6th Grade Social Studies: Niota Elementary School Ms. Crisp€¦ · The rise of city-states Athens and Sparta Quiz Grade 6, Anchor 2: Central Idea Read the summary of the article

6th Grade Social Studies: Niota Elementary SchoolMs. Crisp

This week (May 4th-8th): Ancient Greece**Each article and quiz are saved together as one pdf file**

Monday – May 4th

Read Article: “Ancient Greece: The rise of city-states Athens and Sparta” (10-15 minutes)Assignment: “Ancient Greece: The rise of city-states Athens and Sparta” Quiz (10- 15 minutes)

Tuesday – May 5th

Read Article: “Ancient Greece: Democracy is Born” (10-15 minutes)Assignment: “Ancient Greece: Democracy is Born” Quiz (10-15 minutes)

Wednesday – May 6th

Read Article: “The Persian Wars: The Quest to Conquer Ancient Greece” (10-15minutes)Assignment: “The Persian Wars: The Quest to Conquer Ancient Greece” Quiz (10-15 minutes)

Thursday – May 7th

Read Article: “World Leaders: Alexander the Great” (10-15 minutes)Assignment: “World Leaders: Alexander the Great” Quiz (10-15 minutes)

Friday – May 8th

Read Article: “Inventors and Scientists: Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans” (10-25 minutes)Assignment: “Inventors and Scientists: Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans” Quiz(10-15 minutes)

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World History

Ancient Greece: The rise of city-states Athens and Sparta

By USHistory.org, adapted by Newsela staff

Published: 04/04/2017

Word Count: 674

Recommended for: Lower Elementary School - Upper Elementary School

Text Level: 6

Geography plays a critical role in shaping

civilizations. This is particularly true of ancient

Greece.

The Greek peninsula has two distinctive geographic

features that influenced the development of Greek

society. First, Greece has easy access to water. The

land contains countless scattered islands, deep harbors

and a network of small rivers. This easy access to

water meant that the Greek people might naturally

become explorers and traders.

Second, Greece's mountainous terrain led to the

development of the polis (city-state), beginning about

750 B.C.E. The high mountains made it very difficult for people to travel or communicate.

Therefore, each polis developed independently and, often, very differently from one another.

Eventually, the polis became the structure by which people organized themselves. Athens and

Sparta are two good examples of city-states that contrasted greatly with each other.

Athens: The Think-Tank

The city-state of Athens was the birthplace of

many significant ideas. Ancient Athenians were a

thoughtful people. They enjoyed the systematic study of

subjects such as science, philosophy and history, to name a

few.

Athenians placed a heavy emphasis on the arts,

architecture and literature. The Athenians built thousands

of temples and statues that embodied their understanding

The Panachaiko Mountains of Greece. The high mountains of

Greece made it difficult for individual city-states to connect

and communicate. As a result, two city-states in ancient

Greece could be quite different from each another. Photo

from: Wikimedia Commons.

The remains of the Theater of Dionysus Eleuthereus in

Athens, Greece. This theater was the site of many plays

and celebrations in ancient Athens. The Athenians valued

art, literature, and knowledge. Photo from: Wikimedia

Commons.

of beauty. Today the term "classical" is used to describe their enduring style of art and

architecture. Athenians also enjoyed a democratic form of government in

which some of the people shared power.

Sparta: Military Might

Life in Sparta was vastly different from life in Athens. Located in the

southern part of Greece on the Peloponnesus peninsula, the city-state of

Sparta developed a militaristic society. Sparta was ruled by two kings and

an oligarchy, or small group that exercised political control.

Early in their history, a violent and bloody slave revolt caused the

Spartans to change their society. A Spartan named Lycurgus drafted a

harsh set of laws that required total dedication to the state from its people.

The laws' goal was to train citizens to become hardened soldiers so that

they could fight off potential enemies or slave revolts. The result was a

rigid lifestyle unlike any seen in Greece at the time. The devotion of

Spartans to developing a military state left little time for the arts or

literature.

A Spartan baby had to be hardy and healthy. To test a baby's strength,

parents would leave their child on a mountain overnight to see if it could

survive on its own until the next morning. By age 7, Spartan boys were

taken from their families and underwent severe military training. They wore uniforms at all

times, ate small meals of bland foods, exercised barefoot to toughen their feet and were punished

severely for disobedient behavior. Boys lived away from their families in barracks until the age

of 30, even after they were married. Men were expected to be ready to serve in the army until

they were 60 years old.

