Ancient Athens
Social Structures & Roles
Social Structures & Roles
Who were the residents of Athens born outside the city-state who paid taxes and worked, but could not vote?
Metics
Which body of government was responsible for the day-to-day business and preparing the agenda for the Assembly?
The Council of 500 (Boule).
What was the name of the large hilltop where the Assembly met?
Pynx Hill
Athens used "Direct Democracy." How is this different from Canada’s "Representative Democracy"?
In Athens, citizens voted directly on laws themselves rather than electing others to do it for them.
What is one major similarity between Ancient Athenian democracy and Canadian democracy today?
You must be a citizen to vote
Which group in Athenian society had the lowest social status and no rights?
Slaves
How were members of the Council of 500 and Juries chosen to ensure fairness?
lottery (random draw)
Ancient Athens was a "city-state." What does this term mean?
What is A city and the surrounding countryside that is independent and controls itself.
How did direct democracy exclude many people living in Athens?
Ancient Athens was a direct democracy, but many people were excluded from participating. Only male citizens could vote and take part in the Assembly. Women, metics, and slaves could not vote or help make government decisions, even though they lived in Athens.
How did the education of girls in Athens differ from the education of girls in Canada today
Athenian girls stayed home to learn household skills, while Canadian girls go to school for many subjects
What determined an individual’s level of participation in the Athenian government?
Class structure (or social status)
What was the name of the meeting where all citizens could gather to vote on laws?
The Assembly. (Ecclesia)
If you were a citizen attending the Assembly, what would you most likely be doing?
Discussing new laws or voting on issues like taxes or war
What was the minimum age for a citizen to be chosen for a jury?
30 years old
True or False: Women in Ancient Athens were encouraged to learn to read and write
False (they were primarily taught housekeeping skills)
How many times in a lifetime could a citizen serve on the Council of 500?
Twice
Why did Ancient Athens and other city-states have their own government?
The mountainous terrain and surrounding water made it difficult for travelling.
In the Assembly, what was required for a law to be passed?
A majority vote (more than half) and/or at least 6000 citizens voting.
To be a citizen in Athens, you had to be male, 18 or older, and what else?
Born in Athens to parents who were also born in Athens
How many juror members were there?
501-1500 jurors
Why did Athenians take action against citizens who refused to vote?
They believed it was a citizen’s responsibility to participate in government