Question

Which statement best explains the differences between the democracy of the Athenian polis and the structure of the Roman Republic? A) In the Athenian polis, all citizens had the right to vote and participate in the government, while in the Roman Republic, only a select group of elite citizens, known as the patricians, had significant political power. B) Both the Athenian polis and the Roman Republic had a system of direct democracy, where citizens voted directly on laws and policies. C) The Athenian polis had a strong executive branch led by a king, while the Roman Republic had a system of checks and balances with multiple branches of government. D) The Roman Republic practiced a form of direct democracy, while the Athenian polis had a republican system with elected officials.

Answer 1

The Athenian polis had a system of direct democracy where all citizens had the right to vote, while the Roman Republic had a system where only a select group of elite citizens, the patricians, held significant political power. The correct option is (A).

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that best explains the differences between the Athenian polis and the structure of the Roman Republic is:

A) In the Athenian polis, all citizens had the right to vote and participate in the government, while in the Roman Republic, only a select group of elite citizens, known as the patricians, had significant political power.

In the Athenian polis, the system of government was a direct democracy, where citizens voted directly on laws and government matters. However, not all individuals were eligible to vote, and it is estimated that only around 15% of citizens were eligible. On the other hand, in the Roman Republic, political power was held by a select group of elite citizens, the patricians, and the rest of the population, known as the plebeians, had limited political rights.

Answer 2

The difference between Athenian direct democracy and the Roman Republic was that all eligible Athenian citizens could participate directly in government, while in Rome, initially, only the patrician elite held significant political power.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most accurate statement that explains the differences between the democracy of the Athenian polis and the structure of the Roman Republic is A) In the Athenian polis, all citizens had the right to vote and participate in the government, while in the Roman Republic, only a select group of elite citizens, known as the patricians, had significant political power.

In ancient Athens, we observe a direct democracy, where all eligible citizens could directly participate in the decision-making process. Participation in the Athenian Assembly was open to all free, male, landowning citizens, which historians estimate numbered between 30,000 and 50,000. However, not all individuals living in Athens had the right to vote; women, slaves, and foreigners were excluded. The Assembly made all decisions regarding war, treaties, laws, and had substantial power over executive matters.

In contrast, the Roman Republic operated as a representative democracy called a republic. Only patricians, the aristocratic elite, could initially hold public office and participate in the Roman Senate. Although plebeians, the common people, fought for and slowly gained more political rights over time, the early Republic was characterized by a division of power weighted heavily in favor of the patrician class.