Women, too, were expected to be loyal and dedicated to the state. Like men, women followed a

strict exercise program and contributed actively to Spartan society. Although they were not

allowed to vote, Spartan women typically had more rights and independence than women in

other Greek city-states.

Winning By Losing

The differences between Athens and Sparta eventually led to war between the two city-states. It

was known as the Peloponnesian War, and it lasted from 431-404 B.C.E. Both Sparta and Athens

gathered allies and fought on and off for decades because no single city-state was strong enough

to conquer the others.

With war came famine, plague, death and misfortune. But war cannot kill ideas. Despite the

eventual military surrender of Athens, Athenian thought spread throughout the region. After

temporary setbacks, these notions only became more widely accepted and developed with the

passing centuries.

This statue in the Archaeological

Museum of Sparta, Greece, shows a

helmeted Spartan. Photo from:

Wikimedia Commons.

The rise of city-states Athens and Sparta Quiz

Grade 6, Anchor 2: Central Idea

Read the summary of the article.

The mountainous terrain of Ancient Greece led to the creation of city-states, cities with their own

governments. Athens and Sparta were two famous city-states.

_______________________________.

Eventually, these differences led to a 30-year war between the two city-states. Athens

surrendered, but its important ideas remained.

1. Choose the answer that BEST goes into the blank to complete the summary.

A. Lycurgus was the most famous ruler of the Athenian city-state and developed the idea for

democracy.

B. Spartans cared more about the development of healthy, strong children than the

Athenians did.

C. Athenian women had more rights in their government than Spartan women did.

D. The people of Athens pursued knowledge, artwork and beauty, while the Spartans trained

every citizen in preparation for war.

Grade 6, Anchor 3: People, Events & Ideas

2. Finish the sentence.

The author explains the importance of warfare to Spartans MAINLY by

_________________________.

A. detailing their battle plans during the Peloponnesian War

B. describing how every area of life was driven by training for battle

C. highlighting the role that women played in war

D. comparing the Athenian military to the Spartan military

Grade 6, Anchor 1: What the Text Says

Read the section "Sparta: Military Might."

3. Select the paragraph that MOST suggests the motivation for Sparta's emphasis on war

preparation.

A. Paragraph 1

B. Paragraph 3

C. Paragraph 2

D. Paragraph 4


4. Which selection from the article BEST supports the idea that Athenian society had long-

lasting impact?

A. Ancient Athenians were a thoughtful people.

B. Athenians placed a heavy emphasis on the arts, architecture and literature.

C. With war came famine, plague, death and misfortune. But war cannot kill ideas.

D. After temporary setbacks, these notions only became more widely accepted and

developed with the passing centuries.

World History

Ancient Greece: Democracy is born

By USHistory.org, adapted by Newsela staff


Word Count: 561

Recommended for: Lower Elementary School - Upper Elementary School

Text Level: 6

Ancient Greece was made up of several small city-

states, including Athens and Sparta. Democracy began

in Athens around 500 B.C. when democracy began. The

citizens of Athens were given the right to vote.

Not everyone in Athens was considered a citizen,

however. Only free, adult men enjoyed the rights and

responsibility of citizenship. That meant only about 20

percent of the population of Athens were citizens.

Women were not citizens and therefore could not vote

or have any say in the political process. They were

rarely permitted out in public and were

even restricted as to where they could be within their

own homes. Slaves and foreigners were not citizens,

either, and also could not participate in the democracy.

In the end, democracy existed only for the free men who were originally from Athens.

A Worthy Contribution

Nevertheless, the idea of democratic government is one of the

most significant contributions of the ancient Greeks. The city-state of

Athens had one of the largest democracies in terms of population.

Early in Athens' history (around 594 B.C.), a man named Solon

enacted reforms that helped reduce the growing gap between the rich

and the poor. Poor citizens gained the right to sit in the assembly and to

vote.

Later, Cleisthenes expanded the democracy by giving every

citizen equal rights. He also created a legislative body whose

members were picked randomly from the general population of

citizens.

