Download 2 Greece - Duluth High School

Greece
The Birthplace of Democracy
Geography affected Greece
Geography
¾ of land is covered by mountains
 Many peninsulas, islands, coastlines and
inlets
 No navigable rivers
 Made transportation and travel difficult
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People could not form one united
government so they created many citystates.
Three early civilizations
Minoans
 Mycenaeans
 Dorians

Minoans
Lived on the island of Crete
 Equality for women
 Advanced society
 Seafaring

Mycenaeans
Used bronzed weapons and tools
 Warriors
 Trojan War

Dorians
Less advanced
 Illiterate (Dark Ages)
 Oral tradition
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Homer, The Odyssey

Epic poems
Greek Religion

Polytheistic
 Gods took human
form and emotions;
were immortal
 Myths taught to
understand
mysteries of
nature/life
Greek city-states
City-state: a city and its surrounding
areas (polis)
 Citizens (free adult males) served the
polis
 Citizen armies
 Public meetings held in the agora
(market place) and acropolis (fortified
hilltop)

Contrasting two major city states:
Athens and Sparta
Athens
 Government

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Sparta
 Government
Created democracy

Values
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Life based on
education and
culture
Women had few
rights

Dual monarchy /
military oligarchy
Values
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Life based around
military
Women enjoyed
more rights
Athenian democracy
Direct democracy: laws voted on and
proposed directly by assembly of all
citizens
 Citizens: male, 18 years of age, born of
citizen parents
 Executive branch: composed of council
of 500 men

The Persian Wars
490-479 B.C.
 Persia versus Greece
 Persia invaded Athens and the
Athenians won
 Athens emerged as the most powerful
city-state
 Athens became the leader of the Delian
League

Golden Age of Greece


Classical culture
flourished.
Pericles, a hero from the
Persian Wars, became
leader of Athens.

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Strengthened
democracy
Increased wealth and
power of Athens
Beautified Athens
Contributions of the Golden Age

Architecture: The
Parthenon
 Sculpture: figures
show grade,
strength and
serenity / bodies in
motion / ideal
beauty (classical art)
 Greeks invent
drama (tragedy and
comedy)
Peloponnesian Wars
431-404, B.C.
 Sparta versus Athens
 Sparta won
 Ends the Golden Age

Greek philosophers

Socrates
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Plato

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First great Western philosopher
Questioned authority
Socratic Method
Teacher at The Academy
Taught through dialogues
Aristotle
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Teacher at the Lyceum
Taught by use of logic
Alexander the Great
From Macedonia
 Son of King Philip II
 Became king at age 20
 Student of Aristotle
 Invaded Greece, Mesopotamia and India
 Wanted to create single empire
 Admired other cultures

Hellenism

Mixture of Greek and Eastern cultures
 Koine = common language spoken in Hellenistic cities,
dialect of Greek
 Alexandria (in Egypt) became center of Hellenistic
culture

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Port city, good for trade
Statues of Greek gods, a beautiful palace, and the famous
lighthouse
Center for learning and education
Many contributions in science, math, architecture, art and
philosophy