Wednesday 8/29: Athens and Sparta

1. Wednesday 8/29:Athens and Sparta Objective: Compare and contrast the governments and cultures of Sparta and Athens. Bell Work #5: Open your books to pg 117 Using the ‘Forms of Government Chart’, answer skillbuilder questions 1 & 2

3. Quick Comparison… Sparta: Warriors Authoritarian No education Great Army Athens: Politicians Democratic Scholars Great Navy

4. Sparta: Where is it? The Polis (Greek word for city-state) located in the Peloponnesus Southern tip of Greek mainland Separated from the rest of Greece by the Gulf of Corinth

5. Spartan Society Three tiers of society: Equals: Leaders of the city-state Half-Citizens: Free, paid taxes, served in army, but held no political power Helots: Conquered peasants forced to live and work on farm land Spartans terrorized the helots, helots hated Spartans

6. Spartan Government Consisted of: 2 kings One king in charge of army One king in charge of matters at home Council of Elders 28 male citizens over age 60 Citizen Assembly approved all major decisions

7. Spartan Culture Goal: make every male citizen a part of the military machine babies were examined for health if they weren’t healthy they were left in the hills to die Boys: at the age of 7 were sent away for military training constant exercise & discipline whippings for punishment soldiers could marry at the age of 20, & had to live in the barracks until the age of 30)

8. Spartan Culture (continued) Girls: life was also rigorous; expected to produce healthy sons for the army expected to exercise (run, wrestle/sports) in order to strengthen their bodies also had all rights except the right to vote & inherit property had to obey fathers and husbands; usually managed the household - until the husband retired were resented by all other Greeks because of the role that the women played

9. Athens Location: in a region called Attica, North of the Peloponnesus

10. Athenian Society Also three tiers: Citizens Could be rich aristocratic or poor farmer Only Athenian-born men could vote Metics Born outside Athens Free and paid taxes just as citizens Could not participate in government Slaves Treated as property thus no right to vote

11. Athenian Government: Democracy Leaders chosen by casting lots everyone had an equal chance Direct Democracy All citizens participate directly in making decisions Representative Democracy Citizens elect representatives to govern for them

12. Athenian Government: Democracy Pericles: Athenian politician 3 Goals for Athens: Strengthen Athenian Democracy: Direct Democracy Hold and strengthen the Empire: Build larger Athenian navy and increase overseas trade Glorify Athens: Build Parthenon and beautify Athens

13. Athenian Culture: Heavily based on ideas of democracy and education as important rather than military Focus on the arts and philosophy (thinking about the world around us)

14. Two Forms of Government Spartan and Athenian governments form the basis of two kinds of government today. Totalitarianism and Democracy

15. Totalitarianism Totalitarianism is imposing a form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life, the individual is subordinated to the state, and opposing political and cultural expression is suppressed.

16. Within Sparta there existed three groups: slaves, known as Helots; Spartan females, who were taught to be fit, brave, and patriotic; and Spartan males, all of whom became warriors. This form of culture had its roots in the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta. Newborn males judged to be weak were left to die of exposure.

17. Democracy The democratic political system used as its model Athenian democracy. In the ancient Greek city-state of Athens all citizens participated in Athenian governmental activities. All citizens were equal before the law and participated in the government. Slaves and women, however, were not allowed citizenship.

18. Athenians eventually abolished slavery and developed a direct democracy where citizens chose the members of the powerful Assembly. Athenian youth were encouraged to develop artistic and intellectual talents to such a degree that historians refer to their developments in the arts and politics as a Golden Age.

19. Did Athens’ or Sparta’s government influence the following quotations?

20. “The fundamental motif through all the centuries has been the principle that force and power are the determining factors. All development is struggle. Only force rules. Force is the first law. . . . Only through struggle have states and the world become great. If one should ask whether this struggle is gruesome, then the only answer could be for the weak, yes, for humanity as a whole, no. Instead of everlasting struggle, the world preaches cowardly pacifism, and everlasting peace. These three things, considered in the light of their ultimate consequences, are the causes of the downfall of all humanity.”

21. “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

22. “The fundamental motif through all the centuries has been the principle that force and power are the determining factors. All development is struggle. Only force rules. Force is the first law. . . . Only through struggle have states and the world become great. If one should ask whether this struggle is gruesome, then the only answer could be for the weak, yes, for humanity as a whole, no. Instead of everlasting struggle, the world preaches cowardly pacifism, and everlasting peace. These three things, considered in the light of their ultimate consequences, are the causes of the downfall of all humanity.” Taken from a speech Adolph Hitler made in 1926

23. “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Taken from our Declaration of Independence.

24. Discussion Questions Who benefited most in each society: the rich or poor, males or female? Who benefited least? What are the pros and cons of each civilization? Where do we see the seeds of their governments in today's world?

25. Response Questions • Answer the response questions in 3-4 sentences each, using your notes and your textbook

26. Homework Complete worksheet for the Persian War pages 118-119