Which City-State Founded the First Democracy in the History of the World?
- Athens' form of democracy was true democracy. This meant that a citizen could make up a new law, and the people had the right to vote on that law. Most modern governments that claim democracy are actually representative governments, where the citizens elect someone to vote for them on laws and issues.
- Even though Athens was considered a democracy, only men who had finished their military training could vote. Slaves, women and children -- a majority of the population -- could not participate in the voting process.
- In 500 B.C., other city-states began to follow the governmental example of Athens and adopted some form of democracy. At this time in Greek history, there were no forms of representative government.
