Analyze Athenian direct democracy (Cleisthenes' reforms 508 BCE through the Periclean period and the end of the Classical Athenian democracy in 322 BCE) — its institutions (Assembly / Council of 500 / popular courts / ostracism) AND its citizenship-exclusion ratio (~10-13% per Mogens Herman Hansen 1991): only adult male citizens could vote; women, enslaved people (~25-30% of Attic population), metics (resident foreigners), and children were excluded
Exercise
Difficulty 4
~7 min
hist.g6.f.ex_29
Structured Writing
Prompt
Athenian direct democracy was BOTH revolutionary AND deeply exclusionary. Defend both halves of this statement in a 5-sentence response. Name 3 groups excluded from voting.
How it's presented
mode
text
Answer criteria
type
rubric scored writing
rubric
3 stars: revolutionary aspect named (popular sovereignty for the time; direct citizen voting; first known democracy by name) + exclusionary aspect named with ~10-13% ratio + 3 excluded groups (women + enslaved + metics + children — any 3) + 'both ... and' framing. 2 stars: 3 of 4. 1 star: 2. 0: <2.
Hints
- Both facts are true simultaneously.
- Refuse euphemism (don't downplay exclusions) AND refuse cynicism (don't deny revolutionary aspect).
Misconceptions to watch
- Treating Athenian democracy as fully inclusive
- Treating Athenian democracy as 'just an oligarchy'
Used in lessons