Ancient and Classical Greece

Ancient and Classical Greece

Greece- A nation divided

The Greek Empire was a actually a loose alliance of polises- independent city-states.

Often the city-states would fight each other in wars.

Geography of Greece

• A mountainous peninsula {piece of land that juts out onto a body of water} surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea

• Plus 2,000 islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas

• Plus lands on the eastern edge of the Aegean Sea

Multiple Choice

What is another word for a polis?

• A city-state

• A mountain

• A government

• A Greek goddes

Multiple Choice

What is a peninsula?

• Land that is completely surrounded by water

• A group of islands

• Land that is surrounded by water on 3 sides

• Two pieces of land that are connected by a thin land bridge

How did being surrounded by sea affect the Greeks?

• Allowed them to travel and trade by se

• Wealthy ports sprang up around Greece for traders from other areas of the world

How did the geography of Greece impact Greeks?

• Many different languages and forms of government existed throughout Greece

• Populations in each polis was typically small

• Greek leaders were eager to conquer new territories

Forms of government found in Greece:

• Monarchy- king or queen ruled

• Aristocracy- small group of land owners ruled

• Oligarchy- small group of political leaders ruled

• Democracy- The Greek polis, Athens, allowed citizens to vote for leaders and rules

Open Ended

Would you have preferred to live in Athens or Sparta? List two reasons why.

Multiple Choice

What did Socrates believed was the correct way to teach and learn?

• Memorizing facts

• Lectures

• Questions and answers (discussion)

• Fighting

Development of Greek mythology

• Greeks developed myths, or traditional stories about their Gods

  •Used them to make sense of the mysteries of nature (i.e. changing seasons) and the power of human passions

• Attributed human qualities (i.e. love, hate) to Gods

• Fought with each other constantly

• Lived forever

• Zeus was ruler of the Gods along with his wife Hera

• Had a daughter named Athena who was goddess of wisdom and guardian of cities (city of Athens was named after her)

Open Ended

Why do you think that the Greeks believed their gods fought and got angry? (What natural disasters might this help explain?)