Download Ancient Greece (500 – 323BC)

Ancient Greece (500 – 323BC):
GEOGRAPHY
- Greece is a peninsula (a land form that has a body of water surrounding 3 of its
edges or 3 coast lines) the size of Louisiana in Mediterranean sea.
- Very close to Egypt, the Persian empire(includes turkey) and Rome.
- Mountainous
- Communities often developed independently because of the mountains so were
diverse.
- As a result they fought amongst each other a lot.
TECHNOLOGY RESULTS FROM NECESSITY
- Since Greek coastal cities were sandwiched between the ocean & sea they
developed an amazing navy for trading and fighting.
TECHNOLOGY RESULTS FROM SCARCITY
- All cities need fresh water, Greek had an aqueduct; a brick water pipe.
- First aqueduct was Assyrian, but most ancient societies had them.
- Terracing saves water and soil in mountainous environments. (to make sure crops
didn’t flood, etc. )
GREEK INVETIONS
- Invented dice.
- Greeks were original Olympiads, scientists studied the best way to perform sports.
- Invented crane.
GREEK ARCHITECTURE
- Invented columns and arches that took advanced mathematics.
GREEK MILITARY
- Invtented a catapult, it could throw 300 pound stones @ walls & buildings.
- Hoplite was a Greek infantry soldier
- Hopelites were middle-class freemen who had to pay for their own weapons &
shields.
- Phalanx was a tight box the soldiers formed each carrying a large shield and a 9
foot spear.
- Invented first flame thrower.
GREEK RELIGION
- was polytheistic (believed in many gods)
GREEK POLITICS
- Athens was first democracy (type of government where people vote)
- Athens was a direct democracy where people vote on everything!
- Canada today is a representative democracy where we vote for people to make
decisions for us.
-
-
Direct participation was key to the Athenian democracy. In assembly every male
citizen was entitled to attend as often as he please and also had the right to debate,
offer amendments, and vote on proposals.
Every man had a say in whether to declare war or stay in peace. Anything that
required a government decision all male citizens were allowed to participate in.
POLITCAL TERMS
- All of Greece wasn’t a democracy.
- Most of Greece was a monarchy a type of government ruled by a king or queen.
- Pericles was a good king of Athens.
SPARTA
- An isolated city-state that was culturally and politically different from Athens.
- Was an oligarchy government, ruled by few. They had 2 kings.
- During the Peloponnesian Sparta sacked Athens.
- Obsessed with war.
- Boys were sent to military school at a young age.
- Boys who were born deformed were left to die on the mountains.
ATHENS
- Were tough people and were also encouraged to take part in activities like art,
philosophy, and music.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT
- He was from Macedonia, not Athens.
- Was a brilliant military strategist
- His favourite book was Homer’s Lliad.
- He conquered the Persian empire and controlled the largest empire ever seen.
WHEN CULTURES COLLIDE?
- Alexander spread Hellenistic (fancy word for Greek) culture and technology
through his empire (Asia)
- The Roman Coliseum has a strong Hellenistic influence because of this
- Many other buildings also were influence by this such as the Lincoln Memorial in
Washington, D.C.
1. What is Greece's political contribution to the political world (especially countries like
Canada and the United States) ?
Greece's politcal contribution to the political world, especially in countries like Canada
and the United States, was the first use of a democracy. The people of Athens used a
direct democracy meaning they voted on everything which was a base for the form of
democracy we use in Canada called a representitive democracy.
2. How did georgraphy influence Greece's economy and military technology?
The geograpy influenced Greece's economy and military technology because they were
situated right by the coast, which influenced the developement of their navy. Also,
because the Greek cities were surrounded by mountain ranges they developed into
indpenedent cultures and because of this fought amongst each other a lot.
3. How did Hellenistic ideas spread throughout asia?
Hellenistic ideas such as their culture and technology spread throughout Asia when
Alexander the Great conquered the Persian empire and ended up controlling most of Asia
because he was from the Greek culture.
4. Describe an example of how necessity brings about technological change.
An example of how necessity brings about technological change is how the Greek cities
were squished between the ocean and the sea so it was because of this that they
developed their amazing navy for fighting, but also trading.
5. Define monarchy.
A monarchy is a goverment that is ruled by a king or queen.
6. Define oligarchy.
An oligarchy was a government ruled by more than one person. For example, Sparta had
an oligarchy governemnt and had two kings.