Democracy in Athens essays

Democracy in Athens essays From Athens to Today: The Evolution of Democracy The form of political organization that evolved in the polis of Athens over the course of the sixth, fifth, and fourth centuries B.C. is one of the most well-known legacies of the Greco-Roman world. This idea, known as democracy, is now widely accepted as the most desirable form of human political organization. Moreover, the Athenian democracy represents one of the longest periods of popular self-government in human history, equaled among modern countries only by the United States. The Greek word demokratia can be translated literally as the people possess the political power in the state. An Athenian invention, democracy, is traditionally credited to Kleisthenes, but the reforms of 508 and 507 B.C. that go under his name were the result of many different forces. Democracy continued to develop over nearly two centuries from 508 to 322. While democracy got its roots in ancient Greece, it is important to make a distinction between ancient democracy and the various modern versions of government under the same name. In ancient Greece, the government of the people by the people and for the people was carried out directly by the citizens, whereas in modern democracies voters (who are not necessarily citizens) elect representatives to take decisions on their behalf and have no direct access to political power on a day-to-day basis. Athens, it seems, was a direct, not representative, democracy. The structure and functioning of the Athenian direct democracy differed greatly from those of our representative democracy. There were no government departments, no civil service, and only a limited archive system. Decisions were taken and executed directly by the Athenian people. Much of the appeal of the ancient democracy rested upon the attractiveness of two closely related ideas: first, that all citizens, despite differences in their socio-economic standing, should ha...

Massospondylus - Facts and Figures

Massospondylus - Facts and Figures Name: Massospondylus (Greek for large vertebrae); pronounced MASS-oh-SPON-dill-us Habitat: Woodlands of South Africa Historical Period: Early Jurassic (208-190 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 13 feet long and 300 pounds Diet: Plants Distinguishing Characteristics: Large, five-fingered hands; long neck and tail About Massospondylus Massospondylus is a good example of the class of dinosaurs known as prosauropodssmall-to-medium sized, small-brained herbivores of the early Jurassic period whose relatives later evolved into towering sauropods like Barosaurus and Brachiosaurus. In early 2012, Massospondylus made headlines thanks to the discovery in South Africa of preserved nesting grounds, containing fossilized eggs and embryos, dating to the early Jurassic period (about 190 million years ago) This plant-eaterwhich paleontologists believe stomped in stampede-sized numbers across the plains of early Jurassic South Africais also a case study in changing views of dinosaur behavior. For decades, it was widely believed that Massospondylus walked on all fours, only occasionally rearing up on its hind legs to reach vegetation. In the last few years, though, convincing evidence has come to light that Massospondylus was primarily bipedal, and faster (and more agile) than was previously believed. Because it was discovered so early in paleontological historyin 1854, by the famous naturalist Sir Richard OwenMassospondylus has generated its share of confusion, as various fossil remains have been incorrectly assigned to this genus. For instance, this dinosaur has been identified (at one time or another) with such dubious and now-discarded names as Aristosaurus, Dromicosaurus, Gryponyx, Hortalotarsus, Leptospondylus, and Pachyspondylus.