A N T O N E L L A F R I E R I , P A B L O C O R D O B A , M A R I A M . C U R E , S A M U E L E L J A C H

ANCIENT GREECE

KEY IDEAS

• Geography played a part in shaping Greek civilization.

• Ancient Greece left a rich heritage in learning, philosophy and the arts.

• Democratic government developed in ancient Greece.

• Through trade, conquest, and cultural exchange, ancient Greece prospered.

KEY TERMS

• City-state: A city or town that controls surrounding villages and farmland nearby.

• Direct democracy: In direct democracy, take part in the day-to-day affairs with the government.

• Oligarchy: A government in which a small group of people rule.

• Philosophy: The study of the “love of wisdom”

• Cultural hearth: A center of new practices and ideas that spread.

GEOGRAPHY

• Greece is a peninsula and a group of islands in the Mediterranean Sea.

• It is mountainous, and has mostly rugged and rocky terrain , also it has an irregular coastline.

• The mountains have a lot of limestone and marble.

• Greece has little farmland, so ancient Greeks depended on the sea to eat because the seas around Greece are full of fish.

• The ancient Greeks settled mostly on the coastal areas that had fertile soil. But these lands were separated and independent civilizations were made.

CIVILIZATION

• Greece was divided into two civilizations: the Minoans, and the Mycenaeans.

• Minoans lived on Crete and the other islands, while the Mycenaeans lives on the Greek mainland.

• Around 3000 B.C,, Minoans emerged on Crete, they were great sailors and they developed a writing system.

• Around 1400 B.C, Mycenaeansconquered the Minoans and used their writing system.

• In 1200 B.C, the Mycenaean civilization collapsed for unknown reasons.

CIVILIZATION

• When the Mycenaeans conquered the Minoans, they built fortified towns, these towns converted into city-states.

• City-states were independent and they frequently fought with other city-states.

• City-states were aristocracies “rule by the best people”.

• When farmers and merchants rebelled, tyrants took control over the city-state, then some tyrants were replaced by oligarchies “Government ruled by a small group of people”.

A NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND JUSTICE

• The Athenians called their political system Demokratia, which means “ruled” by the people.

- This system affected law-making and the courts.

- There were no lawyers and judges in Athens.

• The basic elements of modern time democracy were originated in Athens.

- Debate (civic)

- Judgment by jury

- Rule of law

RELIGION

• Greeks believed in many deities with supernatural powers. They referred to them as gods and goddesses

- Rule over areas of the human life and natural world.

• Zeus was the chief god, he ruled from his house in Mount Olympus.

• Greeks had no manuscripts or book to explain their religion, instead they used mythology (a collection of stories or histories about their gods)

• To honor their gods, the Greeks built statues and temples.

PHILOSOPHY

• Greeks studied philosophy, which means the love for wisdom.

• This “Philosophy” consisted of applying logic or reason to a study of knowledge and the world.

• Few of the most important Greek philosophers were:

• Plato- Who wrote about ethics, religion, and government.

• Socrates- Plato’s teacher.

• Aristotle- Socrates’ student.

STUDIES

• They studied science and mathematics as well.

• People thought that the sun circled the Earth.

• After careful observations and with the usage of math, Aristarchus, concluded that the Earth circled the sun. Still, this idea was not widely accepted until 2,000 years of its invention.

STUDIES

• Along with the other subjects, past was also studied by the Greeks.

• Herodotus is known as the father of history, since he was the first to analyze and note events.

• Important historians:

• Thucydides- Wrote the story of the Pelopponesian wars.

• Xenophon- Recorded Greek history and recorded the sayings of Socrates.

ART AND LEISURE

• Greeks developed a great literary tradition which included poetry and drama.

• Plays would be focused on tragedies, heroes, and comedies that mocked the Greek societies.

• Invented a classical type of building in Greece, it was called a temple. • A temple would commonly belong to a god and would be the home for

their statue. • Most famous temple in Greece is located in Athens, it is the

Parthenon.

ART AND LEISURE

• Greeks held festival to honor their gods.

• The most famous festival was the Olympic games , it was held every four years at Olympia and it was to honor Zeus.

• The best athletes were sent to compete.

• The sports events included running, jumping, and wrestling.

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LIFE

• Ordinary citizens lived in homes of mud and brick.

• Meals of: bread, cheese, olives, and fish

• No space for livestock = no meat

• Agora - public space that included the council-house, religious shrines and marketplace. • Freemen (upper class) : discussing

politics or negotiating

• Women – few rights

Successful merchants

Wealthy landowners

Aristocrats

SLAVERY

• 1/3 of the population of Athens were slaves.

• Owned by someone else and weren’t free.

• Captured during wartime or were children with parents enslaved.

• Buy freedom or obtain it from master.

CONFLICT AND DEADLNE

• At sea, Athens navy was the strongest, while on land, Sparta’s army was more challenging

• In Sparta they dedicated less time to government and more time to army. • Spartans devoted to army from young age (over

family)

• Women had more rights(business)

• Oligarchy led by army

• Aristocrats: professional military men

• The Persian Wars• City-states united when Darius (king of Persia)

attacked.

• Darius son (Xerxes) ended giving up after thousands of men and hundreds of ships lost.

CONFLICT AND DEADLINE

• Decline of city-states• Sparta and Athens were enemies.

• Peloponnesian War – Athens lost golden age (27 years)

• Conflict prevented strength

• Spread of Greek culture• Alexander conquered most of the know world.

• Worldwide impact in government, art, and architecture

• Southwest Asia, Southern Europa, and North Africa

TRADE NETWORKS EXPAND

• The reason why Greeks could link to the outside world was because of the trading.

• The main merchants were Egypt, Asia and Mesopotamia.

• Trade helped the city-states expand.

• Greece became a multicultural country because trading brought influences.

• They managed to colonize Italy, Spain, Libya, Egypt and Turkey.

ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY

• As Greek became more powerful Athens encouraged political freedom.

• Democracy started in Athens because the reformers wanted to stop abuse of power.

• The reformer Solon gave the idea of a democracy, he ended slavery and granted all citizens the right to vote.

• In the citizens where only male adults because women couldn't vote.

ATHENIAN DIRECT DEMOCRACY

• Under Pericles Athens became the first direct democracy.

• In a direct democracy all citizens take part of the day-to-day government affairs.

• In current day Switzerland is the closest to a direct democracy because citizens can vote for their laws.

LIFE IN ANCIENT GREECE

• In the period between the end of the Persian war and death of alexander (500 b.c and 323 b.c) the classical period started.

• That was a time of great advance in learning and art.

• Athens named the goddess of wisdom was the most important cultural center in this period.

• People lived in simple houses made of mud bricks.

• They ate simple meals of bread, cheese, olive and fish.