Athens and Sparta

Lesson 8.4: Sparta and Athens

Sparta

• Located on Peloponnesus.

• Conquered neighboring city-states and made their captives helots, or slave-like workers.

• Helots soon out numbered the Spartans 4:1.

• Spartans feared rebellion, which lead to a very military lifestyle

Sparta

• In times of war, two kings ruled and shared authority.

• In times of peace an oligarchy of 30 elders ruled Sparta.

Multiple Choice

Helot means

• traitor

• slavelike workers

• soldier

• government worker

Multiple Choice

In time, the helot population in Sparta outnumbered their citizens.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

In times of war, Sparta was ruled by

• two kings who shared authority.

• 30 elders who worked together to govern.

• military leaders who could lead Sparta to victory.

Multiple Choice

In times of peace, Sparta was ruled by ____ elders. over the age of 60.

• 20

• 30

• 50

• 100

Life in Sparta

• Spartans learned to be strong and disciplined.

• Boys sent to training camps at age of 7.

• Served as soldiers from 18 to 60.

• Dressed, lived, and ate plainly.

• Believed there was no greater act than to die defending Sparta.

Life in Sparta

• Feared new ideas would bring unwanted changes, so Spartans were not allowed to travel outside of Sparta very often.​

• Trade with outsiders was discouraged.

Women in Sparta

• Main role was to raise children.

• Highly respected, managed household and family matters.

• Girls were also trained to be strong, but did not serve in the military.

Multiple Choice

At what age did Spartans begin training for military battle?

• 7

• 10

• 12

• 17

Multiple Choice

Why were Spartans discouraged from traveling and trading?

• Spartans were bad sailors.

• They didn't have anything to trade.

• They were afraid new ideas would bring unwanted change.

Multiple Choice

In Sparta, there was no greater act than to...

• join the military

• die in battle

• train children to fight

• worship Poseidon

Multiple Choice

Women were highly respected in Sparta.

• True

• False

Life in Athens

• Education was prioritized.

• All boys went to school, most girls were educated at home.

• About 1/3 of Athenians were slaves. Most slaves were educated.

• Neither slaves nor women could vote in Athens.

New ideas in Athens

• Athens grew very wealthy from trade.

• In 600 B.C. farmers fell into debt and many sold themselves into slavery

• The poor became distrustful and angry because they couldn't pay their debts.

• Solon dealt with the debt crisis by canceling all debts and changing the way debts were dealt with.

Toward Democracy

• After the debt crisis, Solon wanted more citizens to be involved in government.

• Political rights would now depend on wealth instead of birth.

• The greater a man's wealth, the higher position he could hold.

• Decisions were made by majority rule.

Open Ended

______________ was prioritized in Athens.

Multiple Choice

Women could vote in Athens, but slaves could not.

• True

• False

Open Ended

Thanks to Solon's reforms, decisions in Athens were made by ______________ ________. (Two words)

Multiple Choice

Because of Solon, a man's status in Athens was determined by ___________.

• wealth

• birth

• number of children

• military accomplishments

Yikes! Persia!

• The Persians came from Mesopotamia.

• They were expanding rapidly and moving in on Greece.

• Out of a shared fear of takeover, the Greek city-states united for the first time.

• Their union was called the Peloponnesian League and was led by Sparta.

Multiple Choice

Greek city-states united for the first time because...

• mountain travel became easier with the invention of the wheel.

• they wanted to increase trade between city-states.

• they had a common enemy.

• This never happened. They never united.

Multiple Choice

Who lead the Peloponnesian League?

• Athens

• Sparta

• Corinth

• Olympia

Poll

If you had to choose, would you rather live in ancient Athens or Sparta?

• Athens

• Sparta