Transcript File

Lesson 2: The Greek City States
Review from December
I. Geography of Greece
A. Ancient Greece was a land surrounded by
water and mountains.
B. Mainland Greece was located on a peninsula
which stuck out into the Mediterranean Sea
C. Hundreds of islands also made up Ancient
Greece as well as land across the Aegean Sea in
present day Turkey
Review from December
II. Early Greek Settlements
A. Minoans
1. 1st civilization in the region (2000-1450 BC)
2. Lived on Crete
3. Palace of Knossos
4. Wealth from trade
5. Collapsed suddenly
Review from December
II. Early Greek Settlements
B. Mycenaens (1900-1100 B.C)
1. Lived on mainland
2. Great cities - grew powerful from trade
and war
3. Learned about bronze, astronomy and
religion from the Minoans
Review from December
III. Dark Ages (1100 – 750 B.C.)
A. Greeks left mainland, sailed across Aegean as
far as Asia Minor.
B. Decline in food production. No surplus, little
trade.
C. No writing, limited learning, discovery.
D. Adopted Phoenician alphabet around 800 BC.
E. Works of Homer appeared near the end of the
Dark Age.
Lesson 2: The Greek City States
Guiding Question 1: How were the city-states of
ancient Greece organized?
Polis: The Center of Greek Life
By 750, the city-state, or polis, became the
central focus of Greek life.
The center of the polis is where people would
meet for political, social, and religious activities.
The Greek Polis
Aristotle defines the Greek polis as "an assemblage of houses, lands
and property sufficient to enable the inhabitants to lead a civilized life"
The Acropolis
The central meeting
place in the polis was
usually a hill. At the
top of the hill was a
fortified area called
an Acropolis.
The Acropolis served as a place of refuge during
an attack, and was a political and religious
center on which temples were built.
The Athenian Acropolis
The Agora
Below the acropolis
was an agora, an open
area where people
could assemble. It was
also a market area.
The Athenian Agora
Where did residents live?
The upper class would live inside the area of
the agora, while commoners would live in
settlements outside of the walls.
Size of City-States
City-states varied greatly in size, from a few
square miles to a few hundred square miles.
They also varied in
population. Athens had
a population of over
300,000 by 5th century
BC, but most city states
were much smaller.
Social Structure
The polis was a community of people who
shared a common identity and common goals.
This community consisted of citizens with
political rights (adult males), citizens with no
political rights (women and children), and
noncitizens (laborers, slaves)
Responsibilities
All Greek citizens had
rights, but those rights
came with responsibilities.
Greek philosopher
Aristotle argued that a
citizen did not belong just
to him/herself: “we must
rather regard every citizen
as belonging to the state”.
Responsibilities
Loyalty to the city-state had a positive and
negative side.
City-states did not trust
each other. The division
of Greece into patriotic,
independent units helped
bring about its downfall.
Military
As the polis developed, so did a new military system.
In early Greek times,
nobles on horseback
fought wars in Greece.
But by 700 BC, the new
military system was
based on hoplites.
Phalanx
Hoplites went to battle as a unit, marching
shoulder to shoulder in a rectangular formation
known as a phalanx.
The close formation
created a wall of shields
to protect them. As long
as they kept their order,
it was difficult for
enemies to harm them.
Colonization
Between 750 BC and 550 BC, large numbers of
Greeks left their homelands to settle in distant lands.
Overpopulation at home,
a desire for good
farmland, and growth of
trade were the factors
that lead to colonization.
Colonization
Colonization allowed the Greeks to spread their
culture and ideas throughout the Mediterranean.
Colonization also
led to increased
trade and industry.
Greeks imported
(bought/traded) grains,
metals, fish, timber,
wheat, and slaves.
Greeks exported
(sold/traded) pottery,
wine, and olive oil.
Colonization
Expansion of trade and industry created a new
group of wealthy individuals in Greek city-states.
These men wanted
political power but found
it difficult because of the
power of the ruling
aristocrats (wealthy, land
owning males)
Greek Government
Monarchy: Rule by a king. One city-state whose
government was a monarchy was the city-state of
Corinth.
Oligarchy: Rule by a small group. One city-state
whose government was an oligarchy was the citystate of Sparta.
Tyranny: Rule by individuals who gain power by
force. Tyrannies in Ancient Greece didn’t last long,
but they led to the fourth type of government.
Democracy: Rule by the citizens, voting in an
assembly. One city-state whose government
experimented for about a hundred years with
democracy was the ancient city-state of Athens.
Two Rival City States
The Big Idea:
The two most powerful
city-states in Ancient
Greece, Sparta and
Athens, had very
different cultures and
became bitter enemies
in the 5th century BC.
