Ancient Greek Government

Match the following greek root words with their definition.

(Hint: Mr. Berg added one that isn't government related, so look closely.)

• "to look at small things"

• demos + kratos

• "single ruler"

• oligos + arkhein

• "rule by a few"

• mikros + skopein

• "power of the people"

• monos + arkhein

• "usurper with power"

• tyrannos

What is a monarchy?

• Rule by the people

• Rule by elected officials

• Rule by a king or queen

• Rule by a council

• Rule by the military

How did kings in Mycenaean Greece keep power?

• By winning votes

• By using armies and collecting taxes

• By giving land to farmers

• By making peace with enemies

• By trading with the Romans

What caused monarchies to end in ancient Greece?

• The kings left voluntarily

• New voting systems replaced them

• Trade routes closed and people fought each other

• Kings passed power to their daughters

• Monarchies were banned by law

What is an oligarchy?

• Government by the many

• Rule by a single king

• Rule by one tyrant

• Rule by a few wealthy people

• Rule by citizens’ votes

What were oligarchs like in ancient Greece?

• Poor farmers

• Elected officials

• Wealthy and powerful

• Foreign soldiers

• Slave owners

Why did many people dislike oligarchies?

• Oligarchs made fair laws

• Everyone had an equal voice

• They ruled harshly and ignored the poor

• They gave away land to the poor

• They had too many elections

What is a tyranny in ancient Greece?

• A democracy with equal rights

• Rule by a small group

• A king chosen by birth

• Rule by someone who took power illegally

• A government with no leaders

Why did some Greeks support tyrants at first?

• Tyrants held voting contests

• Tyrants promised to help common people

• Tyrants were related to kings

• Tyrants gave power to women

• Tyrants only taxed the rich

What was a common problem with tyrants over time?

• They shared power too much

• They stopped building armies

• They became harsh and greedy

• They made too many voting rules

• They were never overthrown