ATHENS10-3

INTRODUCTION

A. Located on the Aegean coast B. About 750 B.C. nobles, merchants,

& manufacturers established an oligarchy (form of government in which a few people have the ruling power)

C. Solon (594 B.C.), a rich merchant, wrote a constitution (set of principles & rules for governing)

SOLON’S CONSTITUTION

A. Set a limit on how much land one could own

B. Landowners now had the right to vote in the Assembly

C. Erased all debts D. All slaves were freed E. Offered citizenship to artisans who

were not from Athens F. Ordered fathers to teach their sons a

trade

I. A DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUTION

A. In 508 B.C., the Spartans, who had taken over Athens, were overthrown by Cleisthenes

B. Cleisthenes put into effect the world’s first democratic constitution

C. Democratic – favoring the equality of all people

D. Cleisthenes reforms lasted for over 300 years

E. Assembly was opened to males over 20 F. The Council of 500 handled daily business

1. members were chosen each year 2. chosen randomly 3. could only serve 2 terms max

G. Did not believe in elections because they thought the rich would buy their way into the council & they thought everyone was smart enough to take part in the council

H. Citizens were required to educate their sons

I. Boys studied writing, math, & music, practiced sports, & memorized the works of Homer & other poets

J. When they turned 18, they became citizens

II. THE PERSIAN WARS

A. In 490 B.C., King Darius sent 600 ships and his army to Greece

B. They fought in Marathon C. When the Persians were boarding their

ships, the Athenians came down from the mountains & attacked…defeating the Persians

D. A messenger ran to Athens to declare victory…he yelled “Nike!” which is the goddess of victory…& then died

E. The Greeks prepared for the Persian return & in 480 they did.

F. Darius’s son Xerxes conquered northern Greece.

G. 20 city-states banded together to defeat the Persians (Sparta led the army & Athens led the navy)

H. The Persians set Athens on fire I. The Persian ships were destroyed J. This marked the end of the Persian Wars

III. THE DELIAN LEAGUE & THE ATHENIAN EMPIRE

A. City-states formed a defensive league (protective group) to prevent future attacks

B. Sparta did not join the group C. As time grew, Athens became more

powerful and created their own empire D. Pericles was the ruler of Athens

1. rebuilt the temples and palaces on Acropolis

2. built the Parthenon 3. led for 30 yrs.