Image 1. An illustration of the agora of Athens in Ancient

Greece. The agora was a large open space in the center of

the city. The assembly meetings of early Greek

democracy took place here. Photo by DeAgostini/Getty

Images

A bust of Cleisthenes completed by sculptor Anna

Christoforidis at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus,

Ohio. He is called the "father of Athenian democracy."

Photo from: Ohio Statehouse/Capitol Square Review

and Advisory Board.

Typically, the citizens of Athens would gather in the

agora when there was an assembly meeting. The agora,

a fixture of every major Greek city-state, was a large

open space in the middle of the city-state that

contained a marketplace as well as government

buildings. There, citizens would mingle and discuss

the issues of the day before gathering for the assembly

meeting. During the meeting, citizens were free to

express their opinions and cast their votes.

The courts, too, were usually in the agora. The juries

in court cases were very large, often numbering in the

hundreds and sometimes in the thousands. To be fair,

Athenians wanted their juries to reflect the general

population. There were no lawyers. Each citizen was

expected to make his own case.

In Athens, the people governed, and the majority ruled. All citizens had equal rights and powers.

Athenian democracy depended on every citizen fulfilling his role. All citizens were expected to

vote, but they were also expected to serve in the government if necessary. Every citizen was

required to participate or suffer punishment. This practice stands in stark contrast to modern

democratic governments in which citizens can choose whether or not they wish to participate. In

Athenian democracy, all citizens pulled their weight.

In a city-state as small as Athens, a pure democracy was possible. As states grew larger, the

notion of electing representatives to make decisions for the public became more practical. But

the idea that every citizen has a voice important enough to be heard originated in ancient Athens.

Ancient Greece: Democracy is born: Quiz

Grade 6, Anchor 2: Central Idea

Read the summary below. Choose the answer that BEST fits into the blank to complete the

summary.

The first democracy began 2,500 years ago in Athens, Greece, but not everyone was able to

participate in democracy. Early in the history of democracy, Solon tried to help poor citizens get

the right to vote and Cleisthenes later gave all citizens in Athens equal rights.

_______________________________.

In contrast to the Athenian idea of requiring citizens to participate in government, modern

democracies let their citizens choose to vote and many elect representatives to make decisions

for them.

A sign in Athens, Greece pointing to the Ancient Agora.

While it is now in ruins, it was once a place of political,

educational and cultural value. Photo from: Mike Kemp/In

Pictures Ltd./Corbis via Getty Images.

1. Which answer BEST completes the summary?

A. During that time, people came together in agoras to discuss important ideas and all

citizens were expected to vote.

B. During that time, people were randomly chosen to be lawmakers and the gap between the

rich and poor closed.

C. During that time, people created a legislative group and the members were all chosen

because of their importance.

D. During that time, people got the right to sit on the assembly and the government of

Athens became the largest democracy ever.

Grade 6, Anchor 5: Text Structure

Read the paragraph that follows the introduction [paragraphs 1-2].

Nevertheless, the idea of democratic government is one of the most significant contributions of

the ancient Greeks. The city-state of Athens had one of the largest democracies in terms of

population.

2. What is the relationship between the introduction [paragraphs 1-2] and the paragraph

that follows the introduction in the article?

A. The introduction explains how democracy was created in Athens and the following

paragraph explains how democracy spread widely throughout the population of the city-

state of Athens.

B. The introduction explains how democracy excluded many people in Athens and the

following paragraph explains that the idea of democracy was still important despite being

imperfect

C. The introduction explains who was not considered a citizen in Athens and the following

paragraph explains how they could still participate in the democracy of Greece.

D. The introduction explains where the idea of the first democracy came from and the

following paragraph lists all of the ways ancient Greeks have contributed to the spread of

democracy.


3. Which sentence from the article highlights the idea that democracy has changed since it

began in Athens 2,500 years ago?

A. In a city-state as small as Athens, a pure democracy was possible.

B. All citizens were expected to vote, but they were also expected to serve in the

government if necessary.

C. As states grew larger, the notion of electing representatives to make decisions for the

public became more practical.

D. But the idea that every citizen has a voice important enough to be heard originated in

ancient Athens.


Read the sentence below.

In Athenian democracy, all citizens pulled their weight.

4. Which piece of evidence BEST explains how Athenians pulled their weight in dealing

with court cases?

A. Typically, the citizens of Athens would gather in the agora when there was an assembly

meeting.

