Download Section Two: The Greek City-States

Section Two:
The Greek City-States
Section 2 Objectives
• Define city-state & tell how
the city-state of Sparta &
Athens differed
I. The Polis: Center of Greek Life
• By 750 B.C., the polis (city-state)
became the central focus of Greek
life
• It was a town, city or village serving
as a center where people met for
political, economic, social &
religious activities
The Polis: Center of Greek Life
• The main gathering place was
usually on a hill, topped with a
fortified area called the
*acropolis
• Below was the agora, an open
area for people to assemble &
for a market
Acropolis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wi ki/Image:Ac.acropolis 3.JPG
Acropolis
Agora
The Polis: Center of Greek Life
• Athens was the largest citystate
• Polis was a community of
people who shared an
identity & goals
The Polis: Center of Greek Life
• Three classes:
1. citizens with political rights
(adult males)
2. citizens without political
rights (women & children)
3. noncitizens (slaves &
resident aliens)
The Polis: Center of Greek Life
• Responsibilities accompanied
rights
• Loyalty made the city-states
fiercely patriotic & distrustful of
one another
• Helped bring Greece to ruin
The Polis: Center of Greek Life
• Military system based on
hoplites
• Infantry who carried shield,
sword & spear
• The fought shoulder to
shoulder in a *phalanx
formation
phalanx formation
Spartan
Hoplite
Phalanx
II. Greek Colonies
• 750 & 550 B.C. many
Greeks settled distant lands
• Trade & good farmland
• Cities of Hellespont,
Bosporus & Byzantium
Greek Colonies
• Exports: Pottery, wine &
olive oil
• Imports: lumber, grain &
slaves
• New wealthy class of
merchants
III. Tyranny in the City-states
• New wealth led to the rise of tyrants
• Greek tyrants were rulers who
seized power by force from the
aristocrats
• Oppressive rules
• Aristocrats oppressed them,
peasants supported them
Tyranny in the City-states
• Seized & kept power by
using hired soldiers
• Built new walls & temples
• Fall out of favor by the 6th
century B.C.
Government in the City-states
• *Democracy – ruled by the
many
• Other city-states remained
committed to government by
an *oligarchy, rule by the few
• Athens & Sparta
IV. Sparta
• Greek city-state
• Gained land through conquest
of neighbors
• Captured people were known
as helots
• These serfs worked for the
Spartans
A. A military State
• 800 & 600 B.C.
• Rigidly controlled & disciplined
• Entered the military at 20 &
lived in the barracks until 30
A military State
• Stayed in the army until 60
• Women & men lived apart
• Women expected to remain fit
to bear & raise healthy
children
• Men expected to be brave in
battle, to win or be killed
B. Government of Sparta
• The Spartan government was an
oligarchy
• Ephors – were elected each year &
were responsible for the education of
youth & the conduct of all citizens
• 2 kings & 28 men made up the
government
• Did not debate, but only voted
Government of Sparta
• Closed itself off from the
outside world
• Travelers & travel discouraged
• Frowned upon new ideas &
the arts
V. Athens
• A king ruled early Athens
• By 7th century B.C.,
oligarchy of aristocrats
• Economic & political
troubles
Athens
• Reformist Solon appointed
leader in 594 B.C.
• Canceled debts, but did not
give land to the poor
• Led to tyranny
Athens
• Appointed the reformer
Cleisthenes in 508 B.C.
• Created a new council of five
hundred
• Proposed new laws &
supervise the treasury &
foreign affairs
Athens
• Assembly had final authority
to pass laws after free &
open debate
• *Reforms of Cleisthenes
created the foundation for
Athenian democracy
Acropolis
Early Acropolis
Chapter Objectives
• Describe the roles of the
Persian & Peloponnesian wars
in Greek history
• List the cultural contributions
of the Greeks to Western
civilization
• Explain how Alexander the
Great created his empire