What is Democracy and who thought of it first?

E.Q.

What is democracy, and who thought of it first?

As your graphic organizer, draw a hand. Then label each finger…WhoWhatWhenWhereHowLabel the hand Democracy.

Democracy means the rule of the people (in Greek).

That is, each person has a vote about what to do.

There is no king or tyrant, and anybody can propose a new law.

The earliest democracy in the world began in Athens, in 510 BC.

How many years ago was 510 B.C.?

Thought to ponder…

Ancient Greece

3s – lead discussion: Which property should be used? (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division)

4s – perform mathematic calculations

1s – scribe write down final answer

2s – report to class

How many years ago was 510 B.C.?

http://www.online-stopwatch.com/bomb-countdown/full-screen

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Stopwatch countdown

Answer: 2010 + 510 = 2,520 years

Before democracy,the city-states were ruled by kings or tyrants.

Thought to ponder…

Should everyone be allowed to vote?

In your group, decide (by majority rule) who should be allowed to vote in a democratic society.2s – lead discussion

3s – count votes

4s – record results

1s – present results to class

http://www.online-stopwatch.com/bomb-countdown/full-screen

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Stopwatch countdown

Who had the right to vote in ancient Athens?

Who can vote in the United States?

Only adult male Athenian citizens, who had completed their military training, had the right to vote in Athens.

This excluded a majority of the population, namely slaves, children, women and resident foreigners.

Ancient Greece

When democracy proved to be successful in Athens, many other city-states chose it for their government too.

But most of them allowed even fewer people to vote than Athens did.

Most of the other city-states only allowed free adult male citizens to vote if they owned land or owned their own houses (that is, the richer people).

One problem for democracies is that it is very inconvenient for men to always be going to the meeting-place to vote. Most men have work to do… planting their grain, making shoes, fighting wars or whatever.

They can't spend all of their time voting. So most democracies, sooner or later, end up choosing a few representatives who will do most of the voting, and the rest only come when there is a really important vote.

This form of government is a republic. The United States is a republic.

The City-state Athens chose representatives by lottery. If you got the winning ticket, then you were on the Council of 500.

Men served for a year.

Number your paper from 1 – 8.

1. __________ means “the rule of the people.” The earliest democracy in the world began in the year 2. ______ in the city-state 3. _____. Only adult male Athenian citizens who had completed their 4. ________ training had the right to vote in Athens. Some of the people who could not vote in Athens were 5. ______, 6. ______ and 7. _____________________. A 8. _______ is a form of government in which a few representatives are chosen who will do most of the voting.

Summary frame

1. Democracy means “the rule of the people.” The earliest democracy in the world began in the year 2. 510 BC in the city-state 3. Athens. Only adult male Athenian citizens who had completed their 4. military training had the right to vote in Athens. Some of the people who could not vote in Athens were 5. slaves, 6. children and 7. women (or resident foreigners). A 8. republic is a form of government in which a few representatives are chosen who will do most of the voting.

Summary frame

For homework…write a paragraph that answers the question…What is democracy, and who

thought of it first?

• democracy

• 510 BC

• Athens

• military training

• slaves

• women

• children

• republic

The End!

(Bottoms up!)