The Ancient Civilizations and Government Structures

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The Ancient Civilizations and Government
Structures
title
Standard 10.1

• Standard 10.1 Students relate the moral and
  ethical principles in ancient Greek and Roman
  philosophy, in Judaism, and in Christianity to
  the development of Western political thought.

Students can analyze the influences of the
Hebrews, the Christians, the Greeks and the
Romans on Western (U.S. or European) governments
(political system and law). How have the Hebrews,
the Christians, the Greeks and the Romans
influenced our government and laws?
Week 1
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Influences on Western Civilization
10.1

• Western governments are the product of thousands
  of years of trial and error. Many of our ideas
  that we use to govern today were taken from the
  Greeks and the Romans.
• In this power point we are going to look at
  various civilizations and their practices that
  have shaped our thinking and the way we live
• The Mesopotamians
• Law
• The Hebrews
• Morals, equality, and law
• The Greeks
• Civil Duty and democracy
• The Romans
• Early Romans (polytheistic)
• Republic/senate and Law
• The early Christians
• Values and Morality

Finland is ranked the most free, the U.S. is
ranked 15th, and Myanmar is ranked 150th
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Hammurabi the Law Giver
Civilization 1 (Mesopotamia)
In 1792 B.C., Hammurabi ruled in Babylon. He was
known for building temples, and irrigation
canals, but mostly for his law code called The
Code of Hammurabi. 282 Laws Strict
Justice Eye for an Eye Vicarious
Punishments Social Inequality
This picture shows Shamash, the sun god, giving
the laws to Hammurabi.
Who said An eye for an eye makes the whole world
blind?
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Hammurabis Law Code REVIEW

• The code had 282 specific laws.
• The law dealt with contracts, inheritances,
  leases, perjury, debts, theft, murder, adultery,
  marriage, children, and property.
• Punishments were harsh, usually requiring the
  criminal to lose a limb, or to lose his or her
  life.
• Social Inequality in punishments.
• Slaves
• Born into slavery
• Sold into Slavery
• Captured (their country lost)
• Sold oneself or child into slavery to pay off
  debts

Q
Why did the Ancient Sumerians write down their
language (Cuneiform)?
To Keep track of trade!
A
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The Hebrew Civilization

• Called the Hebrews, Jews or the Israelites (today
  Israelis) a Semitic speaking people.
• Location Israel (East of the Mediterranean Sea)
• Religion Credited as the first monotheistic
  religion
• Government and Law based on morality, equality,
  and justice.
• Ten Commandments

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The Ten Commandments
Cultural significance
Monotheism
Intolerance
Establishes law
Prohibits Idol worship
Marriage and lineage important
Property is important
Establishes reverence
Evidence of Justice
Sunday becomes a non-work day - church
Property
Hebrew Law
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The Religion of the Hebrews

• Monotheistic They believed in one god they
  called Yahweh.
• Their religion is called Judaism.
• A stateless religion God can follow you!
• He punished his people, but was also merciful.
• A personal relationship with God called a
  covenant (promise).
• Prophets religious teachers
• Predicted the future
• Thought the rich should share with the poor.
• Social Justice

Their holy scripture is called the Torah the
first 5 books of the Christian Bible.
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and
Deuteronomy
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Legacy of the Monotheistic Religions
Hebrews
Christians
Muslims

• It is the duty of the individual and the
  community to combat oppression.
• The individual has worth regardless of his or her
  social status. (Individual Worth)
• People are equal before God.

CST Q!
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The Ancient Greeks

• Sparta and Athens
• Location
• The Polis
• Culture
• Government
• Law (Civic Duties)
• Philosophy
• Contributions to Western Political Thought

Ancient Greek Theater
Weeks 1 and 2
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Geographical Location Athens and Sparta are
located in modern day Greece on the Peloponnesus.
Xerxes from the movie 300
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The Polis (City-state)

• Characteristics
• Where the people lived.
• Economically independent
• Protected by a deity
• Governed by a set of laws.
• Small (Athens had only 250,000 people)
• Different types of governments.
• Sparta Oligarchy
• Corinth Tyranny
• Athens Direct Democracy

Acropolis (Parthenon)
City State of Athens
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Spartan Culture

• Spartan Men
• Left their mothers at the age of seven.
• Taught self-discipline and military training.
• Entered the military at age 20 and served until
  age 60.
• Taught to die for their country.

