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Greek City-States
Chapter 5
Section 2
Greek City-States
 Around 750 B.C., rise of city-states.
 City-states, or POLIS, was the fundamental political unit
in Ancient Greece.
o It was an independent self-governing city.
 Polis was made up of a city and its surrounding
countryside.
Government Structures
 Some city-states were ruled by:
 Monarchy --rule by Monarchs (Kings).
 Aristocracy-- rule by a small group of noble, land-owning
families (i.e. Athens)
 Oligarchy-- rule by a few powerful people (i.e. Sparta)
Sparta
 Sparta was built a military state.
 Two groups governed Sparta.
o Assembly
o Council of Elders
Spartan Education
o Boys daily life centered around military training.
 At birth they were determined fit or weak. If
weak, they were abandoned.
 At age 7 left home and trained to be a soldier.
 20 - became soldiers
 30 - they could marry but Sparta and the army
were still first priority.
 60 - retired.
Girls were active (They ran and played sports.)
Women managed the family estates while their husbands
served the Polis.
Athens
 Located in Eastern Greece, North of Sparta.
 Athenian reformers created DEMOCRACY, rule by the
people.
 Athenians were always eager to learn new ideas
Athenian Education
 Only the sons of wealthy families received formal
education.

Schooling began around the age of 7 and mostly prepared
boys to be good citizens.


Girls were educated at home by their mothers
Purpose was to raise good Wives and Mothers.