The Golden Age of Greece can be defined as a period of flowering. Athens made the important decision to separate from Sparta, with which it was constantly at odds. “It is from this split that the Athenian Empire was created” (Hunt 80). This division illustrates the certainty that the Athenians possessed in terms of creating a better nation. Athens developed an empire because democracy was expensive. To create democracy, you need an empire to raise money. Both Sparta and Athens created several leagues in an attempt to intensify their dominance. The Delian League, with which Athens was associated, continued to prosper. This gave them the opportunity to create a democratic nation where people were guaranteed the freedom they continually fought for. The individual determined to create a democratic nation was Pericles. He revised and renewed Athenian democracy. It was during his time that the Constitution of the United States was born. Pericles lowered the standard of citizenship, which means you need to earn more money to pay people. The poor could even be Athenian citizens. In doing so, he also limited citizenship to those who were purely Athenians. It stated that “if an Athenian man married a non-Athenian woman, his children would not be considered Athenian citizens” (Hunt 83). Pericles did this to ensure the high value of Athenian citizenship. However, the Athenians understood that citizenship in Athens is a privilege. It is something that should be treasured and not exploited.Pages 3 and 4Pericles' funeral oration allowed Athens to prosper in its golden age. It has helped change people's mindset in a positive way. People no longer simply focused on their shortcomings... middle of paper... knowing that courage qualifies as moral courage and leads the individual to become virtuous. Furthermore, Aristotle believed that one could achieve a state of Kaloskagahtos if one possessed virtue, justice, self-control, and phronesis. If this state is achieved, one will be considered virtuous. Similarly, Pericles addresses people in his speech by emphasizing the importance of being virtuous, which results when one is courageous, able to control one's desires, and able to reason adequately in different situations. Aristotle's Philosophy and Pericles' Funeral Oration complement each other. Works Cited Hunt, Lynn, Thomas R. Martin, and Barabara H. Rosenwein. The Creation of the West: Peoples and Cultures. Boston: Bedford, 2012. Print.Lualdi, Katharine J. Sources for The Making of the West: Peoples and Cultures. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2012. Print.