created better slaves.

• He got rid of tyrants.

• He created a voting system.

Multiple Select

Select all the groups of people who did NOT get to experience the benefits of having Cleisthenes' in charge.

• women

• men

• foreign born men

• enslaved people