Ancient Greece Section 1: The First Greek Civilizations

In this section, you will learn about the early civilizations of Greece.

You will also learn about the writings of Homer, one of the

greatest poets of all time.

Essential Questions

1. How did the geography of Greece affect Greek history?

2. What role did the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations play in

ancient Greece?3.What role did Homer’s

writings play in the lives of the Greeks?

KEY TERMSEpic Poem: a long poem that tells the deeds

of a great hero (page 112)

Arete: the Greek term for excellence, which heroes strove to attain (page 113)

1. 2800 B.C. —The Minoan civilization is established on the island of Crete.

2. 1450 B.C. —The Minoan civilization is destroyed.3. 1250 B.C. —The Mycenaeans sack the city of Troy.4. 1100 B.C. —The Mycenaean civilization collapses, and

the Dark Age begins.5. 750 B.C. —The Dark Age of Greece ends.

Time Line: Use the time line to take notes. Identify five important events in the development of Greek civilization.

The Impact of Geography (page 109)How did the mountains and the sea

influence Greek history?

The mountains influenced Greek history because they separated Greeks from each

other. This caused different Greek communities to develop their own ways of life. The small

size of these communities encouraged people to be involved in politics. But the rivalry

between the communities led to warfare. The sea also influenced Greek history. The Greeks

became seafarers. They sailed into the Aegean, the Mediterranean, and the Black Seas. They later established colonies that spread Greek civilization throughout the

Mediterranean world.

The Minoan Civilization (page 110)

Why is the Bronze Age civilization on Crete called the Minoan civilization?

The English archaeologist Arthur Evans named the Minoan civilization after Minos, the

legendary king of Crete.

What troubles did the Mycenaean civilization have before it collapsed?

The Mycenaean states fought one another, and major earthquakes caused widespread damage.

Invaders moved into Greece from the north.

The Greeks in a Dark Age (page 112)Why was the period after the collapse of

the Mycenaean civilization called the Dark Age?This period is called the Dark Age because

there are few records to tell us what happened during this time. We do know that

it was a period when food production dropped and population declined.

Why are Homer’s writings important in Greek history?

Homer’s epic poems gave Greece an ideal past to serve as a model for the future.

Homer portrayed Greeks as honorable, courageous, & eloquent.

The Iliad & the Odyssey (by Homer)These EPIC POEMS were passed down orally, and

eventually given credit to the blind, traveling poet, Homer. While these tales were at first perceived as myth, archeologists & historians discovered evidence of these

battles beneath the tall-tales of heroes & gods.

The Fall of MycenaeAround the year 1200 BCE the Mycenaean

civilization shows signs of decline. By 1100 it was extinguished.

The palaces were destroyed, and their system of writing, their art, and their way of life were gone. The causes of their decline are not entirely clear. According to Greek legends, they were replaced by half-civilized Dorian invaders from the north. They spoke a different Greek dialect, and were a

new wave of Greek migration.