B. There, citizens would mingle and discuss the issues of the day before gathering for the

assembly meeting.

C. The courts, too, were usually in the agora.

D. The juries in court cases were very large, often numbering in the hundreds and sometimes

in the thousands.

World History

The Persian Wars: The Quest to Conquer Ancient Greece

By Ancient History Encyclopedia, adapted by Newsela staff


Word Count: 973

Recommended for: Middle School - High School

Text Level: 7

The Persian Wars were the conflicts between Greece

and Persia in the 5th century B.C. The Persian Empire

occupied large territories, from northern Africa to the

Middle East to even a part of India. The Persian Empire

is also known as ancient Iran.

In 490 B.C. and 480 B.C., the Persians led campaigns to

conquer the city-states of ancient Greece. Several of the

most famous and significant battles in history were

fought during this period. If the Greeks had been

defeated, their culture might have been lost forever.

Places such as Europe and North America were deeply influenced by the Greeks. It was ancient

Greece that developed ideas that included democracy, classical

architecture and sculpture, theater, and the Olympic Games.

Origins of the wars

King Darius was the ruler of Persia from 522 B.C. to 486 B.C.

Under his rule, the empire had conquered northern Greece and

what is today the country of Turkey by the beginning of the

5th century B.C.

Next in King Darius' sights were Athens and the rest of

Greece. At the time, Greece was made up of many city-states,

or cities that ruled their surrounding region. The most

powerful were Athens and Sparta. In 491 B.C., Darius once

again sent messengers demanding that the Greeks submit to Persia.

The Greek city-states replied by executing the messengers and

formed an alliance to fend off the Persian army.

A monument to Leonidas, the king of the Greek city-state of

Sparta who died while fighting the Persian army at

Thermopylae, Greece, stands on the battlefield. Photo:

Pixabay

Map of the Persian Wars. Image: Bibi Saint-

Pol/Wikimedia.

Marathon

Darius put his General Datis in charge of an army numbering 90,000 men.

The Greeks commanded a total force of only between 10,000 and 20,000.

The assault by the Persian archers shooting arrows from far away ran head-

first into the heavily armed foot soldiers, or hoplites, of the Greeks. Each

hoplite carried a large round shield, spears and swords. They were

organized in a solid line, or phalanx, where each man's shield protected

both himself and his neighbor in a wall of bronze.

The armies clashed near the town of Marathon in 490 B.C. The Persian

tactic of rapidly firing arrows into the enemy must have been an awesome

sight. But the lightness of the arrows meant they had little effect against

bronze-armored hoplites. The Greeks' longer spears, heavier swords, better

armor and good organization helped them to win. For the Greeks, Marathon

quickly became a legendary battle and marked the end of the first Persian

War. The Persians fled back to Asia, but they would return in bigger numbers.

Thermopylae

Xerxes succeeded Darius on the Persian throne and led a huge force to attack Greece again in

480 B.C. The Persian army invaded Greece via a passage through the mountains of Thermopylae

on the eastern coast.

A small army of Greeks led by Spartan King Leonidas bravely blocked the passage for three

days. Every Greek soldier was killed, but news of their courage spread and is

still remembered today. At the same time, the Greek fleet held off the Persian

ships near the coastal cliffs called Artemision. These clashes bought Greece time

to face even bigger challenges.

Salamis

The naval battle at Salamis, Greece, fought between an alliance of Greek city-

states and the Persian Empire in September 480 B.C. Many Greek city-states

were afraid of the Persians, so they joined the Persian Empire. The city of

Athens was destroyed and burned by the Persian army.

Near the island of Salamis, the Greeks once more faced a larger enemy force,

probably 500 Persian ships to 300 Greek ships. The Greeks used a fast and

maneuverable type of warship called a trireme. It was powered by three

banks of oars and armed with a bronze ram in the front.

The Persians also had triremes, but the Greeks could count on the great

Athenian General Themistocles. He had 20 years of experience and the

confidence from his leadership at Artemision. Themistocles carried out a bold plan to lure the

Persian fleet into the narrow Straits of Salamis, where he hit the enemy fleet so hard it had no

way to escape. Themistocles' experience and planning led to a great victory for the Greeks.

