The Greeks : The World 's First Inventors Of Democracy, Politics, And Art

The Ancient Greeks have done so much for the western civilizations. Their success in art, philosophy, architecture, science, government, and history have influenced the western civilizations to use their ideas. Many different people came up with different ideas to contribute to their government. New ideas and conclusions were constantly being made because of philosophers asking questions all the time. They really helped shaped Ancient Greece's government.

Greece was a very high-class civilization, where the government was based on city-states. Perhaps their greatest invention of all was the form of government they came up with, which we still use today-democracy. However these Greek democracies are nothing like our democracy today. The probably most well known ruler of Greece was Alexander the Great. He was the leader of Macedonia, the city-state that took control over Greece, and he eventually gained control over Greece as a whole. Alexander the Great was probably the best leader of all time in Greece. He conquered new lands, but he was the first person to adopt the new land's customs, instead of forcing his customs on the new territory. This is why many of the civilizations he conquered actually were glad he took them over. He also encouraged his soldiers to marry the women from the new territories to show cultural involvement.

Throughout history there have been many contributions to Western civilization made by the Ancient Greeks. The Ancient Greeks contributed in the areas of art, democracy, sports, architecture, theater, philosophy, math, and science. These contributions were the forefront and beginning ideals that were established so many years ago, but are still used today. They were responsible for many contributions to Western civilization, the Greeks had the first known democracy, they were known for their amazing architecture, and the Ancient Greek Olympics are still carried out today.

The Greeks created first democracy in the world. People voted for their leaders, and were involved in public life. Greeks philosopher provided the origin of western philosophy, medicine, and natural sciences. Greek architecture is evident in every court in the U.S. Greeks invented drama. Drama is the form of tragedy and comedy. Minoan culture around (2000 B.C.E. - 1400 B.C.E.) was earliest civilization in the Aegean region emerged on the large island of Crete. By 2800 B.C.E., to make weapons they used metals, especially bronze. Minoan had many trade networks. The peasant paid high taxes. Mycenaean culture around (1600 B.C.E- 1100 B.C.E.) was highly militaristic society. The king collected taxes and controlled bronze and wooden production. The

Ancient Greece was one of the most advanced civilization in terms of social, economic, political, religious, philosophy, art and literature. But why were they so ahead compared to earlier civilizations such as Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, and the Indus Valley? Ancient Greece had the geography, the power along with influence, and the right society to develop into one of the most successful civilization ever. Their geography allowed for them to create multiple city-states and easy agriculture which also a large part of their economy. Greece's government and society allowed them to produce some of the most well known philosopher, mathematicians, and scientist. Greece's government and society was mainly focused on teaching and exploring many areas of knowledge, this lead to many great philosophers and mathematicians.

​One result of the revolution in Athens in 508 BCE was that Cleisthenes was made the leader of Athens. Athens wanted Cleisthenes to be the ruler because he promised to give the power to the people. “Cleisthenes… enlisted the people on his side, offering to hand over the government to the multitude” (Aristotle). Cleisthenes was one of the most influential leaders of Ancient Athens. He wanted to end the tyranny and aristocracy that had previously ruled Athens. Democracy was important to the Athenians because with democracy, they were not ruled by selfish tyrants or greedy aristocrats. The last ruler of Athens was a tyrant named Hippias ("Ancient Sources"). Hippias was exiled from Athens by the citizens with help from the Spartans.

The ancient Greeks were some very interesting people. From their earlier days until the time of their civilization, the Greeks still had a quest for power and prestige. Regardless of what the Greeks went through, they still remained a very dominant force in the ancient world of Europe.

There were multiple contributors to the fate of the Greeks. Athens, a major Greek city-state, started their government with Aristocrats in control. However, Cleisthenes, an Aristocrat, had a different dream of democracy. Once he became the ruler, he began to put democracy into place. He was interrupted when Isagoras overthrew and exiled him. The people of Athens did not like the tyrant Isagoras was; they revolted and got Cleisthenes back. He brought democracy and now the people were part of the government. The democracy was tested when the Persian Wars caused the democratic people to come together and fight. Next was Themistocles, who came to power through democracy. He knew after the first victory, the Persians would be back and got his people to form a navy. He planned to fight the Persians by water; by evacuating the Acropolis, he lead the Persians to the sea and defeated them. The time of peace started with Pericles, the new democratic leader of Athens, wanting to build the Parthenon on top of the Acropolis. Pericles wanted more, causing problems with Sparta. Sparta formed an alliance with Persians and trapped Athenians in the city.

