Chapter OneSection 1

Greece

Ancient Greece* lack of fertile land on islands encouraged expansion over-seas, carried their ideas with them

Legacy of Greece

• Alphabet• Olympics• Democracy• Literature• Philosophy• Art• Architecture

Rise of Greek City-States

• City State: political unit made up of the city and the surrounding lands. – Small population, shared responsibility

• The Polis- Unique version of city state after 750 bc built on 2 levels: top = acropolis or “high city” with walled city down below

Greek Government

• Monarchy: king or queen exercises central power

• Landowners/nobles: military defenders because they could afford weapons; used to defend king, then won power. As middle class grew, they challenged landowners

Changes in Warfare

• 650 BC Iron weapons • Reduced class differences

by putting defense of city-state in hands of ordinary citizens.

• Phalanx- massive formation of heavily armed foot soldiers

Sparta – Venn Diagram• Lies in Peloponnesus, or southern

part of Greece. • Conquerors turned people into

state owned slaves (helots). • Set up system of strict control

because they were greatly outnumbered.

• Government = 2 kings, council of elders (advisors), Assembly made of citizens (male, native-born Spartans, over 30), elected 5 officials with real power to run city.

• Children = trained from early age to fight.

• Women = expected to produce healthy sons. Trained to exercise, obey husband and father, and inherit property

Athens• North of Peloponnesus.

Grew from monarchy to aristocracy.

• democracy (gov’t by the people).

• Women- No share of public life, rich women secluded and had to manage entire household.

• Slaves and children sent to market.

• Boys trained as public speakers and taught to read/write and received military training.

Athens• Solon- reformer: outlawed slavery, opened

high offices to more people, increased import of goods, granted some foreigners citizenship.

• Democracy: government by the people• tyrants: leaders who gain power by force, won

support by helping merchant class• legislature: lawmaking body, debated laws,

included all male citizens

• Persian Wars- 490 bc at Marathon Athenian forces defeated Persians by sheer will. 10 yrs later Sparta and others joined to defeat Persians. Result- Athens emerged as strongest Greek power

• Golden Age of Athens- 460 bc to 429 bc ruled by Pericles:

• Economy thrived • Government more democratic (direct

democracy no representatives). • Rebuilt Athens, cultural center of Greece.

• Peloponnesian War- 431 bc 27 year war• power struggle between Athens and

Sparta. • Sparta wanted to end Athenian power• 404 bc Sparta captured Athens ending

their domination of the Greek world

Macedonia• . Alexander the Great- Great

soldier- son of Phillip crushed Thebes

• conquered Persia. • India 324 bc. • Alexander died of fever• Result of his conquests =

blending of cultures Alexandria- Egypt, on trade route of Nile. Boasted wide range of goods. Museum – labs, zoo, library. Center of Hellenistic culture.

Legacy of Alexander

• Founded many new cities• blending of cultures (Hellenism)• Hellenistic Civilization– Greek, Persian,

Egyptian, Indian cultures blended• Rome emerged as most powerful city-state