1. Prologue Section 1 The Legacy of Ancient Greece & Rome
Objective: Analyze the sacrifices people have made for democracy
Vocabulary: Government, Monarchy, Aristocracy, Oligarchy, Democracy, Direct Democracy, Republic, & Senate
Describe the perfect government.
What types of things would you like to have, who would run this government, what rules would you have… (provide examples & details to justify your reasoning)
In your opinion, why do we need a government?

2. Setting the Stage
People in history have recognized the need for a system for exercising authority & control within their society
Small bands of people didn’t need a formal organization
Larger groups lived under rulers; who often had total power
People eventually believed that even in a large group they could govern themselves without a powerful ruler
Why do people need control within their society?

3. Athens Builds A Limited Democracy
2000 B.C. the Greeks established cities, each city-state had it’s own type of government
Government: a system for controlling a society
Monarchy: a single person is in control of a society
Aristocracy: government ruled by a small group of nobles
Oligarchy: government ruled by a few powerful people
Democracy: means “rule of the people” (demos – people & kratos – power)

4. Building Democracy
Athens was the largest & most powerful city-state to emerge in Greece
Citizens in Athens often participated in governmental decision making
Citizens were adult male residents who enjoyed certain rights & responsibilities
An assembly of citizens elected nobles to rule the city-state
However, a strong leader had to step in to deal with political & economic crisis
Based on this information, who probably didn’t have a say?

5. Reforms of Solon & Cleisthenes
594 B.C. Solon made it possible for free male citizens to vote
However, Athenian Law still denied citizenship to women, slaves, & foreign residents
508 B.C. Cleisthenes balanced the power of the rich & poor
Cleisthenes established the Council of Five Hundred – where they submitted laws for debate & passage
Solon outlawed slavery based on debt & cancelled the farmers debts
Slaves were about 1/3 of the Athenian population

6. Greek Democracy Changes
490 to 479 B.C., the Greeks fought Persian invaders who attempted to conquer Greece
Athens held public debates on how to defend their city
Pericles strengthened Greek democracy by increasing the number of paid officials & paying jurors
Direct Democracy: citizens rule & make laws directly rather than through representatives
Explain difference between direct and indirect.

7. Greek Philosophers Use Reason
Greek Philosophers used logic & reason to investigate the nature of the universe, human society, & morality
Socrates – used the Socratic method which used a question & answer approach
Plato – Socrates’ pupil who wrote “The Republic”
Aristotle – Plato’s student wrote “Politics”

8. Legacy of Greece
Greece set lasting standards in government & philosophy
They developed a direct democracy so that citizens could actively participate in political decisions
The Greeks were the first to develop 3 branches of government
Legislative to pass laws, an executive to carry out the laws, & judicial to settle disputes about the laws
What other country has 3 branches of government?

9. Rome Develops A Republic
While Greece was in decline the Romans were on the rise
509 B.C., the Romans overthrew a harsh king & established a Republic
Republic: a form of government in which power rests with citizens who have the right to elect the leaders who make governmental decisions
Two groups struggled for power in Rome
Patricians – aristocratic landowners who made laws for Rome & its people
Plebeians – commoners with the right to vote

10. Twelve Tables & Republican Government
The Plebeians forced the creation of a written law code
The Twelve Tables were written laws that established the idea that all free citizens had the right to protection of the laws
The Romans established a government with separate branches (Senate & Assembly)
Senate: legislative branch that controlled foreign & financial policies
Why should people write down laws?

11. Roman Law
The Romans created a system of laws that could be applied throughout the Roman Empire
Important principles of Roman Law were
All citizens had the right to equal treatment under the law
A person is considered innocent until proven guilty
Burden of proof rested on the accuser rather than the accused
A law that seems unreasonable could be set aside

12. A Written Legal Code & Legacy of Rome
528 Emperor Justinian ordered the completion of all Roman laws to be written down
The Code contained Roman Laws
The Code of Justinian became a guide on legal matters throughout Western Europe
Rome’s greatest & lasting legacy was its written legal code
Even rulers & other powerful person could be held accountable for their actions