Download Unit 5:The Growth of Empires and Governments

Unit 5:The Growth of Empires
and Governments
Chapter 5: Early Civilizations of Greece
Section I: Early Civilizations of Greece
(Pages 100-104)
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This section is about:
How the geography of
Greece affected the
development of two
ancient civilizations of
traders and palace
builders.
The economic and cultural
life of the Minoans and
Mycenaean's.
How historical events of
these cultures have been
preserved in legends and
epics.
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Like everywhere else:
geography matters in
Greece
The Pindus Mountains
isolated the Greek people
from one another.
It’s on the Balkan
peninsula
The southernmost part:
Peloponnesus
Has many islands
Greece is different from some of
our other places so far
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Not very good farmland
No great big rivers
Unpredictable rains
The were able to grow
barley, grapes and olives
(they grow okay in rocky
soil).
They also raised pigs,
sheep, goats, and chickens
(smaller animals).
That kind of food was
scarce.
But… they did have lots of…
Water
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Most people lived near the sea.
Good harbors for trading.
Good sailors, fishermen, and traders.
Main exports: olive oil, wine, wool,
and marble.
People who lived inland were
separated from each other
(mountains), so different communities
ended being quite different from each
other.
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The Greeks have always believed they
had the most beautiful land on Earth.
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Their location helped them develop
the foundations for western civilization.
(the way Europe and the America’s lived)
The first great Aegean civilization
was: the Minoans
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Named after Minos (the
legendary king of Greece)
He had a monarchy
(government with a
single ruler).
They had fine crafts, built
great palaces, and played
sports.
Their most important
palace was at Knossos
The Palace of Knossos
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The largest palace on Crete.
The royal family, it’s
advisors, craft-workers, and
servants all lived there.
It had store rooms,
workshops, large
bathrooms, complex
plumbing.
Art was an important part of
their lives with decorative
vases, ivory figurines,
jewelry, and colorful
frescoes on the walls (of
bulls, dolphins, people,
sporting events, and nature
scenes)
The Minoans were peaceful sea traders
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It seems they lived in
peace for a long time.
They traded with the
Greek islands, the Greek
mainland, and even the
Egyptians.
But- they weren’t Greek –
they were Aegean
No-one really knows why
they disappeared (maybe
a volcanic eruption – the
island of Thera)
Just after the time of the Minoans, the
Mycenaean's began a culture in Greece.
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Lived on the mainland
of Greece.
The first Greek people
to leave a written
record.
Ruled by kings from big
palaces.
Traded with the
Minoans some – so
they had a “cultural
exchange” with them.
The Mycenaean's lived…
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In great palaces.
But, there’s were
surrounded by thick
walls.
The lived about the
same way as the
Minoans
Mycenaean’s also had
colonies around the
Mediterranean, and
traded with many
other cultures.
By 1100 BC, Mycenaean’s were gone
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Palaces were
destroyed/abandoned.
Why gone? Civil Wars?
Natural Disasters?
Invaders? We’re not
sure.
People started settling in
smaller villages.
Some started moving
other places – like Sicily
and Italy
One of the biggest things the Mycenaean’s are known for is:
The Trojan War
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The Mycenaean’s and other Greeks attacked Troy (a rich
trading city).
The War started when a Trojan prince named Paris kidnapped
Helen (the wife of the brother of the Mycenaean king).
To try and rescue her, the Greeks battled the Trojans, seized
Troy, and burned it to the ground.
Is this story a myth or true?
Some of the best stories from this time
come from the Iliad and the Odyssey
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These were two long
poems – probably by
Homer.
The Iliad describes the
last days of the Trojan
War.
The Odyssey tells a
story of the long trip
home – by Odysseus
(a hero of the Trojan
War).
Of course, religion was important
to the people of Greece
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They believed there
were Gods around in
everyday life.
They had human
feelings and human
form.
They believed they
needed to please their
gods, so they built
great temples to honor
them.
The Parthenon (on the Acropolis)
Parthenon Design
Who are these people?
Some of the main Greek Gods:
(The 12 Olympians)
1. Zeus
2. Athena
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3. Hera
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4. Hades
5. Poseidon
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6. Dionysus
7. Ares
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8. Aphrodite
9. Apollo
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10. Artemis
11. Demeter
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12. Hermes
13. Hestia
14. Hephaestus
The goddess of love, beauty and desire.
The goddess of wisdom, warfare, battle
strategy, heroic endeavor, handicrafts and
reason.
King of the Underworld and god of the dead
and the hidden wealth of the Earth.
Queen of marriage, women, childbirth,
heirs, kings and empires.
The god of the sea, rivers, floods, droughts,
earthquakes, and the creator of horses.
The king of the gods, the ruler of Mount
Olympus and the god of the sky, weather,
thunder, lightning, law, order, and fate.
Greek Gods and Goddesses
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