Short answers, pulled from the story.
Themistocles convinced the Athenians to use silver from the Laurion mines to build a massive navy. This decision transformed Athens from a land-locked city into a maritime superpower that defeated the Persian fleet at the Battle of Salamis.
The Cleisthenic reforms were implemented in 508 BC when Cleisthenes returned from Delphi to overthrow the tyrant Hippias. This system created a Boule of five hundred members and remained stable for 180 years until 322 BC.
Pericles used tribute paid by members of the Delian League and silver mined in Laurium to fund public works projects. These funds transformed the Acropolis into a sanctuary of marble and gold between 445 BC and 429 BC.
The Peloponnesian War ended with the complete defeat of Athens in 404 BC when Sparta built its own navy and destroyed the Athenian fleet. This defeat forced Athens to surrender, tear down the Long Walls, and lose its status as a great power.
The walled city of Athens measured about 174.5 stadia in circuit and encompassed the Acropolis, the Agora, and the port of Piraeus. The population at its peak numbered between 120,000 and 180,000 inhabitants.
The classical period of Athens ended in 322 BC when Antipater dissolved the Athenian government and established a plutocratic system. This event marked the conclusion of the democratic experiment that had lasted for 180 years since 508 BC.