Advantage: They had access to trade, transportation, fish, and water. Originally Answered: why is Athens Greece considered the birthplace of democracy? But there are some differences between these two power houses. It does not store any personal data. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. Athenians were the most scholarly types while the Spartans were more of the military type. Great economy. Athens had a geographic advantage because they were very superior. Athenss military prowess allowed them to look down on the other members of the League and treat them as members of an empire instead of equals. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Pros And Cons of Ancient Athenian Democracy and Pros and Cons of American Democracy. Advantage: They had access to trade, transportation, fish, and water. One of the earliest known democracies was in Athens, a city-state in southern, ancient Greece. Cons. All city-states differed from each other in some ways but all shared some characteristics too. Sea travel connected Greece to other societies. What were the limitations of the ancient Greeks? Sparta and Athens are very different from the way they are administered as well as their practices. 1 What are the pros and cons of Athenian society? Democracy (disadvantage) Only the elite or upper class had a role in government, lower class not represented. ipl.org Person who pays rent, either in money or crops, to grow crops on another person's land. Ancient Athens, had a much more stronger basis than ancient Sparta. Democracy in Athenian government the way that the citizens pass a vote is getting done, in elected by the assembly annually for making decisions about military matters and by showing hands. 8 What are the advantages and disadvantages of ancient Greece? You cannot download interactives. Alexis de Tocqueville penned Democracy in America after he spent month America in the 1831, where he witnessed a new democratic system. Cons. Ancient Greece Advantages and Disadvantages 8 What was the government like in ancient Greece? The Athenian democracy, while it did give more power to the people, still left a lot of citizens out. Still, the city-states of ancient Greece had many things in common. This group of people only included white male citizens, meaning that slaves, foreign born residents, women and some men who hadnt obtained citizenship couldnt vote (Doc D). If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. This new city and surrounding area were not dominant or influential. Two of the biggest city-states were Athens and Sparta. The idea of liberalism first began in the 1600s with John Locke as he believed that the people should be allowed to remove the government currently ruling when they have misused their power for ulterior motives. They became skilled sailors. Advantages Of Athenian Democracy - 1042 Words | Internet Public This is why we give the ebook compilations in contribution to our knowledge of ancient Greece--its politics, philosophy, and literature, from Homer to Plato. Democracy is the modern day standard for governmental systems. The Athenians valued their political freedom and free thought. Tenant farmer Person who pays rent, either in money or crops, to grow crops on another person's land Metic Foreigner in a Greek city-state, often a merchant or artisan Slavery How do I choose between my boyfriend and my best friend? Ancient Greece Flashcards | Quizlet Apart from many smaller changes, it was mainly based on the opportunity for all citizens over 20 to take part in governing the country. In many scientific or philosophical words derived from Greek, the letter kkk is used to spell the kkk sound, as in skeptical and kleptomania. As we know, this system is a norm to the Western world, in order to preserve personal freedom and make sure that the will of the people is upheld. Athenian democracy developed around the fifth century B.C.E. This society came to be known as one of the largest nations in Eurasia. The geography of the region helped to shape the government and culture of the Ancient Greeks. In ancient Greece, demokratia, otherwise known as democracy can be battered down into demo, and kratia. Altogether there were over 1500 city-states, but some of these barley qualify because they are so small. In Athens all men are on an equality which means Not of the few but of the many (doc 3 pericles). In Athens, the ruler Draco tried to make many reforms in the city state. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. So there are some representatives want to use the direct democracy like some old country such as ancient Greek. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The five most powerful Greek city-states were; Athens, Sparta, Corinth. What are the disadvantages of Constitution? But, since foreigners, women, and slaves were not allowed to become citizens, democracy meant equality among those whousually by birthwere entitled to be citizens of a particular place. While it has been stated that Athens is the cradle of democracy, and that it was better than any of the other governments in the world, it was still a work in progress. The Athenian democracy, while it did give more power to the people, still left a lot of citizens out. Each polis differ particular on economically, politically, and military, When in doubt, however, the city-states did not get along. It also means its citizens come first in order of importance. Democracy (disadvantage) Only the elite or upper class had a role in government, lower class not represented. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Democracy (Ancient Greece) - National Geographic Society The direct democracy of Athens wasnt actually as inclusive and steady as the statement at Pericles 's funeral state, Our Constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people (Doc C). In fact, of the 450,000 citizens of Athens in 430 BC, only about 40,000 people had the power to vote. The difference in land as well as population perceives a relative historical comparison. The assembly passed laws and made policy decisions (PBS 1). It is a powerful word. Ancient Greece was comprised of small city-states, of which Sparta and Athens were two. Athens was the warm welcoming city-state in Ancient Greece, most unlike the horrific neighboring city-state, Sparta. What are some pros and cons of Spartan society? Although the competing city-states of Sparta and Athens were individually different as well as governmentally diverse, they both managed to become dominating powers in Ancient Greece. The history of Ancient Athens dates back to 6,000 years ago. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Advantages And Disadvantages Of Greek Democracy Vs Roman. Athenians made it clear that the poor helped build the city 's power and not just the wealthy. The community showed little cohesion as a group. Unless someone was part of the 1 percent, Athens gave members of society more rights than Sparta. The ancient civilization of Greece contained many different city-states; two of these city-states were Sparta and Athens. Today we think of democracy as majority rule. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Mainland Greeks moved to Ionia. Compare the advantages and disadvantages for settlers of Greece's physical geography. Advantages: They could raise goats and sheep, could grow olives and grapes for oil and wine, which could favorable trade. Disadvantages: Good farming soil was limited, mountains isolated people. Because of this, Athens cannot be considered democratic. Use this knowledge to correct the spelling errors below. The Role Of Democracy In Ancient Greece. Athens is the capital and the largest city of Greece. WebThe Sea shaped the Greek civilizations as rivers did in the other ancient civilizations. The Athens lived by the Sea which was an advantage because they had an excellent trading system. Both Athens and Sparta had a similar government system. Women, children, and slaves were not considered citizens and therefore could not vote. Sparta advantage. True democrats would elect all officials through voting by the people. The concept of leadership was prevalent in the ancient world. Athens is said to be the of democracy. Absolutism was characterized by the ending of feudal partitioning, consolidation of power with the monarch, rise of state, rise of professional standing armies, professional bureaucracies, the codification of state laws, and the rise of ideologies that justify the absolutist monarchy. While Athens seems to only have a democracy. This completely contradicts the all-inclusive concept of direct democracy that the Athenian government preached so frequently. This group of people only included white male citizens, meaning that slaves, foreign born residents, women and some men who hadnt obtained citizenship couldnt vote (Doc D). He distinguishes three aspects: democracy as a principle of legitimacy (power not derives, Advantages And Disadvantages Of Democracy, Democracy. Every citizen in Athens is allowed to take part in government, even poor citizens. Thus, a key part of democracy is that the people have a voice. It is a center for economic, political, financial and culture life in Greece. When asking what is democracy, the answer is never truly defiente. In fact, there were internal struggles and disagreements. 3 What were the strengths and weaknesses of ancient Greece? They are also carful with who can be a citizen rather then "stingy". Athenians were educated(except girls) but they never knew much about brute force, unlike the Spartans. It combines two shorter words: demos meaning whole citizen living within a particular city-state and kratos meaning power or rule. Advantages: Made it hard for enemies to get to Greece, Greeks developed very small, close kit communities, hill top lookouts for invaders. WebThe ancient civilization of greece was different from many of the civilizations in its time. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Such abundance of water makes Ancient Greece good in fishing and trade. Athens stood out from Sparta as well as the other city-states not only because of its immense population but also because it was the commercial leader of Greece and was home to a great navy. What were some geographic advantages the ancient Greeks had? One of the main advantages of Athenian, Before the Age of Absolutism, institutions, such as the Church, legislatures, or social elites, restrained monarchical power. They did have officials to run the government, however. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Greece, and especially Athens, is the cradle of democracy in the western civilization. Those 500 citizens had to actively serve in the government for one year. An outstanding statesman and poet called Solon acted in, The name comes from demos-people and kratos-power, so literally power of the people. The Best Benefits of HughesNet for the Home Internet User, How to Maximize Your HughesNet Internet Services, Get the Best AT&T Phone Plan for Your Family, Floor & Decor: How to Choose the Right Flooring for Your Budget, Choose the Perfect Floor & Decor Stone Flooring for Your Home, How to Find Athleta Clothing That Fits You, How to Dress for Maximum Comfort in Athleta Clothing, Update Your Homes Interior Design With Raymour and Flanigan, How to Find Raymour and Flanigan Home Office Furniture. Democracy (disadvantage) Few people were considered citizens and had a voice in government. Disadvantages: Not a lot of flat land to farm, Diffcult to travel over land, Diffcult to unite under a single government, limited natural resources. Therefore, they could easily make decisions. Lycurgus accomplished the consolidation. Disadvantages: Not a lot of flat land to farm, Diffcult to travel over land, Diffcult to unite under a single government, limited natural resources. Hard work and equality is what makes a nation outstanding. WebAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Athens Democracy characterized in terms of unlimited political power anymore as it has transformed to a more citizen-friendly government. What are the advantages and disadvantages of ancient Greece? Sparta advantage. Democracy (disadvantage) Few people were considered citizens and had a voice in government. Differences : Advantages And Disadvantages Of Athens And. This means that the people of the said community can either rule directly or indirectly by electing officials to make decisions for the betterment of the people. Elements of more than one of these forms also co-existed, however, and the modern connotations of labels such as these are not necessarily the same as those that prevailed in Ancient Greece. In Sparta, Boys were taken from parents at age seven and trained in the art of warfare. The key aspects of what makes Australia a democracy being the electoral role, Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), referendumsm, the rule of law, Democracy is beautiful in theory; in practice it is a fallacy, said Benito Mussolini. 