The history of pizza Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The history of pizza - Assignment Example Different analysts agree that the Italians prepared a basic form of pizza as early as the Stone Age. At this time, the bread served as a plate as it was used to sop up broth or gravies. The idea of using bread as a plate did not originate from the Italians; it originated from the Greeks. Between 521 and 486 B.C., historians note that the soldiers of Darius the Great made a kind of bread using their shields as ovens. They then covered the flat bread with dates and cheese and ate them for nourishment during their long marches. The third century B.C. saw Marcus Porcius Cato write about how people made flat bread on stones before dressing them with such things as honey, herbs, and olive oil. For the next several centuries, the trend of baking flat bread and topping it with different foods became well established. Between 1700 and 1800 A.D., the Greek settlement of Naples grew to become a populous city. The poor people who lived and worked in the city needed cheap food that they could conveniently consume as they went about their businesses. To meet this need, street vendors and informal restaurants prepared flat breads that they topped with different things. Although considered disgusting by many people at the time, the early pizzas that the poor people of Naple fed on have a close resemblance with what people consume as pizza today. Like it commonly happens today, these early pizzas were dressed with garlic, anchovies, tomatoes, and cheese. One individual that receives a lot of credit for inventing the modern form of pizza is Raffaele Esposito, a baker from Naples. The baker who owned a restaurant named Pizzeria di Pietro baked something that he fondly called â€Å"pizza†. His drive to make the pizza resulted from his desire to please the Italian, King Umberto I, and his wife, Queen Margherita, whom he learnt would be visiting his area. Although served with a variety of pizzas as they sought a break from their constant diet

Understanding Rhetorical Structures as They Pertain to Audience Essay Example for Free

Understanding Rhetorical Structures as They Pertain to Audience Essay This paper is about the understanding of the Rhetorical Structures as they pertain to audience, purpose, and context and how they affect the argument of whether taxes should be raised on higher income brackets in order to fund social programs for at-risk and underserved, low income children. I will discuss the relationship between the audience, purpose, and context to the context of the argument. Understanding Rhetorical Structures How do audience, purpose, and context affect the argument of whether taxes should be raised on higher income brackets in order to fund social programs for at-risk and underserved, low income children. I will discuss the relationship between the audience, purpose, and context to the context of the argument. Discussion The goal of this discussion is to see the relationship between audience, purpose, and context of should Taxes be raised for higher income brackets in order to fund social programs for at-risk, underserved, and low income children. The first audience for this group are wealth fortune 500 CEO’s. They are considered the in the higher income bracket in my opinion. They need to be educated on the understanding that even though most lower income families struggle, it is not because they are not trying. The economy has taken its toll on a lot of jobs here in the US over the past couple of years and even though they are working a full time job and sometimes two full time jobs, they cannot afford any kind of social program for their children. The present economy conditions are hurting the lower income families to the point that they struggle to make ends meet and can sometimes barley afford to put food on the table for their children. The higher income bracket would need to see just how little the additional taxes would take from them and what the benefits of those taxes could do for a low income family struggling to make ends meet. They still could possibly not be receptive to the idea, but giving them examples of the cost and benefits of such programs I think they would start to understand. The second audience for this group is the low income families of at-risk, and underserved, low income children. They need to be educated on the benefits that could come from the higher taxes. In my opinion, the higher income bracket can afford the higher taxes to fund some of these programs. The cost of living, food, gas, and housing all affect the income of many families in the US. If they understood what could come from the taxes, they could get some reissuance as to vote on such a bill if it came up to vote for the public. Education on the subject of the current tax laws would be a good example of what the different taxes brackets that are used today in the US. Lower income families would jump on the idea of being able to send their children to a soccer camp, or baseball camp. According to an article on â€Å"Taxing the rich is good for the economy†, raising taxes on the higher income bracket would reduce the taxes on low and middle income families. This would also allow for those families to keep more of their income to use towards these programs. All in all I think it would be a beneficial idea to entertain. The context of the economy, food, and taxes all play an important role in this argument. The higher income bracket would be resistant to the idea until they were presented with facts on the cost and the minimal decrease in income for them. The lower income families would be blessed with some relief with their children’s social experience and the ability to provide more learning resources to them.

