Have you ever wondered how the government of the United States of America came to be? The citizens of ancient Athens are responsible for that. Their rights were going to the Assembly, speaking and voting freely, owning land, and having a share in decision. With all the rights they had, they had responsibilities, which were paying taxes, taking in the defense of the city, and reaching a decision from a debate.
There had to be a form of government in order for there to be citizens. That form of government was called a direct democracy and was created in ancient Athens. Under the tyranny rule of Pisistratus and Hippias (who had the favor of the Oracle), Sparta attacked Athens. Hippias fled and left Cleisthenes, a restored Alemaeonid chief, in charge. Cleisthenes turned to the people to help make the choice on what to do. This idea of taking part in the government appealed to the people and Cleisthenes named this a “democracy” in 508 B.C.
There were four annual meetings of the Assembly. The first meeting discussed the corn supply, the qualifications of officials, and questions of defense and ostracisms. The second meeting was open to any issue, while the third and fourth meetings were given over to debates on religion and foreign and secular affairs. “Special meetings or emergency sessions could be held at any time,” says Steven Kreis. Of that Assembly, 6000 citizens, who were selected to fill the annual panel of potential jurymen, would staff the jury courts. In 431-404 B.C., a war between Athens and Sparta put a final end to Athenian direct democracy. But in the time between 508 and 404 B.C., the citizens were the whole government of direct democracy.
The city-state of Athens had citizens, which no other place had, but the citizens of ancient Athens were only males over the age of eighteen and their parents, grandparents, and sometimes even great-grandparents had to be born in Athens. Each citizen could go to the Assembly, speak and vote freely, serve on jury, own land, have a share in decision, become an archon or a priest, have equality under the law, be a soldier or monk, be a holder of political rights, and have a chance to get elected for office. With every single right that they had, they had a responsibility. “They had to pay taxes, which the government used for special events, take part in the defense of the city, make sure they have a good education, learn to weigh the arguments of a debate and reach a decision, learn to express views eloquently and persuasively, acquire the physical strength and skills to defend his city, and learn the values by which Athenians guided their lives,” says the information on www.historyteacher.net. These citizens were the whole democracy because they made up the Assembly, Council of 500(who were elected by the Assembly to run the city on an everyday basis), and they were the ones who developed the laws and the way of ruling. While the men of Athens had citizenship rights, women did not.
When women were fourteen, they married a citizen(who could be in the Assembly of the Council of 500) at the age of 30 or sometimes even older. A woman could get a divorce if the husband and her family agree with it. Also, she must confront the Assembly with a good explanation of why she was divorcing and in divorcing, she lost her children, who were expected to live with their father, which was mostly the reason women did not divorce. They were expected to be loyal and patient with their husbands. Greek women did not have political rights, could not hold office or own land (which constituted power in the ancient world), and were not given the same opportunities for education as boys. They were expected to learn from myth and to strive not to be like Agamemnon’s treacherous wife (Helen). “They had to learn the crafts of spinning and weaving, love to wash the household’s clothing, and have knowledge of wool, the making of clothes, and food preparation. These were the most important skills for women to have, along with the ability to raise children,” says Moya K. Mason. Women were an important part of the democracy even though they were not allowed to hold power in political office. All the work they did was at home. They gave birth to the men that were powerful in the democracy, did all the housework, made all the food, and they didn’t have any of the rights that men had, even though their work is harder. The only job worse than being a wife of a citizen, was being a metic or a slave.
“Metics were non-Athenians who generally found the cosmopolitan city of Athens more appealing than their own homelands,” says the article at web.clas.ufl.edu. They moved to Athens, but instead of getting granted citizenship, they become a metic. “Metics whose families had lived in Athens for generations may have been tempted to “pass” as citizens,” says Nathan Smith. But, they would not become a citizen unless given to them as a gift, which does not happen often. Instead, they could not own land, but could still hold jobs for property owners and they did have to pay a tax. Although they did not have all the rights of citizenship, they had all the responsibilities: performing in the military, paying special tax contributions, tax services, and a metic poll tax (twelve drachmas a year for men and six a year for women) they had to register in the local community where they lived to nominate a citizen as a sponsor or guardian.
Even lower on the social classes, were the slaves. Slaves were the property of their owners and could be bought and sold. They had no legal rights and therefore, no citizenship rights. They worked in a variety of jobs such as inside the home to help the women, outside in the fields, acting as attendants, and the worst job, going to war with their owner to help carry weapons on the battlefield. Actually, some slaves became quite close to their owners and were well-loved and fed. They never went to any of the Assemblies although they built the Assembly’s ideas of inventions and innovations to make Athens a better place, such as a water clock.
