Transcript Document

Main Idea 1:
Geography helped shape early Greek
civilizations.
• Mountains cover
much of Greece, so
contact with other
villages was
difficult.
• Because travel was
so difficult inland,
Greeks turned to
the seas on all
sides.
• The sea became a
source of food as
well as a way of
trading with other
communities.
• People created
their own
governments and
ways of life.
• They became
skilled shipbuilders
and sailors.
• They also
exchanged ideas
with other cultures.
• People settled in
the flat areas along
the coast and in
river valleys.
Main Idea 2:
Trading cultures developed in the Minoan
and Mycenaean civilizations.
•
•
•
•
Minoans
They spent much of their time
at sea, trading in the
Mediterranean.
Ships carried goods such as
wood, olive oil, and pottery all
around the eastern
Mediterranean.
They became the victims of a
huge volcano that erupted
north of Crete.
They were not considered to
be Greek, since they didn’t
speak Greek.
•
•
•
•
•
Mycenaeans
They were the first people to be
considered Greek.
They lived inland and built
fortresses.
They were more violent in their
trade.
They took over Crete and became
the major traders in the eastern
Mediterranean.
They developed colonies in
northern Greece and Italy, from
which they shipped goods around
the Mediterranean and the Black
Sea.
Main Idea 3:
The Greeks created city-states for protection
and security.
• During the Dark Ages, the Greeks started joining together
in small groups for protection.
• These groups set up independent city-states. The Greek
word for city-state is polis.
• The creation of city-states marks the beginning of
Greece’s classical age, an age marked by great
achievements.
Life in a City-State
• A city-state was usually built around a strong fortress on
top of a high hill called an acropolis.
• The town around the acropolis was surrounded by walls
for protection. People no longer had to fear raiders.
• Life in the city focused on the marketplace, or agora.
• The city-state became the foundation for Greek civilization
and gave the Greeks an identity.
Main Idea 1:
Aristocrats and tyrants
ruled early Athens.
• Athens was the city where democracy was born, but it started out as
an oligarchy, a government in which only a few people hold power.
• A group of rich landowners called aristocrats held power.
• As a result of rebels trying to overthrow the aristocrats, harsh laws
were created by a man named Draco.
• A man named Solon created a set of laws allowing all free men to be
citizens, people who had the right to participate in government.
• Peisistratus overthrew the oligarchy, however, and became the ruler
of Athens. He was called a tyrant, a leader who held power through
the use of force. Tyrants were usually good, not harsh, leaders in
ancient Greece.
Main Idea 2:
Athens created the world’s
first democracy.
• A leader named Cleisthenes, a member of one of the most
powerful families in Athens, overthrew the aristocracy and
established the world’s first democracy.
• For this reason, he is considered the father of democracy.
The End of Democracy in Athens
• Athens was conquered by
the Macedonians and fell
under their influence.
• The king ruled like a
dictator. No one could
make decisions without his
approval.
• The assembly still met to
make laws, but it had to be
careful not to upset the
king.
• Eventually, a new king took
over and ended Athenian
democracy altogether.
Main Idea 3:
Ancient democracy was different than
modern democracy.
• All citizens in
Athens could
participate
directly in the
government,
which was called
a direct
democracy.
• Each vote
counted, and the
majority ruled.
• The United
States is too
large for direct
democracy to
work for the
whole country.
• Instead, we have
a representative
democracy.
In a representative
democracy, also
called a republic,
citizens elect
officials to
represent them in
the government.
These officials then
make the laws.
Main Idea 1:
The Greeks created myths to
explain the world.
• Instead of scientific explanations, the Greeks used
mythology to explain things.
• Mythology is a body of stories about gods and heroes that
try to explain how the world works.
• They believed gods caused things like volcanic eruptions
and the changing seasons.
• To keep the gods happy, they built great temples. The
Greeks expected help when they needed it in return.
Heroes in Mythology
• Many Greek myths told about the adventures of great
heroes.
• Some heroes were real, while others were not.
• Some of the major heroes were Theseus, Jason, and
Hercules.
– Theseus traveled to Crete and killed the minotaur, a
half-human, half-bull monster.
– Jason sailed across the seas in search of great treasure.
– Hercules was the most famous. He fought many
monsters and performed nearly impossible tasks.
Main Idea 2:
Ancient Greek literature provides some of
the world’s greatest poems and stories.
• Among the earliest Greek writings are two epic poems, the
Iliad and the Odyssey by Homer.
• The Iliad tells the story of the last years of the Trojan War.
• The Odyssey describes the challenges that Odysseus faced
on his way home from the war.
• These poems were central to the education system and
influenced later writing as well.
Main Idea 3:
Greek literature lives on and influences our
world even today.
• The most obvious way we see the influence of the Greeks
is in our language.
• Many English words and expressions come from
mythology, such as “odyssey” and “titanic.”
• Greek myths have inspired artists and writers for
centuries.
• Moviemakers have borrowed some of these stories.
• Mythological references are also common among names of
sports teams.
Click window above to start playing.