Criticisms of Utilitarianism

Criticisms of Utilitarianism Essentially, utilitarianism holds that the correct course of action is that which will create the greatest level of happiness. Bentham called this the greatest happiness principle or the greatest felicity principle. He wrote the greatest happiness of all those whose interests are in question, as being right and proper, and only right and proper and universally desirable, end of human action. Utilitarians seek an empirical basis for morality through the measurement of happiness. The question that a utilitarian will ask himself is will this, of all possible actions, contribute most to the general happiness? Happiness is seen as the only thing that is good in itself and unhappiness the only thing that is bad in itself. Utilitarianism has broadly been categorised as either act utilitarianism, which is the form upon which Bentham founded his hypotheses and rule utilitarianism, which was developed by John Stuart Mill. Act utilitarianism envisages that the best course of action in any given situation is the act that will result in the greatest utility (i.e. the greatest benefit). Rule utilitarianism, on the other hand, holds that the correct course of action is that which follows the general rule which gives rise to the greatest utility. So, for example, it might be justifiable in terms of act utilitarianism for a group of friends to rob a person and share the money between themselves, but if this was to be the rule applied in every such situation then the effect on society as a whole would be such as to outweigh any happiness created by the act. CRITICISMS OF UTILITARIANISM Intuitively speaking, utilitarianism appears to be an extremely attractive philosophy. It offers a simplicity that many other philosophical approaches lack and in particular cuts through the mish mash of moral rules favoured by deontological thinkers. It is reconcilable with the majoritarianism favoured by democratic systems of government. Moreover, utilitarianism offers an obvious answer to the question of why we should act in a certain way in the absence of a religious justification. Despite this, the theory has attracted copious criticism. On a practical level, utilitarianism has been derided as unworkable, and even absurd. It has been argued that there is no adequate means of defining happiness, nor any suitable method for quantifying levels of happiness. Even if the theory can be made to work on a practical level, others argue, the results are morally wrong. Others object to the reduction of the human experience to the pursuit of pleasure. The various criticisms are too numerous and intricate to discuss in detail here and as such I will confine my discussion to two criticisms that are particularly prevalent in philosophical literature: the first relating to practical problems in applying the utilitarian concept and the second dealing with concerns arising from the results of utilitarian analysis. (1) Impossibility the untenability of the felicific calculus One of the most obvious problems with utilitarianism is that happiness, which lies at the heart of the theory, is an abstract concept. How can we hope to measure a quality that exists only in our minds? Furthermore, if we cannot measure happiness, how can we tell the effects that an action will have on the amount of happiness within a society? Bentham proposed a mathematical formula for calculating how an action will affect levels of happiness, which he called the felicific calculus, or utility calculus. In Chapter 4 of An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, Bentham sets out his formula in detail. In spite of this attempt at mathematisation, it is clear, as Smart points out, that the weighing of consequences seems more often a matter of vague intuition than of scientific calculation. The felicific calculus cannot really account for different degrees of happiness nor of the fact that different people are made happy by different things, and to different degrees. It cannot scan the minds of the population and know for certain what will increase their happiness. It is often impossible to predict even what the consequences of an action will be, so any attempt to predict the effects on happiness are presumably equally unfeasible. For example, a utilitarian might argue that, if it were possible to travel back in time, then it would be entirely permissible to murder Hitler in order to prevent the deaths of millions of people. However, it is impossible for us to know what the results of this would have been. Perhaps an even more wicked dictator would win power in his place and this could result in the suffering and death of twice as many people. Based on this difficulty, Bernard Williams, among others, ridicules the felicific calculus as absurd. He argues that utilitarians would be trapped in an eternal process of calculation in an effort to determine every tiny consequence of their actions. One utilitarian response to this accusation is that utilitarian calculations should be carried out subject to reasonable limits. If the calculation procedure was left to rattle on ad infinitum then it in itself would become too costly and would itself outweigh the benefits to be derived from the calculation. Allison said that utilitarians should adopt the summary rules approach taken by Rawls in A Theory of Justice. A pragmatic approach seems reasonable. J S Mill argued that, although the calculations were crucial, they have already been carried out in the whole past duration of the human species and have now come to form part of our moral rules. Therefore, we do not require to sit calculating the outcome of every action before we make it. Of course, to some extent it will be possible to tell instinctively what will result in the greatest