A Greek hoplite and a Persian warrior

fighting each other are depicted on a

drinking cup made in the fifth century

B.C. Photo: National Archaeological

Museum of Athens/Wikimedia.

This image depicts the death of the

Persian admiral Ariabignes, a brother of

Xerxes, early in the battle. Image:

William Rainey/Wikimedia.

Plataea

After Salamis, Xerxes returned home to his palace at Susa, one of the Persian capitals, but he did

not give up. He left the general, Mardonius, in charge, and the Persians' position remained strong

despite the defeat at Salamis. Their large army still controlled much of Greece.

In 479 B.C., the two sides met again at the city of Plataea. The Greeks gathered the largest

hoplite army ever seen, numbering about 110,000 men sent from 30 different city-states. The

Persians had an army of a similar size. The Persian horsemen and archers played their part, but it

was, once again, the superiority of the hoplite and phalanx that won the battle for the Greeks.

Finally, they had ended Xerxes' ambitions in Greece.

Aftermath and peace

In addition to their victory at Plataea, the Greeks scored another victory in the Battle of Mycale

in Ionia, in modern-day Turkey. The Greek fleet led by Leotychides landed an army that wiped

out the Persian forces there. Persia would remain a threat, but Greece had survived its greatest

danger. Around 449 B.C., a peace agreement was finally signed, the Peace of Callias.

The Persian Empire continued to thrive for another 100 years. For Greece, the victory guaranteed

freedom from foreign rule. More importantly, it started a rich period of artistic and cultural

growth that laid the foundations for European civilization.

Persian Wars: The Quest to Conquer Ancient Greece: Quiz

Grade 7, Anchor 7: Multimedia

Look at the 1st photograph at the top of the article and read the caption underneath it.

1. Which sentence from the article is BEST supported by the photograph?

A. For the Greeks, Marathon quickly became a legendary battle and marked the end of the

first Persian War.

B. Xerxes succeeded Darius on the Persian throne and led a huge force to attack Greece

again in 480 B.C.

C. Every Greek soldier was killed, but news of their courage spread and is still remembered

today.

D. Many Greek city-states were afraid of the Persians, so they joined the Persian Empire.

Grade 7, Anchor 7: Multimedia

Examine the map in the section "Origins of the wars."

2. How does the map contribute to the reader's understanding of Greek city-states' fear of

Persia?

A. by showing that Persia had more money and soldiers than Greece

B. by showing that the most powerful Greek city-states were far apart

C. by showing that moving soldiers from Persia to Greece was easy

D. by showing that Persia was large and already controlled many areas


Read the sentences from the article.

1. The Greek city-states replied by executing the messengers and formed an alliance to fend

off the Persian army.

2. They were organized in a solid line, or phalanx, where each man’s shield protected both

himself and his neighbor in a wall of bronze.

3. The Greeks' longer spears, heavier swords, better armor and good organization helped

them to win.

4. Themistocles carried out a bold plan to lure the Persian fleet into the narrow Straits of

Salamis, where he hit the enemy fleet so hard it had no way to escape.

3. Which two sentences, taken together, provide the BEST evidence to support the idea that

the Greeks' use of weaponry and formation helped them defeat the Persians?

A. 1 and 2

B. 2 and 3

C. 3 and 4

D. 1 and 4


Read the paragraph from the section "Salamis."

Many Greek city-states were afraid of the Persians, so they joined the Persian Empire. The city

of Athens was destroyed and burned by the Persian army.

4. What idea is BEST supported by this paragraph?

A. The Persian Empire had many cities that were larger and more beautiful than Athens.

B. Greek city-states that joined the Persian Empire were spared destruction.

C. Persian armies did not know that some city-states surrendered when it burned Athens.

D. Some Greek city-states believed their only option was to surrender or be destroyed.

World History

World Leaders: Alexander the Great

By Biography.com Editors and A+E Networks, adapted by Newsela staff


Word Count: 823


Text Level: 6

Synopsis: King of Macedonia and conqueror of the then-

known world, Alexander the Great was born on July 20, 356

B.C., in Pella, Macedonia. From 336 to 323 B.C., he united

the Greek city-states and led the Corinthian League. After a

campaign of conquest, he became the king of Persia,

Babylon and Asia, and created Macedonian colonies in the

region. While considering conquering Carthage and Rome,

Alexander died of malaria in Babylon, in present-day Iraq,

on June 13, 323 B.C.

