FOUNDATIONS OF FOUNDATIONS OF DEMOCRACYDEMOCRACY

By: Donald SterrettBy: Donald Sterrett

We Have it GoodWe Have it Good There are a lot of great things that There are a lot of great things that

we have in our society that we take we have in our society that we take for granted.for granted.

For example we have free speech, For example we have free speech, right to a fair trial, and the right to right to a fair trial, and the right to elect our leaders.elect our leaders.

#1. Please list 3 other rights that we #1. Please list 3 other rights that we enjoy in our country.enjoy in our country.

This part of the year will focus on This part of the year will focus on where we got these rights and where we got these rights and privileges.privileges.

GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT Government is the Government is the

system set up to system set up to watch over and watch over and keep order in a keep order in a society.society.

Governments can Governments can come in many forms come in many forms but all countries but all countries have some form of have some form of government.government.

#2. What form of #2. What form of government is in government is in the U.S.?the U.S.?

Types of GovernmentTypes of Government

MonarchyMonarchy was the most was the most common form of common form of government where one government where one person rules over person rules over everybody else.everybody else.

““It’s good to be the king”It’s good to be the king”

Names given to Names given to monarchs are usually monarchs are usually king, emperor, tsar, and king, emperor, tsar, and queenqueen

Aristocracy and DemocracyAristocracy and Democracy

ARISTOCRACYARISTOCRACY In an aristocracy a In an aristocracy a

small group of usually small group of usually wealthy or powerful wealthy or powerful people make the people make the decisions. decisions.

These people are These people are usually wealthy and usually wealthy and are often known as are often known as nobles or aristocratsnobles or aristocrats

DEMOCRACY

A Democracy is a form of government where the people get to make the decisions.

#3. List three benefits of living in a democracy

In a democracy only citizens get to vote.

. (For example the U.S. was considered a democracy even while they still had slavery)

What makes someone a Citizen?What makes someone a Citizen?

A citizen in a democracy is someone who is A citizen in a democracy is someone who is granted rights and privileges. granted rights and privileges.

These rights usually include the right to vote These rights usually include the right to vote and to be elected.and to be elected.

Citizenship can be defined based upon age, Citizenship can be defined based upon age, nationality, race, gender or even wealth.nationality, race, gender or even wealth.

#4. List three groups that have been denied #4. List three groups that have been denied full citizenship rights or privileges in the U.S.full citizenship rights or privileges in the U.S.

THE GREEKSTHE GREEKS

The ancient Greeks The ancient Greeks had an aristocracy had an aristocracy and then created a and then created a limited democracy limited democracy because the rights because the rights were extended were extended only to 1/10only to 1/10thth of the of the population. Only population. Only male citizens could male citizens could participateparticipate

PhilosophersPhilosophers

The Greeks had men who were The Greeks had men who were known as philosophers or “Lovers of known as philosophers or “Lovers of Wisdom”Wisdom”

The philosophers believed that they The philosophers believed that they could use logic to understand the could use logic to understand the universe and why people acted the universe and why people acted the way that they did.way that they did.

Famous philosophers included Plato, Famous philosophers included Plato, Socrates, and AristotleSocrates, and Aristotle

Athens becomes a Direct Athens becomes a Direct DemocracyDemocracy

In the 5In the 5thth Century B.C. Pericles the Century B.C. Pericles the leader of Athens expanded leader of Athens expanded citizenship to include even the poor citizenship to include even the poor citizens.citizens.

He did this by paying the people who He did this by paying the people who ran the government and the people ran the government and the people who were on juries. who were on juries.

In a direct democracy everybody In a direct democracy everybody votes on every issue. votes on every issue.

Rome forms a RepublicRome forms a Republic

The Romans took the ideas of The Romans took the ideas of democracy and decided to improve democracy and decided to improve upon it by creating a republic.upon it by creating a republic.

In a republic people elect leaders to In a republic people elect leaders to make decisions for them.make decisions for them.

Rome’s ContributionsRome’s Contributions

Rome gives the world its first Rome gives the world its first republic.republic.

Roman law was one of the first series Roman law was one of the first series of laws that applied to everyone of laws that applied to everyone throughout the region.throughout the region.

Important beliefs:Important beliefs: A. Innocent until proven guiltyA. Innocent until proven guilty B. Equal treatment under the lawB. Equal treatment under the law

JudaismJudaismJudaism teaches Judaism teaches

that each human that each human has dignity and is has dignity and is the child of God.the child of God.

Places value on the Places value on the individual.individual.

The Hebrew The Hebrew Scriptures Scriptures becomes the Old becomes the Old Testament in the Testament in the BibleBible

ChristianityChristianity

Founded on the Founded on the teachings on Jesus.teachings on Jesus.

The teachings of The teachings of Jesus stressed the Jesus stressed the equality of equality of everybody. everybody.

This is a This is a foundational idea foundational idea of democracy as of democracy as well.well.

The RenaissanceThe Renaissance

In the 1300s AD people began to be In the 1300s AD people began to be more interested in classical (Ancient more interested in classical (Ancient Greek and Roman) culture.Greek and Roman) culture.

Prior to the Renaissance education Prior to the Renaissance education was focused upon serving the Church.was focused upon serving the Church.

In the Renaissance education started In the Renaissance education started focusing on the value of the individual.focusing on the value of the individual.

This led to great explorers (Columbus) This led to great explorers (Columbus) artists (Da Vinci), and conquerors.artists (Da Vinci), and conquerors.

ReformationReformation

In the 16In the 16thth Century (1521) the religious Century (1521) the religious reform movement known as the reform movement known as the ReformationReformation

The Catholic Church had become corrupt The Catholic Church had become corrupt including the practice of selling pardons for including the practice of selling pardons for sins.sins.

In 1521 Luther protests against the Catholic In 1521 Luther protests against the Catholic Church and his protests lead to the creation Church and his protests lead to the creation of the first Protestant Churchesof the first Protestant Churches