happiness. Unfortunately, this does rather undermine the empirical approach that utilitarians seem to be aiming for. In any event, the felicific calculus is unconvincing as a tool of genuine usefulness and even modern utilitarians appear to have come to reject it. (2) Conflict with the concept of individual rights Utilitarianism, as has previously been remarked upon, is primarily concerned with the interests of the majority of the community. This is anathema to those who support the concept of individual rights as paramount. Dworkin, for example, believed that rights are trumps that overwhelm all other moral considerations. Although he noted the apparent egalitarian and impartial nature of utilitarianism, and acknowledged that utilitarian argument not only respects, but embodies, the right of each citizen to be treated as the equal of any other he goes on to point out that this was deceptive and could easily lead to the infringement of individual rights. He gives the example of how racial segregation might be justified under the happiness principle on the basis that segregation might be of benefit to a white law student as it would protect his interests even though a minority would suffer. Dworkin neatly summarises his position when he writes If someone has a right to do something then it is wrong for the government to try to deny it to him even though it would be in the general interest to do so. It has been argued that the consequentialist nature of theory means that all manner of rights violations and atrocities might be justified by utilitarian analysis. If the end justifies the means then, to give a topical example, is it acceptable to torture a terrorist in order to obtain information as to the whereabouts of a bomb? Is it acceptable to torture his family to pressurise the terrorist into talking? If the torture results in the finding of a bomb, which is then defused, saving many lives, then the utilitarian position would presumably support the torture in both cases. Rights-based theorists, on the other hand, would consider torture to be a violation of the terrorists rights that could never be justified. Moreover, at an instinctive level the average person would be revolted at the thought of torture, if not of the terrorist then certainly of the terrorists family. It is difficult to see how utilitarianism can be reconciled with human instinct in such circumstances. A rule-utilitarian would seek to circumvent this problem by arguing that torture, if applied as a general rule, would have such a detrimental effect on society that its use cannot be justified under the greatest happiness principle. Torture in a single situation might be justified, but the fear and shame that would arise in the community at large as a result of a widely used policy of torture would outweigh the immediate benefit in this situation. John Stuart Mill also argued that there was utilitarian value in the protection of rights, since this would increase overall happiness. This is a compelling argument. The act-utilitarian, however, would seemingly be bound to accept the torture as morally legitimate. What, then, of large-scale atrocities? It could be argued that a consequentialist approach has been used to justify many of the worlds worst crimes against humanity. Smart concedes that, under a strict utilitarian analysis, it would be justifiable to cause suffering and death to a large number of people on the grounds that an even larger number would ultimately benefit. However, he points out that it would be necessary in utilitarian terms to be very sure that the future generation would benefit and, since it would almost certainly be impossible to be so certain of the future, utilitarianism would not in fact sanction the atrocity. Moreover, he says, even if we could predict the future with absolute certainty, the chance that a large-scale atrocity would result in a benefit of sufficient scale to outweigh the horror it causes is so remote that utilitarians would almost certainly condemn the atrocity. Unfortunately, this defensive argument serves to re-iterate one of the criticisms previously alluded to allude: namely, the difficulties inherent in predicting the consequences of ones actions. By admitting that we cannot predict the outcome of, for example, genocide, Smart leaves utilitarian theory open to the accusation that there are many actions for which we cannot predict the outcome, which would suggest that it is too risky to ever take any action at all. Smart confesses that a utilitarian may have to confess doubt and ignorance is of course in accordance with his empirical attitude, however this seems to be passing the buck somewhat given the staunchly empirical tradition that underlies utilitarianism. CONCLUSION The classical conception of utilitarianism as presented by its early adherents is certainly flawed and, with such keystone concepts as the felicific calculus having been undermined, it might appear that utilitarianism as a philosophical position is otiose. Moreover, it is difficult to see where utilitarianism can sit comfortably within our contemporary culture of individual rights and freedoms. Modern utilitarians, however, continue to argue their corner. Raymond Frey, also quoted by Allison, argues that utilitarianism has never ceased to occupy a central place in moral theorising [and] has come to have a significant impact on the thinking of many laymen. The actions of governments, both in this country and abroad, in response to a perceived increase in the threat of terrorism is arguably testimony to extent to which utilitarianism influences current political thinking. Of course, it may be some time before we discover whether these actions are ultimately successful in ter ms of the maximisation of happiness or whether they have the opposite effect.

