Democracy in Action

Hey! That’s the Parthenon!

Tyrants• Solon– Reformed Draconian Laws

• Pisistratus– Champion of the Poor

• Cleisthenes– Established the first true

democracy• Pericles– Ruled during the Golden Age

of Athens

Agora• Large open space in the middle of the city-state that

contained a marketplace as well as government buildings• Citizens mingled and discussed the issues of the day before

gathering for the assembly meeting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEIn3T6nDAo

Voting• Only citizens of Athens could debate important laws • Pynx = the assembly meeting place• About 1 out of 5 Athenians were citizens• Direct democracy; voted with their hands• 3 Main Branches:– The Assembly– The Council of 500 – The Courts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCkV1DFfYG0

But…How can I vote? I don’t

have any arms.

Red Paint• All citizens were required to participate in Athen’s

democracy, but sometimes there weren’t enough people present at assembly meetings

• A red painted rope would be used to corral citizens from the Agora into the Pynx

• If you had red paint on your shirt, you would have to pay a fine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL4B-YZuJR4

Ostracism• Ostracism literally means “judgment by shards”• Citizens would vote for the person they wanted exiled from

Athens for 10 years by writing a name on a pottery shard• A quorum, or a minimum number, of 6,000 citizens

required• Usually for people who were too personally powerful, or

who threatened influential people

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxYxyfE4onc

Who’s getting voted off the

island?

Kleroterion• Device used for randomly selecting members to the jury

in Athens• A small bronze plate used to identify the citizen was

placed into each slot• Dice were rolled to decide the row chosen to serve on

the jury for that day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc3Um-BBhpI