SPARTA AND ATHENS How were Sparta and Athens

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SPARTA AND ATHENS How were Sparta and Athens alike, and how were the different?

SPARTA AND ATHENS How were Sparta and Athens alike, and how were the different?

VOCABULARY Helot A person conquered by Sparta who became a slave. Assem A law-making

VOCABULARY Helot A person conquered by Sparta who became a slave. Assem A law-making group bly Reform A change Majorit A system, in which every member has one vote, and in which the y rule person or idea that receives the most votes is chosen. Fable A short story that uses animal characters to teach a lesson. Leagu A groups of leaders.

SPARTA’S GOVERNMENT The city-state of Sparta was located on a fertile plain on the

SPARTA’S GOVERNMENT The city-state of Sparta was located on a fertile plain on the Peloponnesus. Sparta’s inland location separated it from the sea and other city-states. Even so, during the 600’s B. C. , Sparta became the most powerful city-state on the Peloponnesus. The Spartans, descendants of the Dorians, proudly conquered their neighbors. The Sparta government then forced the conquered people to be helots, a slave-like worker owned by the Spartan city-states. In time, the helots population of Sparta became huge. Sparta may have had four or more helots for every citizen. Outnumbered, the Spartans constantly feared that the helots would rebel. To stay prepared to fight against the helots and Sparta’s enemies, the Spartans lived a military

SPARTA’S GOVERNMENT 2 The Spartans developed an unusual form of government. In times of

SPARTA’S GOVERNMENT 2 The Spartans developed an unusual form of government. In times of war, two kings ruled, each from a different royal family. These kings shared authority to decide issues related to war. In times of peace, an oligarchy made up of 30 elders over the age of 60 ruled Sparta. They proposed new laws to an assembly, a law-making group. The assembly was made up of adult male citizens of Sparta. It mainly approved laws proposed by the elders and elected five wealthy landowners, called ephors, to handle day-to-day governing. Although the assembly was important, the elders and the ephors held

LIFE IN SPARTA From an early age, Spartans learned to be strong and disciplined.

LIFE IN SPARTA From an early age, Spartans learned to be strong and disciplined. At the age of seven, boys were sent to live in training camps to get a Spartan education. At the training camps, boys lived and ate together in barracks. Every day, they practiced gymnastics, wrestling, and military exercises. They learned to accept hardship without compliant and to obey orders without question. At the age of 18, young men began four years of formal military training so that they could serve as soldiers. Men could marry between the ages of 20 and 30, but they continued to live in barracks until becoming citizens at age 30.

LIFE IN SPARTA 2 Spartan girls trained to be strong but did not serve

LIFE IN SPARTA 2 Spartan girls trained to be strong but did not serve in the military. Like boys, they exercised outdoors daily. However, raising children would be their main role. Spartan women had more freedom than did women in other Greek city-states. They were highly respected and moved freely around the city. Since the men were often away on military duty, the women managed household and family matters. Spartan leaders feared that new ideas would bring unwanted changes to their society. Because of this, citizens were rarely allowed to travel beyond Sparta and trade with outsiders was discouraged.

LIFE IN SPARTA 2 They dressed and lived plainly and ate simple meals. Today,

LIFE IN SPARTA 2 They dressed and lived plainly and ate simple meals. Today, the word Spartan is used to refer to something that is simple, strict, and highly disciplined. Spartans had a strong sense of honor. They were trained never to give up in battle. They believed there was no greater act than to die defending their city-state.

NEW IDEAS IN ATHENS Athens was very different from Sparta. Located on an excellent

NEW IDEAS IN ATHENS Athens was very different from Sparta. Located on an excellent harbor off the Aegean Sea, Athens was at a crossroads of the ancient world—between Asia Minor, Africa, and Europe. This location allowed Athens to have many trading partners, and many Athenians grew wealthy from trade. In 683 BC. , an oligarchy replaced the monarchy of Athens. Even under the oligarchy, the Athenians continued to live without written laws. Finally, in 620 BC. , a lawmaker names Draco wrote the first recorded laws for Athens, but these laws were very harsh. In about 600 BC. , the ruling oligarchy faced a crisis. The farmers who supplied Athens with food fell into debt. Many had to sell themselves into slavery to survive.

