Direct and Representative Democracies

Multiple Choice

What is it called when everyone gets to vote directly on an issue?

• Democracy

• Direct Democracy

• Indirect Democracy (Representative Democracy)

• Republic

​Direct democracy - every citizen votes directly on EVERY issue

Ancient Athenians (Greeks) created direct democracy

• The Founding Fathers of the U.S.A. based our government on that of the ancient Greeks.

​Question: Who was considered a citizen in ancient Athens?

Multiple Choice

Who was considered a citizen in ancient Athens?

• Slaves

• Women

• Foreigners (Immigrants)

• Wealthy, native-born Athenian men

The U.S.A. government is a democratic republic

Democracy - government decisions are meant to be decided by the people (citizens)

​Republic - no monarchy (no king/queen), power is given to representatives elected by the people (citizens)

Multiple Choice

What is the government of the U.S.A.?

• Democracy

• Republic

• Direct democracy

• Democratic Republic

Representative democracy (indirect democracy) - when citizens vote for representatives whose job it is to vote on every issue and law.

​The U.S.A. is also known as a representative democracy (indirect democracy)

​Nancy Pelosi (right) is one of our elected representatives. She and Vice President Kamala (left) applaud Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy (center). Our representatives in Congress decide on what weapons and money is sent to fight in the war against Russian as well as the Israel-Hamas war.

Multiple Choice

What type of democracy does the U.S.A. have?

• Direct democracy

• Indirect (representative) democracy

• Republican

• Democrat