6 What were the advantages and disadvantages of the city-state form of government? 6 What are the pros and cons of democracy in ancient Greece? Differences : Advantages And Disadvantages Of Athens And Sparta, Athens and Sparta are the two famous city-states in Ancient Greece. She or he will best know the preferred format. When you look at the literal definition of democracy in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, there is a decently large explanation. One of the many states of Greece, ancient Athens, was indeed not truly democratic as a result of not even using the essentials of democracy that is used today, Thus, by our standards, it was oligarchy, not democracy.(Document D), therefore ancient Athens was not using democracy as their form of government, they were using oligarchy,another form of government in which a small group of people has power and control, as their form of government instead of democracy. 1031 Words5 Pages. The term, Democracy, stems from the Greek word demokratia which means rule by the people and it wasnt until around 500 BCE in Athens where the first examples of democracy originated. Sparta is far better than Athens on the grounds that their armed force was strong and defensive. The Athenians were stronger because they had a better geography, government, cultural achievements, and I would rather live in the Athens. A Spartan's life was centered on the state, because he lived and died to serve the state. Since the Spartans were only concerned with being great warriors, the Athenians became the cultural center of Greece during the Hellenic period. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Adversely, it is not a social norm to ask yourself why this system is in place, or if it is truly what man hungers for? What are the pros and cons of tyranny in ancient Greece? Greece was organized into many different city-states. This caused some to view them with hostility which sparked the conflicts between Athens and Sparta that lead to the Peloponnesian War. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Athenian democracy developed around the fifth century B.C.E. The Greek idea of democracy was different from present-day democracy because, in Athens, all adult citizens were required to take an active part in the government. If they did not fulfill their duty they would be fined and sometimes marked with red paint. Democracy. The Athens lived by the Sea which was an advantage because they had an excellent trading system. I believe that ancient Athens was not a true democracy. What are the pros and cons of Athenian society? cons of Athenian style Democracy The secret ballot, First of all, it is important to know the definition of democracy and its aspects. A Monarchy is a political system ruled by one individual The city-state of Athens, 5th century Athens to be precise, is the inventor and first practitioner of democracy. The United States has a representative democracy. What is the original meaning of democracy? Pros. The biggest difference between Athenian democracy and almost all other democracies is that the Athenians had a direct democracy rather than being representative. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Lets look at two of them. Athens organized a group of Greek city states into the Delian League and eventually lead and dominated all of the city states in the League. 1 What were the disadvantages of democracy in ancient Greece? The government was also corrupted and dominated by the elite of the city-state. One that originates from ancient Greece, at the cradle of civilisation.The word democracy comes from the Greek meaning the people and meaning power or rule. Unfortunately, the assembly was open to all citizens except women. Monarchy (advantage) Middle class realized that they could make changes (leads to democracy) Tyranny (advantage) WebGreece's victory ensured the independence and security of the Greek city-states, so that Greece continued to dominate the eastern Mediterranean for centuries, which is known as Gold Age. Athenians made it clear that the poor helped build the city 's power and not just the wealthy. How does Coyote kill the giant? Athenian democracy also was cumbersome and operated slowly. While it has been stated that Athens is the cradle of democracy, and that it was better than any of the other governments in the world, it was still a work in progress. What was one advantage in the Greek world? Spartan women are better than Athenian women because they have more rights, these rights coclude of being able to marry anyone they wish to. The current American democracy may have steamed from Athens, but they do not really have that much in common. It also represents the control of an organization or group by the majority of its members. The mountains make trade within Greeces borders difficult. Sparta and Athens had differences and similarities in the way they governed their city states, in how they established their military forces, how they treated women, their marriage customs and social gatherings. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Athens weaknesses included its unwritten laws, lack of unity at the beginning, insatiable hunger for new territories, and constant power struggles with other poleis. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". I have come to this conclusion that Athens had a better system because anyone could office and they had more equal rights as a citizen in the government. For instance the way that these cities were governed and their political procedures and functions were quite different from each other. Not everyone gets to participate. Beginning with contrasts in government, Sparta, was an Oligarchy where most of the power was shared between two kings. WebDemocracy (advantage) Allowed more points of view to make decisions because a small group was in chargenot a single person. The Greek divine beings were Overall, I think Athens is better and safer to live in then Sparta. One of the most famous civilizations lies between three seas, the Aegean Sea, Sea of Crete, and the Ionian Sea. This caused some to view them with hostility which sparked the conflicts between Athens and Sparta that lead to the Peloponnesian War. Chapter 10 Ancient Greece Flashcards | Quizlet Athens was a small city compared to Rome that honored and protected citizenship. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having mountains cover ancient Greece? Moreover, addressing the 11 million undocumented immigrants, I strongly believe that the United States should allow the immigrants to continuously live in the United States under some conditions. Disadvantages: controlled little territory, many rivals/more conflict. Who was not allowed to become a citizen of Greece? As a system to control a state or community, government serves for citizens and put them first. WebAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Democracy. Disadvantages: Limited rainfall. While there were opportunities for public officials to be reelected, this did mean that implementing policies became difficult, as there was not enough time to execute them. All rights reserved. reading #2: "Greek Art." Pre-Classical Greece saw a Dorian movement take place after the Trojan war. What were the disadvantages of democracy in ancient Greece? Only the men truly had a say, and ran ancient Athens. These ideas are infused in various pieces of literature where the idea of democracy leaves a visible mark on society, dividing it into two scales, one being unable to, Never before have there been so many democracies in the world or so many competitive elections conducted at national, subnational and region levels. There was some farmland for crops, but the Greeks could always count on seafood and waterfowl to eat. Athens strengths included its large size, large trireme navy, wealth, and democratic government. Why Ancient Athens is better than Sparta? They were only given a cloak - no shoes or other clothes, and not enough food so they had to steal (to learn survival skills). This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Enter a Melbet promo code and get a generous bonus, An Insight into Coupons and a Secret Bonus, Organic Hacks to Tweak Audio Recording for Videos Production, Bring Back Life to Your Graphic Images- Used Best Graphic Design Software, New Google Update and Future of Interstitial Ads. Disadvantage: Unpredictable sea, need boats to travel. Education was very important in Athens. Times change and with it human desires, but not many people challenge it or seem to think outside the box. Lastly, because so much of Greece is rocky, mountainous terrain, there isnt a lot of fertile soil. Established on September 17, 1787, the U.S. Constitution established Americas national government and fundamental laws, and guaranteed rights for its citizens. When the two words are put together it forms , meaning rule of the people. Athens had a geographic advantage because they were very superior. Members of Spartan offices were also restricted to people who had very high social standing. The word democracy is greek, the word demos means people and kratos means power. In the period known as classical Greece in the years 800-323 BCE, Greece comprised of small city states (poleis) which were considered and operated as independent small countries. Advantages: small, easy to control, centralized. WebWidely thought of as the birthplace of democracy, Athens is Greece's central hub and has contributed much to the worlds of art, theatre, architecture, philosophy and politics. Democracy is now prescribed as inseparable from good governance and an antidote to corruption. The Constitution represents the value and principles of democracy and republicanism by stressing liberty and inalienable rights as central values, making the people as a whole sovereign, rejecting inherited political power, expecting citizens to be independent in their performance of civic duties, and vilifies corruption. The first reason is because Our constitution favors many instead of the few, this is also why it's called a democracy. One of the earliest known democracies was in Athens, a city-state in southern, ancient Greece. Give me balance, give me equality. Sea travel connected Greece to other societies. The period of prosperity in Athens was so short lived because they only had one strong leader, Pericles. 4.Every citizen was included in politics. 1996 - 2023 National Geographic Society. Athens was a much more superior polis compared to Sparta because the Athenians invented new ideas and creations that supported the people, such as democracy, the Athenians led the Delian League, and Sparta created the Peloponnesian League after the Athenians created their alliance, and the Athenians changed the ways of their government many times to suit the people, and the Spartans did not. Children were tortured to become strongerand all men would be fighting and stealing things just to survive. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. In Ancient Athens, a new system arose that would greatly impact the course of history. Ancient Athens has two documents that discuss democracy. The ancient Greeks believed that each city-state had one or two gods keeping a special eye on that city-state. Logically enough, the English word itself is derived from older Middle French or Middle Latin equivalents. Athens is the symbol of freedom, art, and democracy in the conscience of the civilized world. For example, here in the United states which is a democracy, everyone is allowed to vote and have land. It is a powerful word. To begin with Sparta completely discarded all advanced education. The Athenians were stronger because they had a better geography, government, cultural achievements, and I would rather live in the Athens. Their job was to oversee the decisions made by the assembly. Athens government is a democracy which means all citizens get to take part. The ancient civilization of Greece contained many different city-states; two of these city-states were Sparta and Athens. Democracy was rule by citizens only, excluding women, free foreigners (Metics) and slaves. Spartas only ace was its military way of life and war tactics. While this advancement occurred. Democracy in Athens the government officials are chosen by sweepstakes and worked for 1 year for proposing and enforcing decrees but didnt have much individual power.