Question

Why is it important to understand that our system of government is different than the original Greek democracy.

Answer 1

Answer:

It's important to understand that the U.S. we have a "republic" and it's a representative democracy. The citizens have a say in the government, however we have to vote on representatives that have the same ideas as us. Unlike ancient Greece, e.g Athenians, who voted directly on the law without having to go through representatives.

Explanation:

Each year 500 names were chosen from all the citizens of ancient Athens. Those 500 citizens had to actively serve in the government for one year. During that year, they were responsible for making new laws and controlled all parts of the political process. When a new law was proposed, all the citizens of Athens had the opportunity to vote on it. To vote, citizens had to attend the assembly on the day the vote took place. This form of government is called direct democracy.

The United States has a representative democracy. Representative democracy is a government in which citizens vote for representatives who create and change laws that govern the people rather than getting to vote directly on the laws themselves.