Demise of the Great Democracy Essays -- Education

Demise of the Great Democracy From the Declaration of Independence, where America’s forefathers had bounties on their lives; to the fight for integration in 1960- America strives to create equal opportunities within its boundaries. â€Å"Land of the Free† and â€Å"Land of Opportunity,† rightfully earned names America hold. Keeping the opportunities rolling, the G.I. Bill allowed war veterans to attend college at an affordable rate, giving every person a chance to attain their full potential, no matter their situation. Unfortunately, an educational gap still continued to stabilize, sending America into the hands of literate voters and a questionable future. The current solution to this gap, called the No Child Left Behind Act, (NCLB), insists that schools use standardized tests to show improvement in students each year. These tests attempt to stitch-up the educational gap but fails overall because it pushes the best and the brightest students down to an average level of a nation ranked numbe r forty-two in literacy in the world, (Mundi Index). While the No Child Left Behind Act delivers more accountability on education systems, and has a great intention of improving students to a proficient level, it also causes a detrimental, disadvantageous, and stunting growth of our democratic nation. Revised as The No Child left Behind Act, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, presented in President Lyndon B. Johnson’s â€Å"War on Poverty,† aimed to reduce the nation’s high poverty rate during 1965, (US Government). Closing the achievement gaps between the economical classes of America’s by providing equal opportunity provided the Elementary and Secondary Education Act’s (ESEA) goal. President Johnson only authorized this act until 1970,... ...p://www.nagc.org/index2.aspx?id=548>. "No Child Left Behind Act." New York Times. 9 2 2012: n. page. Web. 13 Mar. 2012. . Phelps, Richard P. Defending Standardized Testing. Introduction. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers, 2005. Pollard, Jonathan. StandardizedTesting.net. 2002. January 2012 . US Government. U.S. Department of Education. 6 12 2010. January 2012 . US Legal. USlegal.com. n.d. February 2012 . White, Deborah. "Pros & Cons of the No Child Left Behind Act." US Liberal Politics . New York Times Company, n.d. Web. 14 Mar 2012. . Demise of the Great Democracy Essays -- Education Demise of the Great Democracy From the Declaration of Independence, where America’s forefathers had bounties on their lives; to the fight for integration in 1960- America strives to create equal opportunities within its boundaries. â€Å"Land of the Free† and â€Å"Land of Opportunity,† rightfully earned names America hold. Keeping the opportunities rolling, the G.I. Bill allowed war veterans to attend college at an affordable rate, giving every person a chance to attain their full potential, no matter their situation. Unfortunately, an educational gap still continued to stabilize, sending America into the hands of literate voters and a questionable future. The current solution to this gap, called the No Child Left Behind Act, (NCLB), insists that schools use standardized tests to show improvement in students each year. These tests attempt to stitch-up the educational gap but fails overall because it pushes the best and the brightest students down to an average level of a nation ranked numbe r forty-two in literacy in the world, (Mundi Index). While the No Child Left Behind Act delivers more accountability on education systems, and has a great intention of improving students to a proficient level, it also causes a detrimental, disadvantageous, and stunting growth of our democratic nation. Revised as The No Child left Behind Act, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, presented in President Lyndon B. Johnson’s â€Å"War on Poverty,† aimed to reduce the nation’s high poverty rate during 1965, (US Government). Closing the achievement gaps between the economical classes of America’s by providing equal opportunity provided the Elementary and Secondary Education Act’s (ESEA) goal. President Johnson only authorized this act until 1970,... ...p://www.nagc.org/index2.aspx?id=548>. "No Child Left Behind Act." New York Times. 9 2 2012: n. page. Web. 13 Mar. 2012. . Phelps, Richard P. Defending Standardized Testing. Introduction. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers, 2005. Pollard, Jonathan. StandardizedTesting.net. 2002. January 2012 . US Government. U.S. Department of Education. 6 12 2010. January 2012 . US Legal. USlegal.com. n.d. February 2012 . White, Deborah. "Pros & Cons of the No Child Left Behind Act." US Liberal Politics . New York Times Company, n.d. Web. 14 Mar 2012. .

Biological And Physical Process Of Aging Essay -- essays research pape

The aging process is difficult to analyze because of the way that the body’s organ systems work together. The breakdown of one structure will ultimately affect the function of others. The medical field of gerontology deals with examining the biological changes of aging, both passive and active, that occur at the molecular and cellular levels. This paper will seek to explore those changes, and the affect that they have on the process of aging. Aging as a passive process involves the breakdown of structures and the resulting slowing of functions. At the molecular level, passive aging is seen as the degeneration of the elastin and collagen proteins of connective tissues. These proteins are primarily responsible for the smoothness and firmness of young skin. Consequently, when these proteins breakdown, the skin will sag, and the muscle will lose its firmness. Another sign of passive aging is the breakdown of lipids at the biochemical level. As aging membranes leak during this lipid degeneration, a fatty, brown pigment known as lipofuscin accumulates. As this happens, the mitochondria, or the â€Å"powerhouse of the cell† begins to break down, thereby decreasing the amount of energy that is being supplied to the cell. This cellular degeneration may be set into action by highly reactive chemicals known as free radicals. These molecules have an unpaired electron in the outermost valence shell. This causes the molecule to grab electrons from other molecules, setting into motion a chai...