Check out the movie 300, but only with your
parents permission!
For more info see page 142 of your textbook.
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Spartas
Government


Oligarchy (means rule by a few in Greek)
government ruled by a few powerful people
usually wealthy merchants, or in some cases the
military.
Two Kings- headed military campaigns. Five
Ephors (supervised education). Elected! Council
of Elders - 28 citizens over the age of 60.

• Aries and Artemis are associated with Sparta as
  patron deities.

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Examples of Oligarchies

• Sparta
• The de Medici family in Florence Italy during the
  Renaissance
• The French Republic under the Directory during
  the French Revolution
• Mexico
• Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union in
  1991
• North Korea
• South Africa under the Apartheid until 1994

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Corinth

• Government Tyranny
• Rulers that did not have to follow the same laws
  as their people.
• Usually have the support of the poor
• Hired soldiers or had a personal army to help
  them keep power
• Betrayed their people
• Self-interest and greed

dictators
tyrants
autocrats
despots
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The Culture of Athens

• Center of learning for the Ancient Greek world
  The School of Greece.
• Men were educated, women were not.
• Birth of philosophy.
• Home to many of the great poets and writers such
  as Sophocles.
• Athena was the patron deity and her temple was
  called the Parthenon.

Acropolis (City of the Gods)
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The Greek Tragedies

• Sophocles (496-406 B.C.)
• Wrote the Oedipus Cycle Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at
  Colonus, and Antigone.
• Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus and his
  mother Jocasta.
• The book is about Antigones attempt to give her
  brother Polynices a proper burial.
• Takes place in Thebes

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Athenian Government

• Direct Democracy Citizens of Athens
  participated directly in the decision making
  process.
• Laws
• War or peace
• Elections
• Only adult males that were born in Athens and had
  parents that were born in Athens could be
  citizens and therefore vote.
• Out of 250,000 only 6,000 actually participated
  in government.

Choosing by Lot one year of service. this is
how they prevented oligarchies
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Different Democracies

• Athenian Democracy
• Citizens male at least 18 years of age, with
  citizen parents.
• Only people born in Athens could be a citizen.
• Laws voted on and proposed directly by assembly
  of all citizens.
• Leader chosen by lot most served only I year.
• Executive branch was a council of 500 men
• Juries varied in size
• No attorneys no appeals one-day trials

• U. S. Democracy
• Citizens born in the U.S. or completed
  citizenship process.
• Representatives elected to propose and vote on
  laws
• Elected president
• Executive branch made up of elected and appointed
  officials
• Juries composed on 12 jurors
• Defendants and plaintiffs have attorneys long
  appeals process.

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Athens History Makers

• Solon (638 - 594 B.C.)
• Gave order to Athens during their crisis period.
• Released farmers from slavery.
• Cancelled land debts.

• Cleisthenes (508 B.C.)
• Called the father of democracy.
• Balanced power between the rich and the poor.
• Created the Council of Five Hundred
• Legislation was debated openly in the assembly.
• All male citizens voted on it.

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The Golden Age of Pericles

• 461-429 B.C.
• The Golden Age of Greece.
• People became very attached to the idea of civic
  duty (participating in your community/government).
  
• The center of learning art flourished.
• The birth of philosophy.
• Death of Socrates
• Aristotle and Plato
• War between Sparta and Athens and a plague
  resulted in the downfall of Athens!

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The Greek Philosophers

• Philosophy An organized system of thought!
• The use of logic and reason to investigate the
  nature of the universe, human society, and
  morality.
• Socrates
• Plato
• Aristotle
• Mr. Mudd

THINK
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Socrates
Socrates, who set the foundations of western
philosophy was executed for corrupting the youth
of Athens. He was forced to drink poison. He was
considered a gadfly, an annoying thorn in the
side of the Athenian government, constantly
questioning democracy and what was moral and just.
Mr. Mudd!
Socrates taught his students through the Socratic
Method- the idea that all knowledge is present in
each person, it just takes questioning and
critical thinking to bring it out. Question and
answer method.
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Plato
Who Should Rule?
Guardians
warriors
Mrs. Thayer is always right

• .

