An Introduction to Ancient Sparta

What was the main focus of education in Athens?

• Military training

• Democracy, art and philosophy

• Survival skills

• Battle Strategy

How did the government system of Sparta differ from Athens?

• Sparta had a democracy while Athens had an oligarchy.

• Athens had a democracy while Sparta had an oligarchy.

• Both Athens and Sparta had a monarchy.

• Sparta had an elected president while Athens had an oligarchy

What were the shared traditions between Athens and Sparta?

Use the bullet points in the What Athens and Sparta Had in Common section to answer this question.

Athens focused on learning, creativity, and (a)   .

Spartan boys began their military training at the age of (a)   .

• Athens celebrated creativity and ​ (a)   .

• Sparta valued ​ (b)   , ​ (c)   , and ​ (d)   .

• intellectual achievement
• strength
• duty
• unity
• monarchy
• wealth
• chaos

Ancient Athens vs. Ancient Sparta

Two Powerful City-States of Ancient Greece

When people study Ancient Greece, they often discover that it was not ​ (a)   with one government. Instead, Greece was made up of many independent ​ (b)   , each with its own laws, traditions, and leaders. Two of the most famous and powerful city-states were ​ (c)   and ​ (d)   .

• one single country
• city-states
• Athens
• Sparta

Government and Leadership

In Athens, citizens helped rule the city through a system called ​ (a)   , meaning “​ (b)   .” In this system, male citizens could gather in an assembly to ​ (c)   ideas and ​ (d)   on laws. This allowed many people to participate in government decisions. Athens believed that ​ (e)   could lead to better choices for the community.

• democracy
• rule by the people
• debate
• vote
• discussing ideas openly

Government and Leadership

Sparta had a very different system. Instead of democracy, ​ (a)   used an ​ (b)   , meaning that a ​ (c)   ruled the city-state. Sparta was led by ​ two kings and a council of ​ (d)   who made important decisions. The elders were the ​ (e)   members of the society.

• Sparta
• oligarchy
• small group of powerful leaders
• elders
• older and wiser

Daily Life and Culture

Daily life in Athens and Sparta also reflected their different priorities.

Athens became famous for its art, architecture, theater, and ​ (a)   . Beautiful buildings such as the ​ (b)   were built to honor the goddess ​ (c)   . Athenians enjoyed plays, festivals, and discussions about science, ​ (d)   , and human nature.

• philosophy
• Parthenon
• Athena
• government
• Hera
• Aphrodite
• Pavillion
• oligarchy