X-IT and Kidde Case Study

They depicted an interest in purchasing X-IT; more particularly just intellectual property of their ladder design and X-IT was not closed to the idea. A fear that most companies hold when collaborating with another is of protecting their proprietary technologies. X-IT had this fear as well and applied for a patent. Unfortunately, due to a lack of money and in turn a lack of knowledge power, they were unable to protect their innovation from Kidded. Kidded, with the help of an unethical attorney, worked around X-IT's still processing patent to â€Å"legally' create a similar ladder.Nonetheless, X-IT does hold a fair amount of ammunition against Kidded. Copyright infringement and the breach of confidentiality agreements are the strongest legal claims that X-IT has. Within the confidentiality agreement between these two companies, it clearly states that Kidded would only use the pending patent information to analyze the potential transaction (purchasing X-IT). Additionally, it was agree d upon that the patent information would be kept limited to individuals involved in the transaction and that if X-IT requested the information back, it would have to be returned.Although Kidded had agreed to use X-IT's patent information only to evaluate, they used it for another purpose altogether. With the aid of an outside attorney, they utilized the information to make a change in the ladder's design that could possibly provide Just enough Justification to prove that they were not infringing. In fact, if X-IT had the funds they most likely would have won a case against Kidded. The copyright infringement by Kidded was impossible to miss and, if taken to court, would weigh heavily.At the Hardware Show, Kidded not only displayed but also presented their version of X-IT's ladder to numerous retail representatives (eye-witnesses). The convicting evidence here is that Kidded failed to change the retail box design which evicted Debonairness nephew and sister-in-law. Possibly, this was a way to trick consumers into thinking that it was the same product X-IT was selling. 2. Even though suing Kidded seems like the ethical step to take, there are pros and cons to such action. A pro of suing Kidded is that X-IT has a sufficient amount of documentation and strong testimonies which would likely lead to a win.They could request for eyewitnesses from the Hardware Show to appear in court and testify. This would set a strong basis for and argument that Kidded committed multiple intellectual property infringements against them. In addition, presenting the confidentiality agreement with signatures would lock Kiddies into involvement. Coupling all documentation, witnesses, and claims together would provide enough credence for X-IT to walk away as winners in this case. When their intellectual property was stolen, X-IT was in an unhealthy financial situation.If they had went forth with a case, the influx of funds for the damages caused by Kidded to X-IT could have kept the compa ny better afloat and further away from bankruptcy. Ultimately, if the case opened, X-IT may have the opportunity to win and grow their business further. A win would mean that they do not have to sacrifice the innovation they created. However, the major con is what kept X-IT from suing Kidded originally. Opening a case is very costly and would require for X-IT to pay ridiculous legal fees. According to the article, Kidded had over $2 billion in revenues.They could very easily hire more qualified representatives and pay all other fees. X-IT is cash strapped and could be overrun if they can't acquire the necessary funding. In addition, Kidded would most likely continue its regular business operations as they dealt with their legal matter on the side. On the other hand, X-IT would have to halt production and focus their funds on resolving the case first. In the end, if Kidded wins the case, X-IT would almost definitely go into bankruptcy and lose any sight of their innovation. 3.If I we re Aledo Debarring I would do anything I could to save my business and my innovation. As a first step, I would contact a decent attorney to acquire an analysis of my case. Under full confidentiality, I would share documentation to see if there is any precedence for the problem I am facing. If the attorney seems confident that X-IT has a good chance of winning, I would go forth with my claims. I would take an unorthodox route and ask for help from the general public. On a whole, Americans are not big fans of large corporations.I would go public with X-IT's story on various news channels and asks for donations. X-IT represents the â€Å"American dream† of a small successful business and I think people would flock to support it. The fact that X- IT is in danger of being bulldozed by a larger company and they can't fight back would rally the general American public support. In addition to public support, I would organize a meeting with the investors and board of directors at X-IT . Side's sales would take a blow if the public supported X-IT but the true funds to fight this battle would come from this meeting.I would present all the information and even provide them with the attorneys thoughts to garner support and reach an agreement on the course of action to be taken. A case could be made that the lawsuit, although risky, offered an opportunity of winning. X-IT would be able to punish Kidded for intellectual property infringement. The investors might be willing to support it because of the company's potential. Much like Amazon's stock holders they may iced to invest for long-term future gains. If I were to lose the case but somehow avoid bankruptcy, I would simply move ahead with my business.I would learn from my experience and walk on with a better understanding on how to protect my company's innovations. I would make the investment and hire a person or small team to monitor dealings with other companies. They would be qualified and would have a better und erstanding of when, what, and how to disclose company information. 