Timeline
3300 BCE- Sumer Cities
-Beginning of Democracythe free citizens met, discussed and made decisions for themselves in a democratic assembly. As the cities grew the citizens found it necessary to elect one of their most capable citizens to lead them through troubling times
1200 BCE- Ancient India
-Sabhi Samiti: Assembly“may we discuss and resolve all issues amicably”
500 BCE- Greeks and Romans
-Athens- Direct Democracy- Demos- the people
Kratis- authority
- Only for Citizens- limited
-RomanRepublic- Representative Democracy
-Only for Citizens- limited
-Polybius- believed in a 3 part government
1. Monarchy 2. Aristocracy 3. Democracy
-Aristotle, Plato, Cicero- also believed in separation of power
68 BCE- Ostia
-Roman port city- Attacked by Pirates
-City was burned- many died- including Royal Governor
-Start of the End of Historical Democracy
DIVINE RITE- Belief that if you went against the king, you would be excommunicated (or kicked out) from the church
1100s- English Common Law
- 1. court system
- 2. juries
- 3. laws
- the court decisions became laws for all (except the king) to follow
1215- Magna Carta
- established rights that even the monarch can’t take away
-there would be no taxes on barons without permission of council (influential barons)
-Trial by Jury- only protected the elite
1200-1600s- Parliament
- council of the lords
- the king must get approval from them
1619- House of Burgesses
- occurred in Jamestown
- first legislature of the colonies
- met with the governor
1620- Mayflower Compact
- government should make just and equal laws for the good of the community
- Direct Democracy- town meetings
1628-Petition of Right
-written by lords of Parliament
-King can’t break laws or arrest without use of law
-king can’t levy taxes without permission
1689- English Bill of Rights
- rights of all citizens
- everyone must obey laws
- trial by jury of peers and petition the government
1600-1700s- Age of Enlightenment
- 1. John Locke- idea that the purpose of government was to protect your natural rights- life, liberty, and property
- 2. Jean Jacques Rousseau- said that ideal society has community contract, more than 1 ruler, some freedoms are given up, and a community of voters
- 3. Baron de Montesquieu- ensure government protects people’s natural rights- do this by dividing the government and using a system of checks and balances