Democracy

Opposites are differences and can have some things in common; but, the features of what makes them different are what truly makes the two objects opposite. The American and Athenian democracies are two examples of huge opposites. The two civilizations both have ways that make them the great powerful places that they are and were. Ways in which each group votes, or how one can become a citizen, or who the leader of the each group shows important ideas of how the two societies differ.

In every country in the current day, citizenship is very hard to come of; however, back when Athens ruled the Mediterranean, not as many tests were required. A grueling process it will be to become a citizen of a country, but in Athens it was only required that one be born to a citizen and no others could be come a citizen. In America becoming a citizen is very hard; one must only form allegiance with America and no other, and accept all the responsibilities of any other American. If one meets all the requirements then almost anyone can become a citizen. In Athens, not everyone was a citizen. Meaning, that citizenship was only given to the males and not the females. This put many restraints on what women could do, until of course the Hellenistic Period.

The democracies of America and Athens are very different, but in the relation of how the two societies voted in some cases were very similar. For instance, when the people of Athens would vote for something, they would put a black stone in a pot for no and a white stone for yes. In America they would raise their hands to signify yes which is similar in some ways to that of how the Athenians would vote. Women; however, could not vote in Athens and it wasn't until later in American history that the Americans allowed their women to vote. Though, while Americans have specially qualified people to condemn a person who is being prosecuted, the Athenians just picked wealthy or well known people. In Athens there were no lawyers unlike that of the United States. A point that is different between the two cultures is that when a group of Athens would vote it would be outside and if they choose they could share with others who they voted for. This is unrelated to America where everything

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