JW

REAL DEMOCRACY, “GOVENRMENT OF THE PEOPLE, GOVERNMENT FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE.” (Abraham Lincoln) JGW The ancient Greek city of Athens is famous for being the nation who created democracy (direct democracy). "The ancient Greeks famously invented democracy." ([|http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greekdemocracy_02.shtml)] Though unlike democracy today the Athenians version was maybe more fair. Athenian Democracy Consisted of “power to the people” in other words more people got a word in on government issues. The fifth and fourth century democracy can be traced back to Solon. Solon was a 600th century poet, he was a democrat. Solon didn’t truly believe in power to the people. Even though it was his constitutional thoughts that put power to the people in higher light. Solon wrote about Athens rivalry with it’s neighbor country Megara. Megara had just taken over the island of Salamis. Solon wanted very much to have Salamis back in Athenian control. About 100 years after Solon Cleisthenes took up the people-powered government. Cleisthenes was the son of an Athenian. His grandfather was a foreign Greek ruler. His grandfather was the ruler of Sicyon in Peloponnese. For a while he was also brother in law to the Athenian ruler Peisistratus. Peisistratus took power three times before he could make a stable dictatorship. It was against the dictatorship of Peisistratus oldest son that Cleisthenes attempted to usher in the new Athenian Democracy. There are many differences in ours and the ancient Greeks democracy and government’s. In our government and democracy we pick people to represent us and rule for us. Athenians on the other hand participated more in their government’s elections and decisions. Another is that in the United States anyone at the age of 18 and above can vote. In ancient Athens all decision making for their government was made by “free” men, no slaves, and no women.

Our Government is made up of three branches. The Legislative, The Executive, and the Judicial. The Legislative branch is congress. The Executive branch is the president and vice presidential branch. The Judicial branch is the justice system (the supreme court). Each branch is controlled by the specific group assigned to it. Athenians have a mandatory (for the elite men only) assembly to create a peoples court, new laws, and a council. In conclusion Athenians and the United states democracy’s are very different but at the same time are very alike. The Athenians have more peoples participation but we today have more people of all gender voting. So our democracy’s in a way balance each other out.

Resourceshttp://www.house.gov/putnam/graphics/branches.jpg http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greekdemocracy_02.shtml picture- http://www.house.gov/putnam/graphics/branches.jpg picture 2- http://www.helleniccomserve.com/images/posiedon.jpg picture 3- http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fd/Athenian-constitution-aristotle.png