Everyone else

• Wrote Republic
• Plato did not trust democracy!
• He believed that most people were too immoral and
  stupid to make rational decisions.
• Ideal government Philosopher King
• Three classes of people
• The Guardians (Educated)
• The Warriors (Protectors)
• Everyone else motivated only by their own
  selfish desires.

pp peepee (disaster)
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Aristotles Politics

• Distrusted Democracy because it only had at
  heart the interests of the needy.
• He said that an Aristocracy only had the
  interests of the wealthy.
• He said that a kingship or Monarchy only had the
  interests of the ruler. ( Tyranny)
• A Constitutional Government was the best form.
• Examples
• England 1688
• U.S. 1789
• France 1791

• intelligence, above all else, is man.
• Man is by nature a political animal it is his
  nature to live in a state.
• An excerpt from The Politics

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The Philosophers- Review

• Socrates Plato Aristotle

Encouraged his students to examine their most
closely held beliefs. Used the question and
answer approach known as the Socratic
Method Distrusted Democracy Just because the
majority says its right, does that mean that it
is?

• Did not trust democracies. He thought that
  society should be governed by a philosopher king.
• Three classes
• The Guardians.
• The Warriors.
• Everyone else

Used reason to answer lifes mysteries. Said man
is a political animal and has the ability to
reason. Distrusted democracy said it had the
tendency to only cover the needs of the poor. A
middle class is vital! Thought a constitutional
government was the best form of government.
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Rome (509 B.C. to 476 B.C.E)

• Rome as a republic
• Government
• Society
• Law
• Rome as an empire
• Administration
• Achievements
• Christianity
• Roman influences on Western Political Thought.
• Christian influences on the West.

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Type of Government
Rome Representation Republic 3R

• Government A republic is a form of government in
  which the leader is not a king, citizens can
  elect representatives, and certain citizens have
  the right to vote.
• Two Consuls ran the government and led the Roman
  army. They were elected every year.
• The praetor was in charge of civil law.
• The Senate was a group of 300 landowners who
  served for life.
• Centuriate assembly elected officials, was made
  up of the wealthy.
• Council of the Plebs for commoners only.

Julius Caesar
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Roman Society Two Groups

• Patricians Centuriate Assembly
• Landowning aristocrats.

• Plebeians Council of the Plebs - farmers,
  artisans and merchants.

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Roman Law The Twelve Tables

• An important victory for the Plebeians was the
  written law code called the Twelve Tables.
• The laws were written down for everyone to see.
• The Plebeians were given more power and were
  allowed to hold public office
• Everyone had to obey the laws, and citizens had
  rights that the government had to protect.

These tablets were publicly displayed for people
to read.
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Contributions of Roman Law

• Even though the Roman Empire came to an end,
  elements of their criminal and civil law still
  exist in our government today!
• Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.
• The right to try your case before a judge.
• The right to representation if you cant properly
  represent yourself.
• The jury system.

Called the Due Process Laws! You can find these
in our Constitution as the 4th, 5th, and 6th
amendments
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The Influence of the Roman Empire

• THE LATIN LANGUAGES ITALIAN, FRENCH, AND
  SPANISH.
• SENATE/Republic
• The Court system/law
• Equal treatment for citizens
• 5. The burden of proof rested with the
  accuser rather than the accused.
• 6. A law that is unreasonable or grossly
  unfair could be set aside.
• 7. ELECTED OFFICIALS SERVING TERMS OF
  OFFICE.
• RHETORIC (THE ART OF PERSUASIVE SPEAKING)-
  POLITICIANS AND LAWYERS.
• Architecture and engineering

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Rome and Christianity

• During the early years of the Roman Empire a
  prophet named Jesus spread a new message to the
  Jews that spread rapidly throughout the West
  (following Roman trade routes).
• Love one another
• Be Humble
• Be charitable

They always ask you how Christianity spread
throughout Europe!
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Christians believe in CHRIST.
The three great monotheistic religions are
Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
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The Appeal of Christianity

• Offered eternal life and happiness.
• Close, personal relationship with God.
• Contained elements from other popular religions.
• Cult of Mithra
• Individual worth.
• The feeling of belonging to a community.
• Equality Christianity appealed greatly to the
  poor classes.