Of course, the slaves never built the democracy. The citizens of ancient Athens did. Even if they never built that, architecture was another innovation that was significant also, and that, slaves did build. Slaves never made the architectural designs but they built them. Architecture was considered the most prominent technology developed in Athens (most of the buildings built for religious and political reasons), but the Greeks started building public structures after the seventh century B.C. These public buildings consisted of civic, domestic, religious, funerary, or recreational buildings.
Some of these buildings needed water for the material the buildings were built out of, such as mud bricks. This water came from an underwater aqueduct. This public works system was invented by Hippodamus of Miletus, and his invention was greatly admired by many people during this time of period. Such public works projects helped boost the economy of Athens and led the city into a more sanitary way of life.
This water carried by the public works system was used in another invention, the water clock. The water clock was needed because the city of Athens was a democratic society, so, daily trials had to be limited and timed. The water clock consisted of upper and lower vessels, and water was emptied from one into the other. The city-state of ancient Athens invented all of these. The most important invention was the type of government called a democracy. We still use this type of government today. The public works system invented by Hippodamus is used everywhere, but instead of just bringing water to the people, it also drains the water, much like the public works you have seen today at work in the modern world (drainage pipes). This drainage pipe could be architecture along with the buildings they built. Some may not be beautiful, like the buildings in ancient Athens, but they are still architecture since they are buildings. They have been designed and built. These were all the inventions that the democracy of Athens supported, since many of these inventions took money to build, and it took land too. This is an example of citizens stating their opinion freely (free speech). The citizens of Athens got to vote on whether to build the buildings. Stating your opinion freely was a right and a responsibility.
The rights of the citizens of ancient Athens were attending the assembly, speaking and voting freely, and having a share in decision. Along with the rights, came the responsibilities of those rights, which were paying the taxes, and taking part of the defense of the city-state. The citizens of ancient Athens had very many rights and responsibilities since they are the ones who governed the city-state. All the work the citizens of Athens had done to form the democracy and govern the city of ancient Athens has inspired many of the government types today. With a few tweaks here and there, the United States of America has made a republic that governs us today. In the future, perhaps the direct democracy of the Athenian citizens would inspire even more types of governments or perhaps a direct democracy would be born and governing a country again. If so, everyone have the citizens of Athens and their direct democracy to thank.
Works Cited Page
Ø Akitakataka. "Quizlet." Legal Rights/Duties of an Athenian Citizen. Flashcards. N.p., 2014. Web. 09 Jan. 2014. <http://quizlet.com/15558096/legal-rightsduties-of-an-athenian-citizen-flash-cards/>.
Ø "Athenian Democracy." Princeton University. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2014. <https://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Athenian_democracy.html>.
Ø Cartledge, Paul. "The Democratic Experiment." BBC News. BBC, 17 Feb. 2011. Web. 10 Jan. 2014. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greekdemocracy_01.shtml
Ø “Citizens, Metics, and Slaves:." Citizens, Metics, and Slaves:. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. http://web.clas.ufl.edu/users/kapparis/AOC/SocialHistory.htm
Ø "Civilization in Athens." Civilization in Athens. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2014. <http://silverstarz110.tripod.com/id9.html>.
Ø Hall, James V. "Ancient Greece Citizens." Http://ezinearticles.com/?Ancient-Greece-Citizens&id=948123. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2014. <http://ezinearticles.com/?Ancient-Greece-Citizens&id=948123>.
Ø Kreis, Steven. "Lecture 6: The Athenian Origins of Direct Democracy." Lecture 6: The Athenian Origins of Direct Democracy. N.p., 03 Aug. 2009. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
<http://www.historyguide.org/ancient/lecture6b.html>.
Ø Mason, Moya K. "Ancient Athenian Women of the Classical Period." - Greeks, Women's Roles, Marriage, Greece, Girls, Patriarchal, Education, Kyrios. N.p., 2014. Web. 12 Jan. 2014.
<http://www.moyak.com/papers/athenian-women.html>.
Ø Pierre, Jean. "Citizens in Ancient Greece." Http://www.memo.fr/enarticle.aspx?ID=ANT_GRE_013. N.p., 2007. Web. 15 Jan. 2014. <http://www.memo.fr/enarticle.aspx?ID=ANT_GRE_013>.
Ø Proulx, Lisa. "Athens Inventions | EHow." EHow. Demand Media, 27 May 2011. Web. 11 Jan. 2014. <http://www.ehow.com/info_8500970_athens-inventions.html
Ø Rutschke, Angela. "Ancient Greek Home." Ancient Athens. N.p., 2012. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. <http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/angelarutschke/502/virtualtour/housetour.html>.
Ø "School for Citizens." School for Citizens. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan 2014.
