Ancient Greece was one of the first places where democracy was used. In fact, ancient Greece is often called “The birthplace of democracy.” The first known democracy developed around 508 BCE in Athens under the rule of Cleisthenes. It was a direct democracy, meaning that all citizens had a say in the government.
Democracy is a system of government in which all eligible citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. It’s not necessarily the same thing as having a vote — democracies can be direct or representative — but it’s always based on the idea that political power flows from the people.
The Greeks developed democratic ideas and philosophies throughout their history, but it wasn’t until they were conquered by Alexander the Great that they began to spread these ideas around the world. However, not all Greek colonies adopted democratic governments; some were ruled by tyrants or kings.
The first known democracy developed around 508 BCE in Athens under the rule of Cleisthenes. Though there were some problems with this system, it was still a step up from what came before. For example, women were allowed to vote and own property — both things that hadn’t been possible before.
In Ancient Greece, people also had more rights than they did in other places at this time. For example, they didn’t have to pay taxes or fight in wars if they didn’t want to (though they could volunteer).
