Life in Sparta and Athens
How was life different between these two city-states?
How were boys' and girls' lives different in these two city-states?
Sparta:
~Boys went to the barracks at the age of 7.
~Girls were trained in sports.
Athens:
~Boys went to school until the age of 18, when they then became citizens.
~Girls stayed home where their mothers
taught them weaving, spinning and other household duties.
Spartan boys were very different than Athenian boys. Boys from Sparta started training for the army at age 7 and couldn't retire until age 60. Boys from Athens went to school and learned to read, write and do math until the age of 18. At the age of 18 they were to be a citizen of Athens. Girls of Athens did do different things than girls from Sparta when they were younger. But once they were mothers, they both stayed home with their children. Girls of Athens were to stay at home and learn from their mothers how to weave, spin and do other household duties. Spartan girls were trained in sports so they could be strong mothers.
What were the differences between these governments?
~Oligarchy
~2 kings
~28 member council of elders
~5 ephors
~Assembly
Athens:
~Democracy
~All men were citizens.
~All men could be participants of an assembly and law courts, could debate, appoint army generals and hear court cases.
~Council of 500 citizens that wrote laws. The council was chosen annually by a lottery.
Sparta and Athens at one point were both oligarchies. Later on Athens changed from an oligarchy to a democracy. Athenians wanted everyone to have a say in their government. Spartans wanted only certain people to have a say, not all. They thought it would be better if only some were part of their government. Athenians thought that it would be fair to have everyone have a say, not just a few.