Early Life

Alexander the Great was born in the Pella region of Macedonia on July 20, 356 B.C., about

2,300 years ago. Macedonia is now part of Greece. His parents were King Philip II of Macedon

and Queen Olympia. Growing up, the dark-eyed and curly-headed Alexander hardly ever saw his

father, who spent most of his time at war. Although Olympia served as a powerful role model for

the boy, Alexander grew to resent that his father was not around.

Alexander's first teacher was Leonidas, who had been hired by King Philip II to teach Alexander

math, horsemanship and archery. Leonidas struggled to control his rebellious student.

Alexander's next tutor was Lysimachus, who used role-playing to capture the restless boy's

attention. Alexander particularly enjoyed pretending to be the warrior Achilles. In 343 B.C.,

King Philip II hired the philosopher Aristotle. Over the next three years, Aristotle taught

Alexander and a handful of his friends philosophy, poetry, drama, science and politics. They read

Homer's Iliad, an epic poem about war, which inspired Alexander to become a heroic warrior.

Aristotle created a shorter version of the poem for Alexander to take with him on military

campaigns.

In 339 B.C., while he still just a teen, Alexander became a soldier. A year later, he helped his

father defeat the Athenian and Theban armies. Philip II united most of the Greek states into what

was called the Corinthian League, but then the relationship between father and son fell apart.

Alexander the Great, from a detail of the Alexander

Mosaic made circa 100 B.C. Wikimedia Commons

Philip married Cleopatra Eurydice and forced Alexander's mother, Olympia, to leave. She and

Alexander fled Macedonia.

King of Macedonia

In 336, Alexander's sister married a king. A festival was thrown after the marriage, during which

King Philip II was murdered. After his father's death, Alexander, then 19, was determined to

grab the throne by any means. He gained the support of the Macedonian army. It proclaimed

Alexander the king and helped him murder the other heirs to the throne. Olympia helped her son

by killing King Philip II and Cleopatra's daughter, and driving Cleopatra to suicide.

Even though Alexander was now the king of Macedonia, he didn't automatically rule the

Corinthian League. In fact, the southern states of Greece celebrated King Philip II's death and

started independence movements.

Campaigns and Conquests

Alexander received news that Thebes, a Greek city-state, had forced out the Macedonian troops

stationed there. Alexander did not want the other city-states to rebel. He marched his enormous

army – 3,000 cavalry and 30,000 soldiers – southward all the way to the tip of Greece. Alexander

and his forces arrived in Thebes, and three days later, they destroyed the city. Alexander wanted

to warn the other city-states thinking about revolting. His tactic proved effective; the other Greek

city-states either chose to become allies of the Macedonian Empire or did not fight against it.

In 334, Alexander faced Persian King Darius III's army and swiftly defeated it. In the summer of

333, the troops of Alexander and Darius once again went head to head. Although Alexander's

army was outnumbered, he used skillful military tactics to defeat the Persians. Darius fled, and in

333, Alexander declared himself the king of Persia.

Next up was his campaign to conquer Egypt, which gave up without a fight. In 331, he created

the city of Alexandria, a center for Greek culture and business. Later that year, Alexander

defeated the Persians and became "King of Babylon, King of Asia, King of the Four Quarters of

the World." Next, Alexander conquered eastern Iran. After capturing a prince named Oxyartes,

Alexander married his daughter, Rhoxana. In 328, Alexander defeated King Porus' armies in

northern India.

In February 324, Alexander reached the city of Susa in Persia. He was desperate to continue to

lead and expand his army. He ordered many Macedonians to marry Persian princesses.

Alexander managed to hire tens of thousands of Persian soldiers, and then fired many of his

Macedonian men. This enraged the Macedonians, who spoke critically of Alexander's new

troops and condemned him for adopting Persian customs and behavior.

Death

Alexander died of malaria in what is now Iraq on June 13, 323 B.C. He was just 32 years old.

Rhoxana gave birth to his son a few months later. After Alexander died, his empire collapsed and

the nations within it battled for power. Over time, the cultures of Greece and Asia mixed and

thrived. The changes that followed are the gift that Alexander left the world.

World Leaders: Alexander the Great Quiz


1. According to the article, how did Alexander the Great's thinking about Persia change

after he defeated the Persians?

