MDPT Practice
Athenian Democracy
Background:
The Ancient Greeks developed a form of government known as "demokratia". This word translates to "rule by the
people." For example, democratic principles appear in the Athenian Constitution. The development of this document
was led by a leader named Cleisthenes. This Athenian nobleman rejected the tyrannical practices of earlier rulers. While
this Athenian Democracy did not last forever, the ideas and principles of Cleisthenes' reforms impacted the modern
world. The original Athenian Constitution is lost. However, Aristotle wrote a history of the document's development and
ideas. Aristotle’s document showcases examples of how the Greek Democracy was created and reformed. Aristotle also
wrote Politics, a review of forms of government where he emphasizes the beliefs Athenians had about democracy
during his time. These two documents, a selection from The Athenian Constitution, and Aristotle's Politics, book 6,
chapter 2, provide a context for early democracy.
Directions: Read and take notes from the following excerpts. Then answer the guided questions. You are
encouraged to use graphic organizers. Some are provided in the front of the room.
Resources:
from A Treatise on Government: Politics by Aristotle Book 6, Chapter 2
Now the foundation of a democratical state is liberty, and people have been accustomed to say this as if here
only liberty was to be found; for they affirm that this is the end proposed by every democracy. But one part of liberty is
to govern and be governed alternately; for, according to democratical justice, equality is measured by numbers, and not
by worth: and this being just, it is necessary that the supreme power should be vested in the people at large; and that
what the majority determine should be final: so that in a democracy the poor ought to have more power than the rich,
as being the greater number; for this is one mark of liberty which all framers of a democracy lay down as a criterion of
that state; another is, to live as everyone likes; for this, they say, is a right which liberty gives, since he is a slave who
must live as he likes not. This, then, is another criterion of a democracy. Hence arises the claim to be under no command
whatsoever to any one, upon any account, any otherwise than by rotation, and that just as far only as that person is, in
his turn, under his also. This also is conducive to that equality which liberty demands. These things being premised, and
such being the government, it follows that such rules as the following should be observed in it, that all the magistrates
should be chosen out of all the people, and all to command each, and each in his turn all: that all the magistrates should
be chosen by lot, except to those offices only which required some particular knowledge and skill: that no census, or a
very small one, should be required to qualify a man for any office: that none should be in the same employment twice,
or very few, and very seldom, except in the army: that all their appointments should be limited to a very short time, or
at least as many as possible: that the whole community should be qualified to judge in all causes whatsoever, let the
object be ever so extensive, ever so interesting, or of ever so high a nature; as at Athens, where the people at large
judge the magistrates when they come out of office, and decide concerning public affairs as well as private contracts:
that the supreme power should be in the public assembly; and that no magistrate should be allowed any discretionary
power but in a few instances, and of no consequence to public business.
Book 6, Chapter 2 from A Treatise on Government by Aristotle. In the public domain.
MDPT Practice
Athenian Democracy
from Aristotle on the Athenian Constitution by Aristotle
21. The people, therefore, had good reason to place confidence in Cleisthenes. Accordingly when, at this time, he found
himself at the head of the masses, three years after the expulsion of the tyrants, in the archonship of Isagoras, his first
step was to distribute the whole population into ten tribes in place of the existing four, with the object of intermixing
the members of the different tribes, so that more persons might have a share in the franchise. From this arose the
saying “do not look at the tribes,” addressed to those who wished to scrutinize the lists of the old families. Next he made
the Council to consist of five hundred members instead of four hundred, each tribe now contributing fifty, whereas
formerly each had sent a hundred. The reason why he did not organize the people into twelve tribes was that he might
not have to divide them according to the already existing Trittyes; for the four tribes had twelve Trittyes, so that he
would not have achieved his object of redistributing the population in fresh combinations…
Excerpt from Aristotle on the Athenian Constitution by Aristotle. Trans. F. G. Kenyon. London: G. Bell and Sons, 1912.
Web. In the public domain.
Guided Questions:
What types of actions by leaders upset the people of Athens and why?
What actions of Cleisthenes did they people like and why?
What characteristics of a democracy enable people to have liberty? Explain.
MDPT Practice
Athenian Democracy
Using your notes you took yesterday and your answers to the guided questions, write a response to the following
prompt. Be sure to
-organize your thoughts before you begin
-state and maintain a clear idea that directly addresses the prompt
-use relevant and accurate facts from the resources to support your idea
-create transitions and build connections to help explain your ideas and clarify the relationship between your
ideas and the evidence/facts you use
-use appropriate conventions
Prompt: What key ideas or beliefs about democracy most shaped Greek society?