Not only was Athens a massive empire, but it functioned on the premise of a democracy. The era that preceded the Peloponnesian War is commonly known as the golden age of Athenian culture. It was under the rule of Pericles that Athens was able to flourish in the way that it did. Athens under Pericles’ rule was a better and more thorough democratic society than modern America. Fundamentally speaking, a democracy

Ongoing governance issues in Athens led to a second set of reforms by Cleisthenes. He broke up the established political classes of the time and ushered the most direct form of democracy yet. Following his reforms, it was possible for any citizen of Athens to take a direct part in government via the large judiciary or vote in a one-man one-vote arrangement. (Farrar,

The Greek Golden Age was ushered in by war, and the result of such barbaric actions was Greece's greatest humanistic achievements. The start of the war that heralded the Greek Golden Age began with the Ionian revolt. This revolt led to mainland Greek assisting the Ionian cities to stave off the ever expanding Persian imperialism. The war became known as the Greco-Persian war and was fought with Greece standing at a united front, however, at the end of the Greco-Persian war around 480 B.C.E., Athens claimed political dominion among the city states of Greece; afterwards, commercial supremacy in the Aegean sea fell to Athens thus granting them a vastly improved age of trade. Due to the vigor that enhanced commerce and victory had granted, the Athenians ushered in an age of Drama, philosophy, music, art, and architecture that would later be known as the Greek Golden Age. This golden age is widely recognized as one of the greatest creative movements in the history of the world as far

He was a wise poet elected as chief executive. This position is where he started intelligent methodologies to community problems. Solon destabilizes hereditary aristocracy and starts the conversion of Athens into a democracy. This change includes acts of canceling debts and freeing Athenians enslaved for debt, refusing to confiscate nobles’ land, permitting all classes of free men (including poorest) to sit in the assembly, opening highest offices to wealthy commoners and, also initiating key economic reforms and industrial expansion Another contributor to Athenian democracy is Pisistratus, the Tyrant.

For most of its early history Greece was a confederation of city-states. Which included Sparta, Corinth, Athens, Megara, and Argos. The Spartans, were recognized as one of the most fierce warrior states in known history. The Corinthians, were problem solvers and had the best innovations of ancient Greece states. Athenians, were the most schooled and cultured of the city-states the birthplace of philosophy considered the leader of the city-states. Megarians, were the best known for there ship-building and sailors out of all the states. Then there was the Argonians, were the economically sound and were excellent traders. Then Philip the Second of Macedonia, in 359 B.C. Conquered and quelled the Greek City-States, and united them under one banner

The Greek’s victory over Persia marked the beginning of not only an era, but of cultural expansion that continues to impact our modern day society. The accomplishments and endeavors of the Ancient Greeks, both visible, such as arts and architecture, as well as intellectually in areas such as philosophy, science and government continue to influence the world today. Many or none of these influential elements of Ancient Greece would have come to fruition in such a…. way if the Greeks had not defeated the Persians. The freedom to think and expand provided the basis to thrive locally and globally. It was a turning point in the fate of Europe and subsequently the rest of the world which was built on European principles.

Solon is the second person to reform the laws of Athens. He began revising laws in the 590s BC and “allowed all men in Athens to take part in the assembly that governed the city and to serve on the juries that heard trials” (SOURCE 1). Along with participation in the assembly, Solon “forbade the practice of debt slavery and set up a fund to buy back Athenian slaves who had been sold abroad” (SOURCE 2). Solon “based eligibility for political office on property qualifications, not birth,” permitting those not born of high social status to have the opportunity to hold an office (SOURCE 2). Through all of these events, society still did not accept the laws and because of this, more problems arose. During the troubles and chaos, a man by the name of Peisistratus “took advantage of the renewed conflict to seize power” (SOURCE 1). Peisistratus is a tyrant among the Athenians, however, is a popular person. This is because he “proceeded to institute Solon’s reforms” (SOURCE 2). The men of Athens who participated in the democracy were to “vote in all elections, serve in office if elected, serve on juries, and serve in the military during the war” (SOURCE 1). Cleisthenes, another law reformer, “divided Athens into 10 tribes based on where people lived” and “made these new tribes…the basis for elections” (SOURCE 1). The tribes had to send