Today in class, Mr. Schick instructed each and every student to take notes on the slideshow he presented. Hopefully, everyone completed a sufficient amount of note taking during class. Transformation of government. During the seventh and sixth centuries B.C.E, aristocrats ran the show in most of Greece. Really?!? Back then, rich people wielded much more influence in society, and held much more governmental power. Aristocracy, aristocrats: member of the ruling class. They attended symposiums, meetings where the elite men would enjoy wine and poetry, performances by dancers and acrobats. Politics- an exclusive club. No women (except the "entertainment"). No middle class. Certainly, no slaves. Tyrant: someone who rules outside the framework of the polis. Modern meaning of tyrant: an abusive or oppressive ruler. Greek meaning of tyrant: someone who simply seized power (usually with Hoplite help). Rules, codes, and laws...Draco (621 B.C.E). All Athenians (rich or poor) are equal under the law. But death is the punishment for many crimes. Debt slavery is OK (work as a slave to repay debts). Solon's reforms (594 B.C.E). Outlaws debt slavery. All Athenian citizens can speak at the assembly, any citizen can press charges against wrongdoers. Eventually leading to...Cleisthenes. More reforms (around 500 B.C.E). Allowed all citizens to submit laws for debate at the assembly. Created the Council of Five Hundred (members chosen at random, to counsel the assembly). Can you see this leading to democracy? But...only free adult male property owners born in Athens s were considered citizens. Sorry women, slaves, and "foreigners". Those were all the notes that I took today, I think they are well written and easy to understand. That is mostly all we did in class.
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