SAC Worksheet

Structured Academic Controversy:

Athenian Democracy

SAC QUESTION: Was ancient Athens truly democratic?

Team 1 will argue: Athens WAS truly democratic.

Team 2 will argue: Athens WAS NOT truly democratic.

PROCEDURE

30 minutesWith your teammate

READ the documents in the document set. DISCUSS THE GUIDING QUESTIONS. These will help you create an argument.

TOGETHER, create an ARGUMENT and find THREE pieces of evidence (quotations) that support your side. Both of you write these down on your graphic organizer.

10 minutes Next

Team 1 presents. BOTH PARTNERS MUST PRESENT!!!

Team 2 writes down Team 1s evidence and then repeats it back to Team 1.

10 minutesThen

Team 2 presents. BOTH PARTNERS MUST PRESENT!!!

Team 1 writes down Team 2s evidence and then repeats it back to Team 2.

10 minutes Finally

Everyone CAN ABANDON their positions.

Group attempts to reach a CONSENSUS. Was ancient Athens truly democratic? What can the group AGREE on?

EACH GROUP MEMBER WRITES THEIR OWN VERSION OF THE CONSENSUS!

The Athenian Constitution (Document A)

Source: The following excerpt comes from The Athenian Constitution, written by the Greek philosopher Aristotle between 330 and 322 BC. Aristotle was the leading Greek philosopher of the time, and is credited with writing accounts of the constitutions of 170 different Greek states.

At the time that we are speaking, the people have secured their control of the state and established the constitution which exists at the present day. The democracy has made itself master of everything and administers everything by its votes in the Assembly and by the law-courts.

The right to vote and participate is open to all men who are of citizen birth by both parents. They are enrolled (registered) as citizens at the age of eighteen. On the occasion of the enrollment (registering) of new citizens, the current citizens give their votes first on whether the new candidates appear to be of the age set by the law. If the candidates are not of the right age, they are dismissed back into the ranks of the boys. Secondly, the current citizens give their votes on whether the candidate is free born (not born to a slave parent), and has two citizen parents as the laws require. If they decide that he is not a free man, he can appeal to the law-courts. If the court decides that he has no right to be enrolled as a citizen, he is sold by the state (Athens) as a slave. However if he wins his case he has the right to be enrolled as a citizen without further question.

All the magistrates (government officials) that are responsible for the ordinary routine of administration are elected by lot (random lottery) in the Assembly. However, the Military Treasurer, the Commissioners of the Festival Fund, and the Superintendent of the Water Supply are elected by vote. All military officers are also elected by vote.

The Athenian Population (Document B)

Source: The data below comes from the book Wealthy Hellas, written by Professor Josiah Ober in 2010. Ober is a professor of Classical Civilization and Political Science at Stanford University.

Population Group

Total Number of people

Percentage of the population

Ability to vote

Citizen men

29,900

12%

Yes

Citizen women

29,900

12%

No

Children of citizens

74,750

31%

No

Metics

25,775

11%

No

Slaves

80,000

34%

No

Total Population: 240,235

Percentage of Total Population Able to 12% Vote:

*Metics were foreigners or Greeks from other city-states that settled in Athens, normally for purposes of trade. They became a key part of the city-states economy, industry, and education system.

Pericles Funeral Oration (Document C)

Source: The following excerpt is from a speech known as The Funeral Oration given by the Athenian general and politician Pericles in 431 BC. Pericles was widely seen as the leader of Athens. He gave this speech during a funeral for Athenian soldiers that died in the first year of the brutal Peloponnesian War against Sparta, Athens chief rival.

"Our constitution favors the many instead of the few. This is why it is called a democracy. If we look to the laws, they afford (give) equal justice to all people. Advancement in public life falls to ones reputation for good work. Social class (whether someone is rich or poor) is not allowed to interfere with someones merit (talent, quality skills), and poverty does not block the way. If a man is able to serve the state, he is not stopped by the obscurity (insignificance) of his social class.