A. Initially, he feared the strength of the Persian army, and after the defeat he sought them as

allies.

B. Initially, he trusted the Persian empire as an ally, and after the defeat he was worried

other city-states would rebel.

C. Initially, he wanted to conquer the Persian empire, and after the defeat he wanted to learn

from their skillful military tactics.

D. Initially, he saw the Persians as a threat to his empire, and after the defeat he wanted to

adopt Persian culture.


2. Which answer choice accurately characterizes Alexander the Great's reaction to his

father's murder?

A. He was determined to get revenge for his father's death.

B. He took the opportunity to seize the throne for himself.

C. He blamed his father's wife and child for the murder.

D. He honored his father by becoming a military leader.


Read the following two selections from the section "Campaigns And Conquests".

Alexander received news that Thebes, a Greek city-state, had forced out the Macedonian troops

stationed there. Alexander did not want the other city-states to rebel. He marched his enormous

army – 3,000 cavalry and 30,000 soldiers – southward all the way to the tip of Greece.

Alexander and his forces arrived in Thebes, and three days later, they destroyed the city.

Alexander wanted to warn the other city-states thinking about revolting. His tactic proved

effective; the other Greek city-states either chose to become allies of the Macedonian Empire or

did not fight against it.

3. What is the MOST likely reason the author included these details?

A. to illustrate how powerful Alexander the Great's army was

B. to compare the different military strategies used by Alexander the Great

C. to show that Alexander the Great was a poor and indecisive leader

D. to explain why Alexander the Great was unable to conquer Greece


4. What is the connection between the first section of the article, "Early Life," and the final

section, "Death"?

A. The first section highlights the events that influenced Alexander the Great to become the

leader of an empire; the final section explains the lasting influence his empire had on the

world.

B. The first section describes what Alexander the Great's was like as a child; the final

section shows what Alexander the Great was like as a grown adult leading a powerful

empire.

C. The first section shows how Alexander the Great was influenced by his father's actions to

become a king; the final section explains why he should not have followed in his father's

footsteps.

D. The first section illustrates how Alexander the Great was influenced by his education; the

final section shows how Alexander the Great used his knowledge to improve his empire.

Science & Math

Inventors and Scientists: Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans

Famous mathematician Pythagoras. Photo from Wikimedia.

By FamousScientists.org, adapted by Newsela staff


Word Count: 844


Text Level: 6

Synopsis: Pythagoras was a famous Greek philosopher,

mathematician and founder of the Pythagoreanism

movement. Although he is someone most people have heard

of, he remains a mystery, and little is known about the

ancient philosopher's life. Historians know much more about

the beliefs of a religious-mathematical group called the

Pythagoreans, which made great advances in

mathematics. When the group started, it was very secretive.

After Pythagoras died, the secrets began to be revealed.

Early Life

Facts about Pythagoras are difficult to state with certainty, as there are no written records from

his time. Most of what historians know of him was written hundreds of years after he lived and

may not be reliable.

Pythagoras was born in about 570 B.C. on the Greek island of Samos. His father was a merchant.

Pythagoras was taught mathematics by Thales, who brought mathematics to the Greeks from

ancient Egypt. Thales advised Pythagoras to visit Egypt, which he did when he was about 22

years old.

Pythagoras must have liked Egypt. He lived there for about the next 22 years of his life,

mastering mathematical and spiritual ideas. Pythagoras didn't leave Egypt willingly. He was

caught up in a Persian invasion and taken as a prisoner to Babylon. The Babylonians were

probably the finest mathematicians in the world at that time. In Babylon, Pythagoras learned

mathematics and Eastern spiritual ideas, possibly from as far away as India.

The Rise Of The Pythagoreans

When he was about 56 years old, Pythagoras was finally set free. He returned to Samos, his

birthplace. There, he began teaching people his philosophy of life, which was based on a mixture

of his own ideas, mathematics and spiritual teachings from ancient Egypt and elsewhere.

After two years, Pythagoras moved to the city of Croton, where he established the Pythagoreans.

The Pythagoreans were a religious group. Their beliefs were based on the power of numbers,

honesty, living a simple life and generally trying to show kindness to people and animals.

Pythagoreans believed that everything could be reduced to numbers and that the whole universe

had been built using mathematics. They said that the truth behind everything we experience lies

in numbers.