4. There is not a doubt that both Kidded and Slavonic acted unethically in this matter. Kidded was shady from the start with their actions. From the time they showed interest within X-IT they had bad intentions.At a point in the article, it even stated that Harper, although still desiring to purchase the company, would be Just as happy if Kidded acquired X-IT's ladder innovation in itself. They had recognized it as a dominant design and wanted it any way possible. After having their offer denied, they continued to pursue the design. They even had a Chinese factory recreate the product to the best of their ability, with intentions to override X-IT. Slavonic, much like Kidded had given his word to be a fair middleman and keep all information confidential, which he absolutely did not.When he was approached about the situation after-hand by Vive at a meeting he denied being at fault and claimed that X-IT knew all along t hat he was supporting Kidded. This is obvious proof that Slavonic was a corrupt attorney who was likely paid out by Kidded. This entire case is an unfortunate one. X-IT was a very innovative business with a bright future but couldn't hold their ground due to a lack of money. Kidded was experienced and took advantage of the fact that X-IT did not have a strong team or sense of business practices yet.

Illustration of how the Polis was the center of Athenian Life Essay

Introduction The word Polis (poh-lis) referred to the city-state, to the fortress, and to the people as a whole.   Greek city-states often grew up around forts on the hills or mountaintops for their protection. These city-states were independent states (a nation of its own) that controlled a limited amount of farmland surrounding the territory .The Greek city states were small of which the ideal size was a population of about 5,000 male citizens, who were the only people counted in official records. Of all the polis, Athens had the largest population, reaching to about 35,000 male citizens in the middle of the fifth century B.C. Because of its small size, the people (citizens) had the opportunity to interact closely with each other.   When there is no war, Athenian life revolved around the state[1]. This paper will illustrate how the polis was the center of Athenian life. The illustration will be derived from examples of the political and cultural activities of its citizens. Political Life Political Participation Like most Greek city-states, the Athenians developed political units that were centrally based on a single city (Athens). Athenians were the first people in history to lead the establishment of a government in which free citizens ruled themselves. This type of government was called â€Å"democracy† meaning â€Å"rule by the people†.[2] Previously, Athens was ruled by powerful noble officials known as archons who tended to favor the upper class of Athens but because of lower class Athenian protests, the leadership was transferred to Solon in 594 B.C. Solon was a statesman, poet and merchant who was widely regarded as wise and just. Solon made political reforms that decreased the power of the nobles. He divided Athenian citizens into four classes based on wealth, not on noble birth. This gave the merchants a voice in the government, for citizens in the three highest classes could hold public office and later all male citizens were expected to serve in the government.[3] About 510, Athens was ruled by Cleisthenes. After consulting with the Assembly he reformed the political system by dividing Athens into ten areas called demes.[4] To safeguard the new democratic government, Cleisthenes started a new practice. Once a year the Athenians voted out a person who they suspect will become a tyrant leader.   If 6,000 votes were cast against a particular person, he was forced to leave Athens for ten years. Because votes were written on a piece of broken pottery called an ostrakon, this practice became known as ostracism. Few people actually were ostracized but the custom gave citizens more power. Pericles, who ruled Athens in 460 B.C., increased the participation of Athenians in politics. He opened government jobs to all classes and government officials were paid salaries so that even poor citizens could serve as officials.   Citizens were given the freedom to criticize leading generals or statesmen without being punished. The duties of government were performed by ordinary citizens. They took care of the public buildings, kept the waterfront safe for ships, and watched over the city’s food supply. They served in the army and rowed ships in the navy. Rather than being elected, officials were chosen by lot (a process similar to having one’s name picked out of a hat). They held office for one year and could not hold the same position again. This gave every male citizen a chance to serve the community.[5] In fact, the Athenian political system of allotment made it possible for every male citizen to be liable for executive government duties. Participation in the Assembly The number of Athenian citizens was small enough for them to govern themselves in a direct democracy. There was no need to elect representatives as most modern democracies do. About forty times a year all citizens met in the Assembly (supreme-decision making body in Athens) in an open area on a hill called The Pnyx. The Assembly meetings were opened for every male citizen over the age of 18.