<http://www.historyteacher.net/GlobalHistory-1/Readings/Schools_For_Citizens_Athens.htm>
Ø Smith, Nathan. "Open Borders: The Case." Open Borders The Case. N.p., 03 July 2012. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. <http://openborders.info/blog/metics-in-ancient-greece/>
There had to be a form of government in order for there to be citizens. That form of government was called a direct democracy and was created in ancient Athens. Under the tyranny rule of Pisistratus and Hippias (who had the favor of the Oracle), Sparta attacked Athens. Hippias fled and left Cleisthenes, a restored Alemaeonid chief, in charge. Cleisthenes turned to the people to help make the choice on what to do. This idea of taking part in the government appealed to the people and Cleisthenes named this a “democracy” in 508 B.C.
There were four annual meetings of the Assembly. The first meeting discussed the corn supply, the qualifications of officials, and questions of defense and ostracisms. The second meeting was open to any issue, while the third and fourth meetings were given over to debates on religion and foreign and secular affairs. “Special meetings or emergency sessions could be held at any time,” says Steven Kreis. Of that Assembly, 6000 citizens, who were selected to fill the annual panel of potential jurymen, would staff the jury courts. In 431-404 B.C., a war between Athens and Sparta put a final end to Athenian direct democracy. But in the time between 508 and 404 B.C., the citizens were the whole government of direct democracy.
The city-state of Athens had citizens, which no other place had, but the citizens of ancient Athens were only males over the age of eighteen and their parents, grandparents, and sometimes even great-grandparents had to be born in Athens. Each citizen could go to the Assembly, speak and vote freely, serve on jury, own land, have a share in decision, become an archon or a priest, have equality under the law, be a soldier or monk, be a holder of political rights, and have a chance to get elected for office. With every single right that they had, they had a responsibility. “They had to pay taxes, which the government used for special events, take part in the defense of the city, make sure they have a good education, learn to weigh the arguments of a debate and reach a decision, learn to express views eloquently and persuasively, acquire the physical strength and skills to defend his city, and learn the values by which Athenians guided their lives,” says the information on www.historyteacher.net. These citizens were the whole democracy because they made up the Assembly, Council of 500(who were elected by the Assembly to run the city on an everyday basis), and they were the ones who developed the laws and the way of ruling. While the men of Athens had citizenship rights, women did not.
When women were fourteen, they married a citizen(who could be in the Assembly of the Council of 500) at the age of 30 or sometimes even older. A woman could get a divorce if the husband and her family agree with it. Also, she must confront the Assembly with a good explanation of why she was divorcing and in divorcing, she lost her children, who were expected to live with their father, which was mostly the reason women did not divorce. They were expected to be loyal and patient with their husbands. Greek women did not have political rights, could not hold office or own land (which constituted power in the ancient world), and were not given the same opportunities for education as boys. They were expected to learn from myth and to strive not to be like Agamemnon’s treacherous wife (Helen). “They had to learn the crafts of spinning and weaving, love to wash the household’s clothing, and have knowledge of wool, the making of clothes, and food preparation. These were the most important skills for women to have, along with the ability to raise children,” says Moya K. Mason. Women were an important part of the democracy even though they were not allowed to hold power in political office. All the work they did was at home. They gave birth to the men that were powerful in the democracy, did all the housework, made all the food, and they didn’t have any of the rights that men had, even though their work is harder. The only job worse than being a wife of a citizen, was being a metic or a slave.
“Metics were non-Athenians who generally found the cosmopolitan city of Athens more appealing than their own homelands,” says the article at web.clas.ufl.edu. They moved to Athens, but instead of getting granted citizenship, they become a metic. “Metics whose families had lived in Athens for generations may have been tempted to “pass” as citizens,” says Nathan Smith. But, they would not become a citizen unless given to them as a gift, which does not happen often. Instead, they could not own land, but could still hold jobs for property owners and they did have to pay a tax. Although they did not have all the rights of citizenship, they had all the responsibilities: performing in the military, paying special tax contributions, tax services, and a metic poll tax (twelve drachmas a year for men and six a year for women) they had to register in the local community where they lived to nominate a citizen as a sponsor or guardian.
Even lower on the social classes, were the slaves. Slaves were the property of their owners and could be bought and sold. They had no legal rights and therefore, no citizenship rights. They worked in a variety of jobs such as inside the home to help the women, outside in the fields, acting as attendants, and the worst job, going to war with their owner to help carry weapons on the battlefield. Actually, some slaves became quite close to their owners and were well-loved and fed. They never went to any of the Assemblies although they built the Assembly’s ideas of inventions and innovations to make Athens a better place, such as a water clock.
Of course, the slaves never built the democracy. The citizens of ancient Athens did. Even if they never built that, architecture was another innovation that was significant also, and that, slaves did build. Slaves never made the architectural designs but they built them. Architecture was considered the most prominent technology developed in Athens (most of the buildings built for religious and political reasons), but the Greeks started building public structures after the seventh century B.C. These public buildings consisted of civic, domestic, religious, funerary, or recreational buildings.
