1. Ancient Greek Philosophers Plato & Aristotle
Contributions to Western Political Thought

2. Teacher Preparation
Copy 1-per-student, back-to-back worksheets: Plato & Aristotle Contributions to Western Political Thought / Letter
Worksheets are at the end of the lecture
The film clips should play automatically. If not, simply close the power point and double-click on film icon.
Key for worksheet is included.

3. What do you know about Ancient Greece?
Pair-Share
What do you know about Ancient Greece?
What are the differences between the city-states of Athens and Sparta?

4. Objective
Students will trace the development of the Western political ideas of the rule of law and illegitimacy of tyranny, using selections from Plato's Republic and Aristotle's Politics.

5. Ancient Greece Introduction

6. Ancient Greece Athens Sparta a coastal city that was a center of trade
Athenians were used to merchants, missionaries, artists, scholars, and travelers from other countries
Athenians developed democracy
Sparta
located in a valley with huge mountains
few visitors traveled to Sparta
Spartans became war-like and developed totalitarianism
Greece is a nation of islands and mountains
the geography resulted in difficulty to communicate and travel between areas
this led to Ancient Greece developing city-states, where individual cities ruled themselves and some of the land around the city
Athens and Sparta rose as the most important city-states

7. Sparta Sparta started totalitarianism
this is a form of government that uses force and power to rule a people
there were 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
newborn males judged to be weak were left to die of exposure, at the age of seven, boys left home to live in barracks and receive military training from older boys
boys went barefoot, wore minimal clothing (even in winter), practiced all forms of athletics, and received military instruction
they married at age 20 but continued to live in the barracks
Helots provided the necessary food and labor for Spartan males and females
Sparta

8. Athens Athens introduced democracy
a political system where all citizens participated in governmental activities
all citizens were equal before the law and participated in the government
slaves and women, however, were not allowed citizenship
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”

9. List more differences between Sparta and Athens
upper classes had all power and privilege
Helots (slaves) did all the work
Athens
all citizens were equal
women and slaves were not allowed to become citizens
Pair-Share:
List more differences between Sparta and Athens

10. Plato Plato was born in Athens (Greece) in 428 BC
a good education was essential
started a school and had students like Aristotle
wrote a book called The Republic where he argued that all people should be well-educated
Oligarchy – 1 ruler (philosopher kings –the wisest)
Ruler must be a craftsman, public spirited, and skilled in government
Laws: good for all, a set of guidelines for society
Plato wanted to create a “Perfect” society

11. Aristotle Wrote Politics Laws: Good life for all
lived in ancient Greece
tutored Alexander the Great
believed law and order were needed to stop people becoming selfish and evil
Government: Democracy (all citizens participate in governing
Wrote Politics
best rulers would be a well-educated middle class citizenry
Laws: Good life for all
Wanted to improve the society that already existed

12. Film Clip: Ancient Greek Philosophy

13. Wrap-Up Activity
Complete the worksheet: Plato & Aristotle Contributions to Western Political Thought by reading each excerpt and explain the political idea expressed.
Then, write a letter to either Plato or Aristotle explaining:
1. Two qualities you admire about the person
2. Two ideas you agree with
3. Two ideas you do not agree with or do not understand

14. Plato & Aristotle Contributions to Western Political Thought
Directions: Read each excerpt and explain the political idea expressed.
The Republic by Plato
#1: Then, with the ordinary conventions of civilized life thrown into
confusion, human nature,...showed itself proudly in its true colors, as
something incapable of controlling passion, insubordinate to the idea of
justice.
____________________________________________________
#2: Until philosophers rule as kings or those who are now called kings
and leading men genuinely and adequately philosophise, that is, until
political power and philosophy entirely coincide, while the many natures
who at present pursue either one exclusively are forcibly prevented
from doing so, cities will have no rest from evils,... nor, I think, will the
human race.
#3Democracy is a charming form of government, full of
variety and disorder, and dispensing a sort of equality to
equals and unequal alike.
#4: The people have always some champion whom they set over them
and nurse into greatness.... This and no other is the root from which
a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector.
Politics by Aristotle
#1: Justice therefore demands that no one should do more ruling than
being ruled, but that all should have their turn.
____________________________________________________
#2: But since there is but one aim for the entire state, it follows that
education must be one and the same for all, and that the responsibility
for it must be a public one, not the private affair which it now
s, each man looking after his own children and teaching them privately
whatever private curriculum he thinks they ought to study.
#3: For as man is the best of all animals when he has reached his full
development, so he is worst of all when divorced from law and justice.
#4: But obviously a state which becomes progressively more and more
of a unity will cease to be a state at all. Plurality of numbers is natural in
a state; and the farther it moves away from plurality towards unity, the
less of a state it becomes and the more a household, and the household
in turn an individual.

15. Directions: Write a letter to either Plato or Aristotle explaining:
1. Two qualities you admire about the person
3. Two ideas you do not agree with or do not understand
2. Two ideas you agree with

16. Plato & Aristotle Contributions to Western Political Thought
KEY
Plato & Aristotle Contributions to Western Political Thought
Directions: Read each excerpt and explain the political idea expressed.
The Republic by Plato
#1: Then, with the ordinary conventions of civilized life thrown into
confusion, human nature,...showed itself proudly in its true colors, as
something incapable of controlling passion, insubordinate to the idea of
justice.
Answer: Plato saw man's true nature as rational and believed
that civilized society must be organized, and civilized life conducted
according to rational principles.
#2: Until philosophers rule as kings or those who are now called kings
and leading men genuinely and adequately philosophise, that is, until
political power and philosophy entirely coincide, while the many natures
who at present pursue either one exclusively are forcibly prevented
from doing so, cities will have no rest from evils,... nor, I think, will the
human race.
Answer: According to the principles of Athenian Democracy only a
few are fit to rule. Instead of rhetoric and persuasion, Plato says
reason and wisdom should govern.
#3Democracy is a charming form of government, full of
variety and disorder, and dispensing a sort of equality to
equals and unequal alike.
Answer: Disorder in a democracy comes from the idea that everyone is
equal, although they are really not. Man should do what he is best at.
Some are best at ruling, some are not.
#4: The people have always some champion whom they set over them
and nurse into greatness.... This and no other is the root from which
a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector.
Answer: Dictators are often chosen by the people because they
promise the protection and peace, not control and tyranny.
Politics by Aristotle
#1: Justice therefore demands that no one should do more ruling than
being ruled, but that all should have their turn.
Answer: Aristotle outlines his belief that all citizens should share in
power so that they can be accustomed to ruling and being ruled.
#2: But since there is but one aim for the entire state, it follows that
education must be one and the same for all, and that the responsibility
for it must be a public one, not the private affair which it now
s, each man looking after his own children and teaching them privately
whatever private curriculum he thinks they ought to study.
Answers: Aristotle develops his argument that the education of the
children of citizens should be a public responsibility, since they are the
future citizens and rulers of the state. 
#3: For as man is the best of all animals when he has reached his full
development, so he is worst of all when divorced from law and justice.
Answer: Aristotle is describing the importance of the relationship
between the state and the individual.
#4: But obviously a state which becomes progressively more and more
of a unity will cease to be a state at all. Plurality of numbers is natural in
a state; and the farther it moves away from plurality towards unity, the
less of a state it becomes and the more a household, and the household
in turn an individual.
Answer: Aristotle warnings of the dangers of totalitarianism and the tendency in modern democratic states to manage political opinion with ever-increasing sophistication.