Where did democracy come from?

Democracy comes from the Ancient Greek civilizations. The word democracy comes from the Greek words "demos" and "kratia" which mean "the people" and "authority."

The Greeks believed that society should be based on rules of the law and that ethic principles should guide society. It was common for the Greeks to bring citizens together to discuss policies, make laws and enact changes. This was known as direct democracy and only males were given a vote. As time went on, the meaning of democracy changed slightly and it became a form of government in various countries around the world. The United States is known as a democratic republic.