Download File - World History

Ancient Greece
Map of Greek World
Greece

Greece is located in the Balkan peninsula
in the Mediterranean sea
Mycenaean Era
The Mycenaean civilization dominated
Greece from 1400-1200 BC
 They also made their living through trade
by the sea
 The Mycenaeans mostly lived in city-states
on the mainland of Greece
 Each city-state was controlled by its own
king and was surrounded by huge walls to
keep invaders out

Mycenaean Era
Most famous conflict of the Mycenaean
era was the Trojan War
 Many of the tales of the Mycenaeans were
written down by a blind poet in 750 BC
named Homer
 Homer wrote the 2 epic tales of The Iliad
and The Odyssey
 The Mycenaeans were conquered by the
Dorians and many skills like the art of
writing were lost in Greece

Rise of City States
Greece developed many small cities
which were divided from one another by
mountains or water
 Every city-state included a main city and
the surrounding countryside
 Different city-states were serious rivals of
one another and engaged in war
frequently
 Greeks referred to city-states as the polis

Development of City States
Originally, city states were developed as a
monarchy (leader decided by heredity)
 However, wealthy landowners wanted
power for themselves and took over the
leadership of the city states

◦ This is called an aristocracy- leadership by
landholding elite class

After that, control changed into the hands
of the oligarchy or control by a small
group
This is Sparta
After the Dorians conquered parts of
Greece, they built the city-state of Sparta
 The Dorians turned the people that
already lived in the area into slaves called
helots
 The government of Sparta was led by 2
kings and a council to advise the kings

Sparta
Sparta focused mainly on their military
 Men were trained to be soldiers from
birth and serve as warriors
 After age 30, they could join the assembly
which was a group that approved all
major decisions for the city-state
 Women were expected to produce sons
for the Spartan army and some woman
ran the family land while husbands were
in war

Military
The military also began to develop with
the shift from bronze to iron weapons
 As iron was cheaper, a new method know
as the phalanx was developed.
 The phalanx method was difficult to
master and require hours of training

Athens



Athens also began as a
monarchy that turned into
an aristocracy like Sparta
Discontent with the
aristocracy led to an
eventual switch to a
democracy or government
by the people
Athens was not a true
democracy because only
landowning men could
participate in government
of the democracy
Athens
Athens was far less militant and placed a
higher focus on knowledge and learning
 Men took on jobs like merchants and
landowners in addition to time spent in the
military
 Women were expected to maintain the
home and rarely left the house unless it
was for a religious celebration

Philosophers of Greece
There were many great thinkers or
philosophers in Ancient Greece
 Philosophy means the “love of wisdom”
 Philosophers used rational thinking and
logic for their ideas
 Philosophers were masters of rhetoric or
art of speaking

Socrates

Socrates created the Socratic method
◦ Ask questions and then question the answers
to help people think more fully about their
responses
Socrates was put on trial because of his
constant questioning. People believed he
was dishonoring the gods
 He was sentenced to death at the age of
70

Plato





Plato was a student of Socrates and also
emphasized the importance of reason
Rejected Athenian society due to the death
of Socrates
Wrote “The Republic” which discussed an
ideal society
Society would exist of soldiers to defend,
workers to produce, and philosophers to rule
Believed men were higher than women in
mental and physical tasks, but some women
were superior to men
Aristotle
Aristotle was a student of Plato
 Arisotle did not support democracy but
supported a single leader who was
virtuous and moral
 Believed that reason is the guiding force
for all learning

Quick review
What were the 2 major city-states of
Ancient Greece?
 What was the main focus of the first citystate?
 What was the main focus of the second
city-state?
 Name the 3 major philosophers from
Ancient Rome
 Define oligarchy, aristocracy and
monarchy

War Between Sparta and Athens

Athens and Sparta begin to fight each other in the
the Peloponnesian War. The two city-states just
tried to control each other.
◦ While fighting continues amongst them a new empire
called Macedonia is on the rise.
 King Phillip II of Macedonia begins to establish his power
by conquering Greece.
 Phillip is an accomplished assassin and kills off other
competitors for the throne
 He is captured by the Thebans 369-367, and learns
Greek military tactics here.

King Phillip the II was the father of Alexander the
Great.
Alexander the Great

After Phillip’s death Alexander inherits the
throne at the age of 20.
◦ He was taught military tactics by Aristotle.

When Alexander takes over Greece revolts after
Phillip’s death. They no longer want to be ruled
by Macedonians.
◦ Alexander shows his power by attacking the city of
Thebes.
◦ Alexander crushed its army, and sold the people
into slavery and burned the city to the ground.
Alexander’s Empire

Alexander the Great wanted to take all of
Persia as part of his empire
Alexander’s Army
•Small
•Well Trained
•Fiercely Loyal
to Alexander
Persian Army
 Large
 Disorganized
 No
common
language
Alexander Expands His Empire

Alexander is able to take Persia, and begin his
empire.
◦ Alexander burns Persepolis, which is the “Persian
capital”, to the ground.

He wants to keep expanding his empire by taking
over India where his campaign turns for the
worse.
◦ His soldiers are starting to doubt him.

The soldiers are tired of fighting and want to
return home to see family and friends.
◦ Alexander tries to persuade the army to continue on,
but the men are ready to return to Macedonia.
Alexander becomes sick and dies

Many have debated whether his death
was intentional or natural.
◦ Poison is a possible answer because troops
were ready to return home.
◦ Malaria is another possibility because of the
climate in India; misquotes are present in high
numbers.
End of Alexander’s Empire
Hellenistic Age



Because Alexander took over a variety of
lands, there were many cultures interacting
under one ruler
Hellenistic - The blending of Greek cultures
with those of Persia, Egypt, and Central Asia
following the conquests of Alexander the
Great.
Major Developments of the Hellenistic Age
◦ Philosophy
◦ Art & Literature
◦ Science & Technology

http://www.schooltube.com/video/f8836a
3434a31a97579b/HORRIBLE-HISTORIESWife-Swap-Spartans-and-Athenians