The freedom which we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary life. There, far from being jealous of each other, we do not feel called upon to be angry with our neighbor for doing what he likes, or even to indulge (participate) in something offensive. Yet all this ease and casual freedom in our private lives does not make us lawless as citizens. Rather, we are taught to obey the magistrates (government officials) and the laws, whether they are actually written in the constitution, or belong to that unwritten code that still cannot be broken without acknowledged disgrace.

Professor Paul Cartledge (Document D)

Source: Professor Paul Cartledge, The Democratic Experiment, published by BBC News on February 17, 2011.He is Professor of Greek History at the University of Cambridge, and was the chief historical consultant for the BBC TV series The Greeks.

The ancient Greek word demokratia meant literally 'people-power'. But who were the people that the power actually belonged to? Was it all the people? Or only some of the people - the qualified citizens?

The most educated modern guess puts the total population of fifth-century Athens at around 250,000. Of those 250,000, some 30,000 on average were full citizens - the adult males of Athenian birth and full status. Of those 30,000 perhaps 5,000 might regularly attend one or more meetings of the popular Assembly.

Only adult male citizens could apply for the privileges and duties of democratic government, and a citizenship birth requirement of double descent from both an Athenian mother as well as father was strictly insisted upon. Women, even Athenian women, were totally excluded - this was a men's club. Foreigners, especially unfree slave foreigners, were excluded formally and rigorously (strictly). The citizen body was a closed (locked, blocked off) political elite.

Lead Tokens (Document E)

Source: The image below is of lead tokens from Athens in the 4th century BC. These small tokens were turned in for pay, allowing for poor citizens to participate in the Athenian Citizens Assembly without losing a days pay. This ensured that all citizens, even those of the poorest class, could participate in political life.

Ostracism (Document F)

Source: The image below is of Ostraka fragments from 5th century BC Athens. The Ostraka were used by Athenian citizens to vote in a political procedure known as Ostracism. Ostracism was an official vote held each year to exile a certain Athenian citizen from the city for ten years. At least 6,000 Athenian citizens voted during the Ostracism, and the citizen whose name appeared on the most Ostraka was exiled. Though originally intended to protect against tyranny, Ostracism was most frequently used as a political weapon against Athenian politicians who had become too popular with the people. This way, politicians could remove their chief rivals. Many of Athens greatest leaders were either exiled through the Ostracism or nearly exiled in very close votes.

Name:__________________

Was ancient Athens truly democratic?

My Teams Argument:

We believe ancient Athens WAS/WAS NOT truly democratic because..

My Side: Evidence that Supports my Argument

Evidence 1:

Evidence 2:

Evidence 3:

The Other Side: Evidence that Supports the Counter Argument

Evidence 1:

Evidence 2:

Evidence 3:

Consensus:

After discussing the evidence, my group believes ancient Athens WAS/WAS NOT truly democratic because

Discussion Questions

Document A (Athenian Constitution)

1. According to the Athenian Constitution, who has the right to vote in Athens?

2. How does someone become enrolled as a citizen in Athens? Explain

3. How are magistrates and other government officials chosen in Athens?

Document B (Athenian Population)

1. Which groups of Athenians were able to vote? Which groups were not able to vote?

2. What percentage of Athens total population was able to vote? Do you think Athens was truly democratic based on this?

Document C (Pericles)

1. Who is Pericles? Why is he giving this speech?

2. How does Pericles describe the Athenian government? What are some of he words and phrases that he uses?

Document D (Professor Paul Cartledge)

1. Who created this document? What kind of source is it? Do you think it is reliable?

2. Does the author seem to believe Athens was truly democratic? Why or why not? List TWO reasons the author gives.

Document E (Lead Tokens)

1. What were these lead tokens used for? Why might this be important in a democracy?

Document F (Ostracism)

1. What were Ostraka used for? Explain the political procedure

2. Do you think Ostracism is helpful or harmful to democracy? Explain.