How democracy worked in Athens, and who could take part

Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Athens and the United States

   Part	Athens (400s BCE)	United States today
   Kind of democracy	direct: citizens voted on laws themselves in the Assembly	representative: citizens elect members of Congress, who vote on laws
   Who can vote	adult male citizens	citizens 18 and older
   How most officials are chosen	by lot; generals were elected	by election

   Beside the chart: Thucydides wrote down a speech by Pericles, an Athenian leader, at a public funeral in 431 BCE, in the first year of a war with Sparta. Two passages, in the English translation by Benjamin Jowett (1881). Book II, chapter 37 (pp. 117–118): "It is true that we are called a democracy, for the administration [government] is in the hands of the many and not of the few. But while the law secures equal justice to all alike in their private disputes, the claim of excellence is also recognised; and when a citizen is in any way distinguished, he is preferred to the public service, not as a matter of privilege, but as the reward of merit [ability]." Book II, chapter 40 (p. 119): "An Athenian citizen does not neglect the state because he takes care of his own household; and even those of us who are engaged in business have a very fair idea of politics. We alone regard a man who takes no interest in public affairs, not as a harmless, but as a useless character…"

2. 1.

   What kind of democracy did Athens have, and what kind does the United States have, Ari asks?

   • Athens representative; the United States direct
   • Neither is a democracy
   • Both direct
   • Athens direct; the United States representative
3. 2.

   Who votes on laws in each government, Bo asks?

   • Athens: citizens; US: Congress
   • Both: juries
   • Athens: Congress; US: citizens
   • Both: a king
4. 3.

   How were most Athenian officials chosen, compared with US officials, Esme asks?

   • Both inherit the job
   • Athens by lot; the US by election
   • Both by lot
   • Athens by election; the US by lot
5. 4.

   In the chapter 37 passage, who holds the government in a democracy, Jun asks?

   • The few, not the many
   • The many, not the few
   • One king alone
   • Visitors to Athens
6. 5.

   When and why was the speech given, Luz asks?

   • At the 508 BCE reforms of Cleisthenes
   • At a US Congress meeting
   • At an 1881 meeting in England
   • At a public funeral in 431 BCE
7. 6.

   Pericles says power is in the hands of the many. Which careful note fits the chart too, Milo asks?

   • The many meant the whole population
   • The many meant people in 1881
   • The many meant male citizens
   • The many meant a few rich men
8. 7.

   Pericles was praising Athens at a funeral. How should a reader treat the speech, Noah asks?

   • As a law of Athens
   • As one leader's praise of his city
   • As a full and neutral report of Athens
   • As a speech by Sparta
9. 8.

   Who wrote this speech down for us to read, Pia asks?

   • Cleisthenes, in 508 BCE
   • Thucydides, a writer of the time
   • A US Congress clerk
   • Jowett, who heard it in 1881
10. 9.

    Ren's note says, "Like the US, Athens elected representatives to vote on laws." Which fix is right?

    • Leave it: both are representative
    • Change Athens to Sparta
    • Change laws to kings
    • Change it: Athenian citizens voted themselves
11. 10.

    Tala's note says, "Athens chose most officials by election, as the US does." Which fix is right?

    • Change Athens to Persia
    • Change officials to jurors
    • Change it: most were chosen by lot
    • Leave it: both use elections