[6] There they debated, voted all matters of domestic and foreign policy and made the laws. They themselves decided whether to sign a trade treaty, build a navy, or make peace. Although every male Athenian had the right to attend, due to limited space and other practical reasons, not all of them were able to attend every meeting. With a total male population of 30,000, the Phynx can only accommodate 6,000 of them. Nevertheless, Assembly meetings were events that most Athenians look forward to. Usually Assembly meetings were scheduled just after dawn, delayed only when citizens and presiding officials were late. It is significant to note that any citizen, whether he held a public office or nor, had the right to speak or voice his opinions before thousands of his fellow Athenians. Before or after the speech, each citizen was expected to openly show their support or disagreement for it was assumed that each Athenian citizen could think intelligently about community affairs.[7]   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  C. Participation in the Council (Boulà ª) The Athenian Council was composed of 500 members. These members were chosen by lot from 50 citizens of the 10 Athenian tribes.   Any male with an age over 30 had the opportunity to serve in the Council although not all are required to do so. Usually eligible males in each deme (local municipalities) would volunteer themselves and 50 of them were selected by lots to serve in the Council.   Athenian citizens are allowed to serve twice in the Council. Unlike the Assembly, the Council met everyday, except for festival days and certain other forbidden days, in the Agora. If there was an Assembly meeting, the council would meet in the afternoon for normally Assembly meetings end at noon. The Council’s primary responsibilities include the preparation of an agenda for the Assembly, drafting of bills and the supervision of the public officials.[8] The Council would give an account of its actions and activities before the Assembly (meaning before all the Athenian males) at the end of its year of service. What was interesting about the Council was that their activity was supervised daily by each different member of the Athenian tribes. In other words, through the casting of lots a new chairman was elected every day and was entrusted with the keys to the temples that kept the state funds, records and state seal. The daily change of Council leadership  Ã‚   means that the reins of the Athenian government were in the hands of a different Athenian citizen every day of the year.[9] This was a remarkable way of managing political affairs where competency and efficiency does not make one hold on to a government position. Women and slaves in Athens were excluded from government service however. But in spite of that they found other things to do in Athens like raising the family and participating in festivals. [10]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   D. Participation in the Law Courts Because of their democratic form of government, every accused Athenian were tried in the Athenian courts. Every year 6,000 mostly poor Athenian citizens were chosen by lot to serve in the jury. They were not forced to serve in this function but voluntarily put themselves forward because of the prospect of receiving salary. The Athenians were eager juries who would show up in the courts early in the morning for daily sessions. The numbers of juries needed for that day were selected with the use of a complicated allotment machine. The allotment process takes two steps, first to select the juries and second to select the court rooms where they will be assigned.   Because allotment occurs daily, there was a constant change of juror for all cases. The reason for this complicated behavior was to prevent the occurrence of bribery. There was no way of knowing in advance whether a certain juror will serve that day and if he does what case he will be assigned. As mentioned earlier the court system was run by non-professionals. There were no professionally trained judges and lawyers to rely upon. Unlike today, public prosecutions in ancient Athens were not represented by assigned district attorney to serve as prosecutor and there was no lawyer assigned for the defendant.   In private cases, both the accuse and the plaintiff defended themselves. Final decision for court cases was obtained after the jury (without discussing with each other) voted. Private prosecution only last 9  ½ hours while private ones took about only two hours. Justice was rather quick for the Athenians. [11] Cultural Life Love of Learning The Athenians love to educate themselves. There were so many things that they wanted to know and learn. That is why they produced great philosophers like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. The Athenians discussed their ideas in the Agora or marketplace daily.[12] There they argue, discuss or scrutinize some new knowledge   The Athenians considered education necessary for good citizenship. Boys were enrolled in private schools or taught at home by tutors, often educated slaves. They learned reading, arithmetic, and the works of Homer and other great poets. Young men studied public speaking, geometry, astronomy and poetry and were encouraged to discuss their ideas about politics and questions of right and wrong. The Athenians were very fond of the athletics. All schools of Athens had physical education as part of their curriculum. An Athenian philosophy was that an ideal citizen is a product of exercise and morality.  