Compare athens to our society. what are the similarities and differences?

The type of democracy in Athens was direct (all citizens vote on all issues). The type of Democracy in the USA is representative ( A representative is elected to vote on all issues).

The citizens in Athens were people who were native and owned property. In the USA citizens are people who are over the age of 18 who were born in The USA territory or have American parents and followed the correct procedures of naturalization.

Athens laws were proposed by a council of 500. In the USA the congress present a bill.

Athens citizens had to vote. It was mandatory. In the USA the voting system is not mandatory.

In Athens there were slaves. In the USA at the beginning there were slaves but now there aren't. (legally speaking).  

first, the romans stayed isolated because they had to defend their own territories from neighboring cities that were harassing them, like the etruscans. second, once the romans managed to defeat their neighbors, and started to expand their territory, they started to build roads and bridges. finally, now that the romans have covered their territory with roads functioning as highways, they could mobilize their legions faster to assemble larger military units in a specific place.

it is a part of john locke's natural rights popular during the age of enlightenment that people had inalienable rights to life, liberty and property. this was reflected by thomas jefferson in his declaration of independence as rights to life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

another line in the declaration of independence is that people have certain rights just because they are human. humans are capable of obeying the three natural rights john locke mentioned making them governable by these laws and therefore entitled to these rights as well.