Pericles: The Greek Statesman | Leo & Layla's History Adventures | PragerU Kids

[Music] ah i wish mom and dad would hurry up what is taking them so long i just talked to mom she said the school board meeting is going long and that you have to be patient oh i don't want to miss the first pitch how are you staying so calm we go to a couple baseball games every year leo but it is weird that mom and dad are going to these meetings all the time now dad keeps saying it's their civic duty what does that even mean i know they're voting on stuff but i don't really know how about we keep you from exploding and go find out good idea i need to take my mind off missing the first inning okay let's see what we get with civic responsibility [Music] whoa what are we wearing this place is cool i like my outfit it kind of looks familiar but it sort of doesn't the phone says we're in 431 bc i've definitely seen that building before excuse me sir our time machine just dropped us off where are we who goes there leo and layla sibling time travelers from the future who are you my name is perecles officially strategos like a governor slash general and i've been elected 15 times but unofficially i'm known as the first citizen of the greatest city in the ancient world athens right athens we're in greece just a really long time ago hold on technically at this time there is no united greece but here in athens we're the best city-state among a group of people called the greeks greeks what's a city-state as i was saying thanks to the geography around here a mountainous peninsula surrounded by islands were split up into lots of different independent groups that are kind of like a city and kind of like a state city-states okay so athens in ancient times was an independent city-state exactly and at least during my life athens is without a doubt better than all the other greeks greeks greeks greeks um mr pericles who is that guy don't remind him that's just a socrates he's the smartest man around but he's a little weird some people think he's corrupting our youth but he'll probably end up being more famous than even me so what makes athens the best how much time do you have i could go on for days we have the best navy best art best sports i could go on okay what's so great about your navy if it wasn't for our navy we'd all be speaking aramaic right now the athenian navy defeated the persians at the decisive battle of salamis it was athens who kept the persians from conquering and enslaving all the greeks greeks greeks and what's so great about athenian art we have the best urns we've got the best comedies the best tragedies the best architecture wait a sec didn't the olympics start here they did they did and we athenians are good at wrestling chariot racing in the marathon a race invented by the greeks we the greeks but let me tell you kids the reason we lead the way in all these things plus education math science philosophy and music is because of our government it's unique and much different from our neighbors here in athens we have a democracy oh a democracy we have it in our country in the future what's the big deal what's the big deal my bluehead friend we are surrounded by kings and queens and tyrants and dictators who rule over their people no one rules over an athenian but what about you aren't you the leader of athens a ruler i am but don't be confused i'm elected into my position each year the people are my boss if i don't do a good job i won't get the votes from my fellow male athenian citizens hey what about votes from women citizens believe me read our comedies and tragedies and you'll learn women have a lot of influence over athenian politics and society as a whole but they cannot vote can women vote in your time they sure can our mom votes she's with our dad at a political event right now even that's a wonderful my friend espacia helps me write my speeches and is my most trusted political adviser are sure where she could vote so mr pericles you don't think athens would be so good at everything if it didn't have a democracy i don't think i know in athens we have freedoms unlike anywhere in the world having a democracy is allowing our people to thrive even socrates who are skeptical of democracy benefits from it being our system of government i like socrates why is he unsure about democracy yeah looking around and talking to you it seems like athens is proving that having a democracy where people vote for leaders in laws is working great socrates believes democracy is only good if the people voting are knowledgeable and will vote with their heads and not just with emotions so basically he thinks voters should be educated knowledgeable and get out of their feelings sounds pretty good to me and it sounds good to me too democracy is unique in that it gives people unbelievable freedom but at the same time requires responsibility for democracy to be effective we need voters who have taken the time and effort to know about the leaders and laws they vote on it's why good schooling and truthful information is so important it sounds like living where there's a king would be easier in some ways it would be like you wouldn't need to learn and know anything but the king might make you work super hard at something that you don't want to do or force you to do something dangerous who knows you wouldn't be free freedom takes work [Music] well done young lady you understand that freedom isn't free citizens in a democracy have a civic duty to be active participants oh civic duty now it all makes sense our parents have always voted in national elections but now they're getting more involved in state and local elections they even go to some school board and city council meetings sounds like your parents would make great athenians your family is welcome here do you guys have pro baseball hmm baseball never heard of it layla we gotta get going mr pericles thanks for your time i learned a lot today and will perform my civic duty by being educated and active once i'm old enough to vote i'm going to perform my civic duty by eating two hot dogs at the game leo bye eating two hot dogs socrates that kid was weirder than you kids who are watching from everywhere spread the word to your friends it's nice when you share and to keep our videos free for everyone you can make a tax deductible donation download the free prayer you have today what what greeks