NEW IDEAS IN ATHENS In 594 BC. , a leader named Solon was given

NEW IDEAS IN ATHENS In 594 BC. , a leader named Solon was given the authority to deal with the debt crisis. Solon was a respected leader, known for his fair handling of government and business matters. Solon set out to end the crisis by making reforms, or changes. First, he cancelled all debts. Then, he freed all Athenians who had sold themselves into slavery. He also replaced many of Draco’s harsh laws with fairer laws. Solon wrote, “[Lawfulness] make all things well ordered and fitted and

TOWARD DEMOCRACY After dealing with the immediate crisis of debt reform, Solon made reforms

TOWARD DEMOCRACY After dealing with the immediate crisis of debt reform, Solon made reforms that allowed more citizens to participate in government. In this way, he laid the foundation on which Athenian democracy would be built. Solon set up a system that based political rights on wealth and not on birth. He divided male citizens into four classes according to their agricultural wealth. This wealth included ownership of land, grain, and olive oil. Citizens with the most wealth were in the highest class. The greater a man’s wealth, the higher the government position he could hold. Men without property made up the lowest class and could only attend the assembly and serve on juries. However, citizens could rise to a higher class by acquiring more wealth.

TOWARD DEMOCRACY 2 Under Solon, all male citizens were allowed to attend the assembly

TOWARD DEMOCRACY 2 Under Solon, all male citizens were allowed to attend the assembly in Athens. The assembly passed laws, elected leaders, and helped decide court cases. Decisions were made by majority rule. Every member had one vote, and the idea that received the most votes passed. Solon has also been credited with establishing a council to support the assembly. The sole purpose of the council was to decide which topics the assembly would discuss. The council consisted of 400 citizens who served one-year terms. Every year, council members were selected in a random drawing. For his time, Solon’s reforms were remarkable. Never before had so many citizens been able to meaningfully take part in government.

LIFE IN ATHENS In Athens, education was just as important to producing good citizens

LIFE IN ATHENS In Athens, education was just as important to producing good citizens as it was in Sparta. Young Athenians learned about good behavior from the fables of Aesop, a legendary storyteller. These stories used animals to teach moral lessons, such as “ Honesty is the best policy. ” From the age of 7 to about 14, all but the poorest of Athenian boys passed the day in school. They studied arithmetic, reading, writing, physical education, as well as the arts—painting, poetry, and music. After the age of 14, boys from wealthy families could continue their studies with a private tutor. Most boys began learning their father’s trade, studying to become

LIFE IN ATHENS Athenian girls studied reading, writing, arithmetic, and music at home. Because

LIFE IN ATHENS Athenian girls studied reading, writing, arithmetic, and music at home. Because women were in charge of Greek home life, girls also learned skills such as spinning, weaving, sewing, cooking, and childcare. Wealthy women ran large households, overseeing servants and slaves. Poorer women often worked alongside men on farms and in family-run businesses. About one-third of the people in Athens were slaves. Many were educated, and some even became doctors and teachers.

THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER FROM AESOP’S FABLE In a field one summer's day

THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER FROM AESOP’S FABLE In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest. "Why not come and chat with me, " said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way? " "I am helping to lay up food for the winter, " said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same. " "Why bother about winter? " said the Grasshopper; "we have got plenty of food at present. " But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.

CONCERNS ABOUT PERSIA In the 500’s BC. , the Greek city-states faced a serious

CONCERNS ABOUT PERSIA In the 500’s BC. , the Greek city-states faced a serious threat from the east. This threat came from the Persian Empire. The Persians ruled from Mesopotamia in what is today Iraq. In 539 BC. , the Persian king Cyrus II, known as “Cyrus the Great, ” founded the Persian Empire by conquest. Cyrus led his army to conquer much of Asia Minor and the entire Babylonian Empire. The emperors who followed Cyrus expanded the empire even more. Cambyses added all of Egypt. Darius I made the Persian Empire the largest empire in history up to that time. To rule over such a huge empire, Darius I developed a well-organized system of government.

CONCERNS ABOUT PERSIA 2 To maintain control, the Persians built a road more than

CONCERNS ABOUT PERSIA 2 To maintain control, the Persians built a road more than 1, 500 miles long that linked the Persian kings to distant areas of the empire. Persian couriers carried mail and orders from the king across the empire and returned with news of the land. When the Persians conquered Asia Minor, they gained control of several Greek colonies. Not satisfied, the Persians wanted to control all the Greek city-states and their trade routes. The Greeks feared the Persians, whose empire was a threat to Greek culture. They did not want to be ruled by others.

CONCERNS ABOUT PERSIA 3 The Persians even worried Sparta, the most powerful city-state on

CONCERNS ABOUT PERSIA 3 The Persians even worried Sparta, the most powerful city-state on the Peloponnesus. In the 500’s BC. , Sparta created a league, or a group of allies, called the Peloponnesian League, which included many other city-states. Initially, the league’s goal was to protect its members against the growing power of Athens and its allies. Under Sparta’s leadership, the Peloponnesian League became a major fighting force that would help defend against the Persians.