Sparta and Athens

Section 2 Pg.344-350Ch. 7 The Ancient Greeks

Tyranny in the City-States

• someone who takes power by force and rules with total authority

• Tyrants overthrew the nobles because they had the backing of the common people (farmers, merchants, & artisans)

tyrants

Tyranny in the City-States

• The Greek people eventually tired of the tyrants and created oligarchies or democracies• An oligarchy is a form of government in which a few

people hold power• A democracy is a form of government in which all

citizens share power• Sparta was an oligarchy• Athens was a democracy

Sparta• To obtain more land, Spartans conquered and

enslaved their neighbors, calling them helots

• To keep the helots from rebelling, the Spartans created a strong military of boys and men

• Boys and men trained for war

Why Was the Military So Important?

Sparta• Spartan girls were trained in sports

• They were freer than other Greek women

Why Was the Military So Important?

Sparta

• The Spartan government was an oligarchy• 2 kings headed a council of elders• Council presented laws to an

assembly, which voted on the laws

What was Sparta’s Government Like?

C l i c k h e r e f o r a n i n t er a c t i v e

m a p

Athens Boys in Athens attended school

to learn reading and writing Athenian girls learned to spin,

weave, and do other household duties household duties from their mothers

What was Life in Athens Like?

Listen to the lyre, click the picture

Solon • A noble who canceled farmers’ debts and freed all slaves

Athens

Athens The government of early Athens was an oligarchy

A noble named Solon reformed the Athenian government in 594 B.C.

The tyrant Peisistratus seized power 30 years after Solon’s rule

A Budding Democracy

Athens Cleisthenes took power in

508 B.C. • He created a democracy in Athens• He gave the assembly more power• He also created a new council to

help the assembly carry out its duties

• Members of the council were chosen by lottery

A Budding Democracy

Section 2 Review: Reading Summary

• The support of wealthy merchants and artisans helped tyrants seize power from nobles in the city-states.

• Sparta was a powerful city-state. It created a military state to control the people it conquered and to prevent uprisings.

• Athens was a powerful democratic city-state. Athenians were more involved in government, education, and the arts that the Spartans.

History Online: Study Central