Download Chapter 8 Review Mr. Klein Greek Beliefs Greek myths expressed

Chapter 8 Review
Mr. Klein
Greek Beliefs
Greek myths expressed the religious beliefs of the ancient Greeks.
Greek Gods have great powers but they look and act like human
beings. Because they show human qualities the Greek people did not
fear them.
Gods lived on Mount Olympus and Zeus was the King of the Gods.
All Greeks worshipped Zeus and each city-state chose one god or
goddess as its protector. For example Athena protected Athens.
To win the favor of their god Greeks performed rituals.
Festivals also honored the Gods the largest being the Olympic Games
which inspired the modern Olympics.
Greeks believed in fate and prophecy so they visited oracles. A sacred
place where a priest or priestess spoke for a god. The most famous
was the oracle at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.
Greek Literature and Writers
Greek poems and stories are some of the oldest literature in
Western civilization.
First Greek stories were epics. Two of the greats, the Iliad and
Odyssey, were composed by the poet Homer. They were about
the Greek and Trojan War.
In the Iliad a Trojan prince falls in love and kidnaps a Greek princess
Helen. The Greeks attack the city for revenge. The war lasts 10
years and ends with the use of the Trojan Horse.
The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus and his long trip home
from the war. Odysseus gets involved in many adventures and it
takes 10 years for him to finally get home.
Heroes of the poems became role models and taught importance
of courage, honor and loyalty.
Aesop’s fables were short tales that used animals and were often
funny to tell a moral and show human strength and weakness.
Greek Drama and Art
Drama is a story told mainly trough the words and actions of
a cast of characters performed by actors on a stage
Two categories of Greek drama, tragedy and comedy. In a
tragedy the main character struggles to overcome hardships
but doesn’t succeed.
In a comedy the story ends happily and is filled with humor.
The four writers Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and
Aristophanes were the greatest Greek dramatists.
Drama was part of religious festivals and a way to show
loyalty to their city-state.
Greek art expressed the ideals of reason, balance, and
harmony. Greeks constructed beautiful buildings and
amazing sculptures.
Philosophy and Socrates
Philosophy means “love of wisdom” and involved creating a new
body of knowledge.
Sophists traveled from polis to polis teaching many subjects but
were known for teaching rhetoric.
Socrates believed in absolute truth and that all real knowledge
as within each person. He created a way of questioning called
the Socratic method. He asked questions and waited for
students to respond.
Students should think for themselves and form their own
opinions.
Socrates ended up being executed for corrupting the youth of
Athens. He could have left before his execution but died for his
beliefs.
Plato and Aristotle
Plato was a student of Socrates and wrote about his teacher. Also
wrote “The Republic” which tried to find the ideal government.
Believed that “philosopher kings” should be rulers.
Started his own school called The Academy in Athens.
Aristotle was a student of Plato. Had many interests and wrote
over 200 works on a variety of topics like science, government and
theater.
Was the teacher of Alexander the Great at the Academy before
opening his own school in Athens called the Lyceum.
Aristotle’s ideas influenced the way Europeans and Americans
thought about government.
Greek History and Science
Herodotus wrote a history of the Persian Wars. Wrote that the gods
played a role in historical events. Questioned many people to get
information and investigated the truthfulness of sources. Considered
the “father of history.”
Thucydides was a general in the Peloponnesian War and wrote a
history about the conflict. Rejected idea of Gods playing a role and
tried hard to be accurate and impartial. He visited battle sites, and only
accepted eyewitness reports of events.
Thales studied astronomy and mathematics. Made discoveries and
developed theories by observing and thinking.
Pythagoras taught that the universe followed same laws of music and
numbers. Developed Pythagorean theorem that is still used today.
Hippocrates is considered the “father of medicine.” Created list of
rules called the Hippocratic Oath that says doctors should do their best
to help the patient. Doctors today still promise to honor the oath.