Ancient GreeceThe birthplace of Western Civilization

Geography The southern part of

the Balkan Peninsula Aegean Sea

Coastline= natural harbors

Mountains make the land very hard to farm> Therefore, they are fishers, sailors, and traders

Geography led Greeks to find colonies

GeographyMountains & Valleys

Kept villages apart Instead of a large

kingdom/empire they formed separate city-states

People felt loyalty towards their city-state instead of Greece

(I’m not Greek, I’m an Athenian)

ClimateVery mild climateSpent much time

outdoorsThey attended

public events & conducted government outside

Early GreeceMinoans- 2500 BCECrete (island southern

Greece)Palace in Knossos ! Amazeing.

Named after King Minos Walls covered in colorful

Frescoes: paintings Poor soil on Crete- Trade for

foodWrote in Linear BBull Jumping! (religion)No evidence of fighting 1620 BCE Volcano causes

tidal waves that weaken the city!

Minoans curled their hair and

wore gold belts around their

waists

Labyrinth= maze

Early GreeceMycenaensMigrated from Europe/Asia

Intermarried with the localscontrolled mainland Greece Adopted Minoan culture ( through trade)

Writing (Lin.B) and some religious beliefs

They were ruled by powerful warrior kings

Built fort-like cities on the Peloponnesus (hand-shaped)

1100BCE earthquakes weakened> then warfare

Early Greece Dorians

Entered through the North

300 yearsKnown as the Greek

“Dark Ages!”Overseas trade stops,

poverty, skills diminish, people move to Ionia

They eventually move back and bring culture with them

New civilization emerged with early Greek elements called Hellenic! After the original

settlers of mainland Greece

Polis=Greek City-StateRepresented the

center of Greek identity

Citizens were intensely loyal to their polis

Fight and die for it!Greece was a

civilization, not an empire.

The Greek City-States…How were the city-states different?

How were they the same?

Each had its own…GovernmentLawsCalendarMoneyWeights/ measures

They shared …The Greek language Religious ideasFestivals

Each city-state consisted of the city and the land around it.

Free, adult males had citizenship rights Each polis was built around an acropolis,

a fortified hill with a temple on it. Near the acropolis was the agora, public

square!MarketsPolitical Center

We have decisions to make… IF, I was to bring in a small snack for the

class, which type of snack would you like me to bring in???A. Candy

1. Chocolate 2. Something Sweet 3. Something Sour

B. Cookies 1. Chocolate Chip2. Sugar

Government1. The first type of government in Ancient Greece was a

Monarchy ….landowners who had money for armies and weapons

gained power

2. These wealthy nobles (Aristocrats) take power from chiefs/ kings and control Greek society and an Oligarchy is formed. • Oligarchy= rule by few

3. Tyrants have the support of the people and take power illegally.

In some cases, the tyrant became unjust. Tyrant become known as ruling cruelly and with absolute power .

Some city-states overthrew their tyrants.

4. Democracy 1st in Athens! People take part in the government. Only men who owned land could voteNo women or non-citizens

Religion PolytheismLooks to explain

NatureHuman emotions To bring benefits

Afterlife: souls go to the underworld with HadesMain gods lived on Mount Olympus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyT3A4vi6cw Oracles: The way in which gods to speak to humans.

People would travel to hear messages and predictions

To explain these Greeks used Myths (Greek

Mythology)

HomerHomer: blind poet c. 700 BCE

Wrote two epicsIliad and the Odyssey

Iliad: Trojan War/Trojan horse: Trojan Prince take Mycenaean King’s wife

Odyssey: Mycenaean King Odysseus is on the way home from war to see his wife Penelope. It takes him 10 years to return. During that time he faces many adventures and interferences from the gods. Is gets home and is reunited with Penelope!.

Shipwrecks- Poseidon One-eyed giant- Cyclops Sea-monsters Trip to the underworld-Hades Temptations by sea nymphs

Schools in Ancient Greece used this epics to teach Hellenic (Greek) values!

You’ll read this in English!

Yay!

Daily life in AthensArmyPhalanx- rows of soldiers using their shields to form a

wallEconomy= Trade

Imports: goods being brought inExport: goods being sent out

Colonies- supplied city-state with wheat and barley Terrace Farming: cutting flat layers into hills for

farming Main crops: Olives (olive oil), Grapes (wine)

Education- Young boys were taught grammar, music, gov’t, math, ethics, rhetoric