aim: is democracy the best form of government? do now: list the “powers of the people” in a...

Aim: Is Democracy the best form of government?• Do Now: List the “powers of the people” in a

democracy.

Democracy

What continents have the most freedom? Which have

the least freedom?

The First Democracies

Athens and the United States were the earliest democracies; how many years passed between the two democratic civilizations?

Recent Democratic Revolutions

Why do you think the people

of Egypt and Libya demanded

democracy?

What point is the cartoonist

making about Syria and it’s

leader?

Spreading Democracy?

Do you agree with the U.S. spreading democracy to other

countries?

Where did this happen?

Create the T-Chart below and list the pros and cons of a democratic form of government while you view and discuss the

next slides.

• Pros • Cons

Pros and Cons of Democracy

Benefits of Democracy

What does this statue say about

justice in a democracy?

Problems with Democracy

Which type of government is quicker when it comes to getting things done: a democracy or a

dictatorship (rule by one)?

Why is majority rule a benefit and a problem?

When things are tough and people get

impatient with the slow progress of democracy they sometimes turn to people like these guys

for a quick fix.

More on this later

Activity

• Read the documents on democracy and answer the questions

• Writing Activity – Write a paragraph where you evaluate the benefits and problems with democracy.

Pericles on Athenian Democracy

• “Our constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of the

minority but of the whole people…. When it is a question of putting one person before

another in positions of public responsibility, what counts is not membership of particular class, but the actual ability which the man possesses. No one, so long as he has it in him to be of service of the state, is kept in

political obscurity because of poverty.”

• Speech by Pericles in Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War

The Old Oligarch on Democracy

• “Everywhere on earth the best element (group of people) is opposed to democracy. For among the best people there is … care for what is good, whereas among the [rest

of the] people there is a maximum of ignorance, disorder, and wickedness; for poverty draws them rather to disgraceful

action and because of a lack of money some men are uneducated and ignorant.”

• - Old Oligarch, Constitution of the Athenians

Why did democratic governments believe a free public education is

essential?

Document Based Questions• Why does Pericles think democracy is

good system of government?

• What problems does the Old Oligarch see with democracy?

• Who do you agree with more on democracy, Pericles or the Old Oligarch? Explain your answer

Summary

• Share out – Lets get some volunteers to read what they wrote.

• Aim Question