Athens established what is generally considered the first democracy in the fifth century before Christ. The revisions of laws, representative justice, and citizen-based law making impacted Athens’ movement from a monarchy to a democracy, influencing the United States’ government today.
The Athenian Code of Laws was an important step in the protection of the rights of the individual. In 624 BC, Draco was appointed Archon Eponymos, the leader over the archons, to establish laws for Athens. Though the laws were fair and applied to every citizen regardless of their race, social class, or wealth, they proved to be exceedingly strict, which caused much controversy and resentment throughout Athenian society. Draco’s Code of Laws became the first to differentiate between unintentional homicides, reprimanded by a sentence of exile, with intentional murders, which were punished by the death penalty. This contribution of Draco’s laws to the Athenian government and society, however, was not sufficient enough to maintain the laws very long. Thirty years after his laws were set in motion, Draco was abolished from his role in the government and replaced by the next Archon Eponymos, Solon, in 594 BC. Solon was given power to inaugurate reforms; He appealed Draco’s code and established new laws with the exception of the homicide law. Solon led Athens out of the “Draconian Era”, a period of time with inhumane and harsh legal …show more content…
Athens’ democracy, shaped by the revision of laws, representative justice, and citizen-based law making, was run and influenced by the votes of each and every citizen. Through a few changes, the United States adapted the Athenian democracy, and now, in the twenty-first century, America uses a democratic government, but instead of a direct democracy, citizens elect lawmakers who represent their
The Athenian Code of Laws was an important step in the protection of the rights of the individual. In 624 BC, Draco was appointed Archon Eponymos, the leader over the archons, to establish laws for Athens. Though the laws were fair and applied to every citizen regardless of their race, social class, or wealth, they proved to be exceedingly strict, which caused much controversy and resentment throughout Athenian society. Draco’s Code of Laws became the first to differentiate between unintentional homicides, reprimanded by a sentence of exile, with intentional murders, which were punished by the death penalty. This contribution of Draco’s laws to the Athenian government and society, however, was not sufficient enough to maintain the laws very long. Thirty years after his laws were set in motion, Draco was abolished from his role in the government and replaced by the next Archon Eponymos, Solon, in 594 BC. Solon was given power to inaugurate reforms; He appealed Draco’s code and established new laws with the exception of the homicide law. Solon led Athens out of the “Draconian Era”, a period of time with inhumane and harsh legal …show more content…
Athens’ democracy, shaped by the revision of laws, representative justice, and citizen-based law making, was run and influenced by the votes of each and every citizen. Through a few changes, the United States adapted the Athenian democracy, and now, in the twenty-first century, America uses a democratic government, but instead of a direct democracy, citizens elect lawmakers who represent their