Pericles was one of Athens' great leaders

He allowed all male citizens to participate in government

He took power from the aristocrats and placed it in the assembly

He made it possible for jurors to get paid so that the poor could still do their duty without hurting their ability to make money while serving

He allowed the middle class to serve as powerful political leaders

He pushed for direct democracy where the people had a direct vote regarding laws

Athens was transformed  from war-torn (Persian Wars) to a great city

It became a center of learning

It became a center of beauty and creativity

Pericles encouraged work from philosophers

Athens became a place of great culture and learning

Solon was a Greek leader (he ruled before Pericles) who made life better for poor people

Solon freed slaves and put an end to unfair pay from greedy landowners

He took power away from the aristocracy

He allowed all male citizens to join the assembly, regardless of their social class

Solon paved the way for Athens to become a fairer government

The seeds of democracy were laid with the leadership of Solon

Pericles continued on the work of Solon

Cleisthenes improved on Solon's work

He came to power before Pericles

He made it so the assembly would debate openly and would hear court cases

Citizen groups would send representatives to the council

Before Pericles, Cleisthenes expanded on what Solon did, but it was still a limited democracy

Only male property owners born in Athens could participate in this new democracy

It did not become a direct democracy until Pericles ruled