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Christianity and the Roman Empire

• Since Jesus preached that man should only follow
  mans laws if they dont interfere with Gods
  laws, the early Christians were persecuted.
• Nero
• Punished them by torture or death.

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Christianity Spreads

• In 313 C.E the emperor Constantine issued the
  Edict of Milan allowing for religious tolerance
  of Christians.
• By 395 C.E., Christianity became the official
  religion of the Roman Empire under Theodosius.

Picture of Constantines vision of the Cross that
led him to convert to Christianity.
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The Roman Empire
For 2500 years, the Christian religion, and Roman
and Greek ideas of law and government, as well as
the philosophy of Aristotle and Plato has
dominated and shaped Western thought.
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CONTRIBUTIONS

• Greco-Roman (pre-Christian) values
• Obligations to the state
• Emphasis on wealth, status and material gain
• Pantheon of Gods that were associated with a
  particular area
• Concerned with life on earth
• Philosophy/ individualistic thinking
• Your allegiance is to the state.
• Equality under the law

• Judeo-Christian values
• Be good people
• One God (monotheism)
• Covenant with God
• Brotherly love
• Humility
• Charity
• Emphasis on the afterlife
• Equality
• Emphasis on religious scripture
• You must obey mans laws and Gods laws if
  mans laws contradict Gods laws, dont obey
  them.
• Social Equality before God

Both Individual worth!
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Justinian Code

• 528 C.E.
• 5,000 Roman Laws
• Became a guide on legal matters for Western
  Europe.
• Rulers were held accountable under the law just
  like common people.

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The Crusades

• After the fall of Rome, many of the Greek and
  Latin texts were destroyed. Some were hidden by
  monks, others hid them in secret personal
  collections, and many were stored in libraries
  and in Jerusalem to be discovered by the
  Crusaders.

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The Roman Catholic Church

• The Roman Catholic Church controlled most of
  everyday life, and most European governments.
• Banned certain books
• Did not encourage learning beyond the sacred
  texts
• Controlled Kings
• Only people who could read Latin could read the
  Bible.

The Vatican In Rome (Italy)
The Pope
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The Renaissance
The Renaissance weakened the power of the church
by changing the emphasis on the afterlife to life
here on Earth.

• As more and more of the Greek and Latin texts
  were discovered and copied (due to the invention
  of the printing press) people began to read Greek
  philosophy, Roman Law, and science flourished,
  along with art and literature.

Lorenzo De Medici
All that was lost during the dark ages came back
during the Renaissance and changed the way people
thought about life here on earth, learning, and
mans ability to be rational and rule govern
himself.
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Michelangelo
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The Birth of Venus Botticelli
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The Reformation

• The Reformation of the 1500s further weakened the
  church.
• 95 thesis
• Vernacular (common Language)
• Public Education (for boys and girls)

Protestant faiths stem from the Protestant
Reformation! They PROTESTED the abuses of the
Catholic Church.
Martin Luther
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Forms of Government

• Monarchy King or Queen rules
• Aristocracy a small group of people who own a
  lot of land rule the country.
• Oligarchy small, powerful elite (usually from
  the business class- merchants) rules the country.
  SPARTA
• Democracy government gets its power from the
  people (popular sovereignty) U.S.
• Direct Democracy (in Athens) the citizens took
  part in the day to day affairs of government
  (everybody was involved daily).
• Republic government in which officials
  (representatives) are chosen by the people to
  rule the government. ROME
• Tyranny a person seizes power, usually with the
  support of the poor, and then rules as he/she
  wants without laws betraying his/her people.
  CORINTH

R x R x R Rome, republic, representation!
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Timeline Assignment

• In groups of two, create a horizontal timeline
  using your lecture notes and your textbook.
  Include the date, a brief description, and a
  picture for each
• Mesopotamia and Hammurabis Law Code
• The Hebrews Moses and the Ten Commandments,
  King David, King Solomon, and the Great Diaspora
• The Greeks
• Sparta
• Greeks
• Peloponnesian War
• The Romans
• Christianity
• Justinians Law Code
• The Crusades
• The Renaissance
• The Reformation

Date Event and description Picture