Solon and Cleisthenes both attempted to reform and fix the Athenian Constitution. They both wanted to resolve the disputes between the rich and the poor and they wanted to satisfy everyone’s needs in Athens. They both wanted to expand the lower classes rights and reduce the rights of the Eupatridae, the higher class. One of the differences was that Cleisthenes was more extreme about it. Also, Cleisthenes kept himself in power for a long time, but Solon had removed himself out of office, making Cleisthenes a tyrant. Solon was born into the rich class but then lived with the masses. He had seen both sides so knew how to please everyone. Solon’s goal was to help the poor while keeping the Eupatridae satisfied. Solon had to solve all of the rifts and rules that Draco had …show more content…
Solon changed all of Draco’s rules except the ones related to murder. “Next Solon drew up a constitution and enacted news laws; and the ordinances of Draco ceased to be used, with the exception of those relating to murder” (Aristotle, The Athenian Constitution, 7). Solon first, freed all citizens from debt. This pleased the poor but did not make the rich happy but he did not redistribute the land which pleased the rich, but made the poor unhappy. Now, both classes were not completely satisfied. Solon also made a new council that satisfied the citizens. He granted the citizens the right to accuse and the right to appeal the jury. He divided the people into four classes. Cleisthenes created similar rules and reforms but went more extreme. He divided the people into ten tribes as opposed to Solon’s four. He attempted to get rid of the council, allowed everyone to believe what they wanted. He made more of a democracy within Athens. “By these reforms the constitution became much more democratic than that of Solon” (Aristotle, The Athenian Constitution, 22). He created the law of ostracism which allowed people become ostracized from