Ã‚   There were many athletic events in and around Athens that the Athenians look forward to. The underlying purpose of  Ã‚   all the sacrifices of self-discipline and learning were for each Athenians to be hailed  Ã‚  Ã‚     worthy of Athens and to bring honor to its name especially by winning in the Athletic games against other Greek-states. Pre-occupation with Arts and Literature Athens was the cultural center of Greece. The Athenians believed that a man’s life was empty if he failed to use his mind and develop his talents. Because of that philosophy the Athenians made extraordinary achievements in art, literature, science and philosophy. In these fields, they set standards for later Western civilization. Because they placed high value on individual excellence, Athenian cultural heritage continue to awe and inspire modern men. Athenian poets and playwrights wrote enduring masterpieces. Poetry played an important part in expressing the Athenian view of life. Their poems vividly showed people striving to live up to standards of courage and honor. Poems were also written to honor victors in athletic games and heroes killed in battle, which of course encouraged the Athenians to refine further their talents and win victories for Athens. Plays were popular entertainment for all Athenians.   The Athenian ruler Pisistratus sponsored the first drama festivals in 534 B.C Because. Greece had a mild climate, the dramas were performed outdoors, in a large theater built into the side of a hill. The theater held as many as 20,000 people. Opening day was a public holiday. The poor were given money to buy seats, and prisoners were even released from jail to watch the performances. Many people brought food, for performances often lasted from sunrise to sunset.[13] As in some modern theaters, audiences in ancient Athens sat in half-circle around a circular area where the actors, dancers, and musicians performed. Athenian playwrights also wrote comedies that made fun of Athenian politicians, generals, philosophers and other playwrights. Also Athenian artists and architects created simple and beautiful styles that continue to serve as models. The style of Greek architectural style had been used in thousands of public buildings in the United States and Europe. Practice of Religion Athenians were firm believers of gods and goddesses which they honored in shared community rituals and festivals. Processions, music, animal sacrifice and communal dining were participated by all Athenians. Athenian arts not only express the Athenian love for what is beautiful but also to honor their gods by building shrines and temples for them around Athens. [14]An example is the pillared temples on the Acropolis, a hill in the center of Athens. The largest is the Parthenon, the temple of Athena, the patron goddess of Athens. The Parthenon seems to have grown out of the rocky hillside in the center of the city. It is simple, but perfectly proportioned, built of white marbles. It originally held a 40-foot-tall ivory and gold statue of Athena. Athenians also made statues of their gods and goddesses. These gods and goddesses were pictured in the form of beautiful human beings, for that was the way the Greeks imagined them Conclusion Athenian life revolved around the city-state (polis) of Athens. Its small size and democratic form of government had enabled the citizens to actively participate in all of its affairs and to ensure its stability.   They collectively participated in the management of the state with all male being given the opportunity to lead their communities. Their rich culture boasts of famous philosophers, beautifully designed shrines and temples and religious fervor with gods and goddesses that are as famous as Athens itself. It is clear to see that with the time and devotion that they had given to their political and cultural life within the walls of Athens, the city was an important part of their lives. Bibliography Athenian Life. Brooklyn College Classic Homepage 2008 .Retrieved February 1, 2008 from   http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/dunkle/athnlife/index.htm Lang, Mabel L. The Athenian Citizen. Princeton, New Jersey: American School of Classical Studies at Athens,1960. Parker, Robert. Athenian Religion. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1997. Perry, Marvin. A History of the World. New York: Houghton-Mifflin, 1988. Stockton, David. The Classical Athenian Democracy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990. [1] Marvin Perry, History of the World, New York: Houghton-Mifflin, p. 69 [2] David Stockton The Classical Athenian Democracy (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990), 1.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 [3]   Marvin Perry, A History of the World ( New York: Houghton-Mifflin, 1988), 71-80. [4] David Stockton, The Classical Athenian Democracy (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990), 57 [4]   Perry, 73. [6] Mabel Lang, The Athenian Citizen (New Jersey: American Classical Studies at Athens), 3-4. [7] Athenian Life, available from Brooklyn College Classic Homepage, 2008 from   http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/dunkle/athnlife/index.htm [8] Mabel Lang, The Athenian Citizen (New Jersey: American Classical Studies at Athens), 10. [9] Athenian Life, available from Brooklyn College Classic Homepage, 2008 from   http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/dunkle/athnlife/index.htm [10] Marvin Perry, A History of the World ( New York: Houghton-Mifflin, 1988), 75. [11]  Ã‚   Athenian Life, available from Brooklyn College Classic Homepage, 2008 from   http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/dunkle/athnlife/index.htm [12]   Mabel Lang, The Athenian Citizen (New Jersey: American Classical Studies at Athens), 67. [13] Marvin Perry, A History of the World ( New York: Houghton-Mifflin, 1988), 82-86. [14] Robert Parker , Athenian Religion ( Oxford: Clarendon Press ), 67-80.