Sparta
Around 1100 B.C. the
Spartans migrated to the
Peloponnesus and built the
city of Sparta
Like other city-states, Sparta
needed more land. Instead of
starting colonies, Spartans
conquered the neighboring
Laconians and Messenians.
Spartan Slavery
After their conquest, the
Messenians and
Laconians became
slaves and were made to
work for the Spartans.
These captured people became known as helots.
To maintain control over the helots, Spartans
made a decision to create a military state.
Helots
The total population of helots in the 7th century
BC, including women, is estimated as 170,000 –
224,000. This was at least 5 times the population
of Spartans.
The Helots rebelled in 600
B.C. and were defeated by
the Spartans, after this the
Spartans killed any helot
who made trouble.
Spartan Life
Spartan life was rigidly organized and controlled.
A Spartan’s entire life
revolved around
preparation for war.
At birth, children were checked for defects, if
they were not strong and healthy they were left on
a hillside to die.
Spartan Life
When a boy reached the age of seven he was
sent to live in a barracks and was trained in
military and athletic skills.
He was poorly fed and was
encouraged to steal to eat.
If he was caught he would
be severely punished.
Spartan Life
After 13 years of training Spartans began service
in the army at the age of 20.
They served until the age of sixty.
Men were allowed to marry at
30, but still had to live in the
military camp with the other
soldiers. At 30, they also joined
the assembly and could vote.
Spartan Women
While their husbands lived in the barracks,
Spartan women lived at home.
This separation gave Spartan
women more freedom and
power in the household than
elsewhere in Greece.
Spartan women were expected to remain physically
fit to bear and raise healthy children.
Spartan Women
“Son, come back carrying the shield or being
carried on it”
In other words, do not drop your shield in
retreat….be victorious or die bravely!
Spartan Government
The Spartan government was an
Oligarchy headed by two kings, who
led the Spartan army on its missions.
Ephors
A group of five men, known as ephors, were
elected each year and were responsible for
education of youth and the conduct of all citizens.
Council of Elders
A council of elders, made up of the two kings
and 28 citizens over the age of 60, decided on the
issues that would be presented to an assembly.
The assembly did not
debate. It only voted
on issues.
Foreigners
To make their state secure, Spartans turned their
backs on the outside world.
Foreigners were discouraged from
visiting. Spartans were not
allowed to travel abroad unless
for military reasons.
Spartan citizens were discouraged from studying
philosophy, literature, or the arts. The art of war
was their only focus.
Bellringer
How was the government of Sparta organized?
Be sure to use the following vocabulary words in
your response:
Oligarchy
Ephors
Council of Elders
Assembly
Ancient Athens
Athens
By 700 BC, Athens had become a unified polis
on the peninsula of Attica.
Athens
Athens was the most powerful city-state after the
Persian War. Athens was the cultural center of
Greece, it had its golden age under the ruler
Pericles.
The thing that set Athens apart from the other
city-states was its government. Athens was a
democracy.
Athens
The government of Athens, however, went through
several stages before reaching democracy.
Athens
Early Athens was ruled by a king. MONARCHY
By the 7th century BC, Athens
had come under the control of
its wealthy, land owning, male
citizens.
OLIGARCHY
Athens
Increased trade led to the
development of a merchant class.
these merchants became wealthy
and took political power by force.
TYRANNY
Then, after defeating the Persians,
Athens took over leadership of the DEMOCRACY
entire Greek world, and expanded
the involvement of citizens in their
government.
Athens
In its development from a Monarchy to
Democracy Athens had several people who made
important reforms to develop their government.
Draco
One of the Tyrants who worked for reform was
Draco.
Draco
Draco was an Athenian politician of the 7th
century B.C.
Draco was the first to codify the laws of Athens
in 621 BC. He added harsh penalties, including
slavery, for people in debt.
Draco
His code became famous for its harshness; death
was the penalty for almost all crimes. Harsh laws
today are often referred to as Draconian.
Draco
One advance was in the laws of homicide, which
recognized the responsibility of the state, not the
victim's family, in punishing a murderer; thus
blood feuds were to be avoided.
Solon
Solon was a statesman who laid the foundation
for democracy in the ancient Greek city-state of
Athens.
Solon
Solon drew up a clear, simple plan that balanced
the rights of the citizens. It had built-in safeguards
to keep any one group from oppressing the others.
Elimination of Debts
Solon began by passing a law that canceled all
debts owed by the poor to rich landowners and
forbade that anyone be enslaved for debt in the
future.
Then he divided the citizens into four classes
according to the property they owned, each with a
different share in the government.
New Law Code
Finally, Solon wrote a code of laws, simpler and
less brutal than the existing Draconian laws.