Some of these buildings needed water for the material the buildings were built out of, such as mud bricks. This water came from an underwater aqueduct. This public works system was invented by Hippodamus of Miletus, and his invention was greatly admired by many people during this time of period. Such public works projects helped boost the economy of Athens and led the city into a more sanitary way of life.
This water carried by the public works system was used in another invention, the water clock. The water clock was needed because the city of Athens was a democratic society, so, daily trials had to be limited and timed. The water clock consisted of upper and lower vessels, and water was emptied from one into the other. The city-state of ancient Athens invented all of these. The most important invention was the type of government called a democracy. We still use this type of government today. The public works system invented by Hippodamus is used everywhere, but instead of just bringing water to the people, it also drains the water, much like the public works you have seen today at work in the modern world (drainage pipes). This drainage pipe could be architecture along with the buildings they built. Some may not be beautiful, like the buildings in ancient Athens, but they are still architecture since they are buildings. They have been designed and built. These were all the inventions that the democracy of Athens supported, since many of these inventions took money to build, and it took land too. This is an example of citizens stating their opinion freely (free speech). The citizens of Athens got to vote on whether to build the buildings. Stating your opinion freely was a right and a responsibility.
The rights of the citizens of ancient Athens were attending the assembly, speaking and voting freely, and having a share in decision. Along with the rights, came the responsibilities of those rights, which were paying the taxes, and taking part of the defense of the city-state. The citizens of ancient Athens had very many rights and responsibilities since they are the ones who governed the city-state. All the work the citizens of Athens had done to form the democracy and govern the city of ancient Athens has inspired many of the government types today. With a few tweaks here and there, the United States of America has made a republic that governs us today. In the future, perhaps the direct democracy of the Athenian citizens would inspire even more types of governments or perhaps a direct democracy would be born and governing a country again. If so, everyone have the citizens of Athens and their direct democracy to thank.
Works Cited Page
Ø Akitakataka. "Quizlet." Legal Rights/Duties of an Athenian Citizen. Flashcards. N.p., 2014. Web. 09 Jan. 2014. <http://quizlet.com/15558096/legal-rightsduties-of-an-athenian-citizen-flash-cards/>.
Ø "Athenian Democracy." Princeton University. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2014. <https://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Athenian_democracy.html>.
Ø Cartledge, Paul. "The Democratic Experiment." BBC News. BBC, 17 Feb. 2011. Web. 10 Jan. 2014. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greekdemocracy_01.shtml
Ø “Citizens, Metics, and Slaves:." Citizens, Metics, and Slaves:. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. http://web.clas.ufl.edu/users/kapparis/AOC/SocialHistory.htm
Ø "Civilization in Athens." Civilization in Athens. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2014. <http://silverstarz110.tripod.com/id9.html>.
Ø Hall, James V. "Ancient Greece Citizens." Http://ezinearticles.com/?Ancient-Greece-Citizens&id=948123. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2014. <http://ezinearticles.com/?Ancient-Greece-Citizens&id=948123>.
Ø Kreis, Steven. "Lecture 6: The Athenian Origins of Direct Democracy." Lecture 6: The Athenian Origins of Direct Democracy. N.p., 03 Aug. 2009. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
<http://www.historyguide.org/ancient/lecture6b.html>.
Ø Mason, Moya K. "Ancient Athenian Women of the Classical Period." - Greeks, Women's Roles, Marriage, Greece, Girls, Patriarchal, Education, Kyrios. N.p., 2014. Web. 12 Jan. 2014.
<http://www.moyak.com/papers/athenian-women.html>.
Ø Pierre, Jean. "Citizens in Ancient Greece." Http://www.memo.fr/enarticle.aspx?ID=ANT_GRE_013. N.p., 2007. Web. 15 Jan. 2014. <http://www.memo.fr/enarticle.aspx?ID=ANT_GRE_013>.
Ø Proulx, Lisa. "Athens Inventions | EHow." EHow. Demand Media, 27 May 2011. Web. 11 Jan. 2014. <http://www.ehow.com/info_8500970_athens-inventions.html
Ø Rutschke, Angela. "Ancient Greek Home." Ancient Athens. N.p., 2012. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. <http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/angelarutschke/502/virtualtour/housetour.html>.
Ø "School for Citizens." School for Citizens. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan 2014.
<http://www.historyteacher.net/GlobalHistory-1/Readings/Schools_For_Citizens_Athens.htm>
Ø Smith, Nathan. "Open Borders: The Case." Open Borders The Case. N.p., 03 July 2012. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. <http://openborders.info/blog/metics-in-ancient-greece/>