Ancient Greece

In around 800 BC, small farming communities in Greece expanded into city-states, known as polis, which were independent and had their own rulers and laws. Each polis had a central town called an Acropolis, built on a hill for defense. Ancient Greece was a collection of these small nations, not a single country. When rulers became unpopular, they were overthrown, leading to the birth of democratic governments.

What does the term 'polis' refer to in the context of Ancient Greece?

Explain the significance of the independence of each polis in Ancient Greece.