Aristotle was a famous Greek philosopher. He described the Pythagoreans as "the first to take up

mathematics" and said that they believed "the principles of mathematics were the principles of

all things."

The Tetractys

To Pythagoreans, 10 was the supreme number.

Ten can be made by adding the first four numbers: 1, 2, 3 and 4. These

numbers form a perfect, equilateral triangle called the tetractys.

Ratios of numbers from the tetractys are important in musical scales,

which the Pythagoreans also thought had magical powers. Pythagoreans

prayed to the tetractys and swore promises to it.

The Pythagoreans made big contributions to ancient Greek mathematics.

We don't know for sure whether these contributions came from Pythagoras

himself, or from other Pythagoreans.

The Pythagoreans and Greeks added something incredibly important to

mathematics that other cultures had not. The Greeks made mathematics rigorous — everything

had to be proved logically. They also carried out pure mathematics — math that had no practical

purpose. They were the first ancient mathematicians to have the same priorities as modern

mathematicians.

The Existence of Numbers

The Pythagoreans were the first people to realize that numbers exist in their own right. For

example, the number 3 exists. You don't need 3 people or 3 chickens or 3 lines to justify the

existence of the number 3. All numbers have their own existence and don't need to be associated

with real objects to become real.

There are five regular 3-D solids that are symmetrical, which means they look the same after you

flip, slide or turn them. Their symmetry allows them to be used as dice.

The Tetractys- a perfect Pythagorean

symbol, both mathematical and

mystical. Photo from public domain.

Pythagoras himself established the existence of the first three solids. Other Pythagoreans

probably discovered how to construct the other two. The solids are the tetrahedron (4 sides),

cube (6 sides), octahedron (8 sides), dodecahedron (12 sides) and icosahedron (20 sides).

Math and Music

Pythagoras believed that, like everything else, music was based on whole number ratios. He also

believed in its healing properties. Pythagoras was actually a skilled lyre player and probably

studied the relationship between musical pitch and string length.

A follower of Pythagoras named Philolaus continued these studies. He discovered that if you half

the length of a string, the note produced increases in pitch by an octave. If you reduce a string by

two-thirds, the pitch of the note moves up by one-fifth. This is how he learned that an octave is

not divided into two equal halves but into a fourth and a fifth.

Pythagoras is thought to have died when he was about 75 years old in about 495 B.C. Some

ancient sources claim he lived to be 100. He may have died in Croton, or he may have died in the

city of Metapontum, along the southern Italian coast.

Inventors and Scientists: Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans


Read the section "Early Life."

1. Select the paragraph from the section that suggests that Pythagoras was interested in

learning about many subjects.

A. Paragraph 1

B. Paragraph 2

C. Paragraph 3

D. Paragraph 4


2. Which sentence from the article supports the idea that the Pythagoreans applied a new

approach to the study of math that influenced the field?

A. Their beliefs were based on the power of numbers, honesty, living a simple life and

generally trying to show kindness to people and animals.

B. The Pythagoreans made big contributions to ancient Greek mathematics.

C. They were the first ancient mathematicians to have the same priorities as modern

mathematicians.

D. The Pythagoreans were the first people to realize that numbers exist in their own right.

Grade 6, Anchor 4: Word Meaning & Choice

Read the sentence from section "The Tetractys"

The Greeks made mathematics rigorous — everything had to be proved logically.

3. Which of the following words, if it replaced the word "rigorous" in the sentence above, would

CHANGE the meaning of the sentence?

A. Exact

B. Precise

C. Thorough

D. appealing

Grade 6, Anchor 4: Word Meaning & Choice

4. Read the first paragraph of the section "Math And Music." Then, fill in the blank.

Pythagoras believed that, like everything else, music was based on whole number ratios. He also

believed in its healing properties. Pythagoras was actually a skilled lyre player and probably

studied the relationship between musical pitch and string length.

The word "properties" in the sentence above tells the reader that ____.

A. Pythagoras believed that music had magical powers that could cure people of illnesses

B. Pythagoras believed that the individual sounds and parts that make up music could cure

people of illnesses

C. Pythagoras believed that the qualities or characteristics of music could cure people of

illnesses

D. Pythagoras believed that those that owned or possessed music could be cured of illnesses

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