Transcript Heritage of Greece and Rome

Heritage of Greece and
Rome
Pages 644 to 650
Greece
Rugged terrain made travel &
communication difficult
 City-States: large towns w/ own
governments (controls the
surrounding countryside)
 Prized freedom & resisted outside
interference
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continued
At the center of
each city-state
was an
acropolis: hilltop
fortress.
 Public life
centered around
the acropolis
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Greek Ideas About Government
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At first, city-states had a monarch, or king
rule.
Then aristocracies, or government by a
small, privileged upper class, took over.
Our ideas about democracy came from
early Greek traditions.
continued
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By 450 B.C. Athens
developed a direct
democracy- all
citizens participate in
government directly,
rather than through
elected officials.
Pericles (great leader)
advanced ideas about
democracy.
Pericles
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All citizens equal
before the law
Each citizen has a
right and duty to
participate in
government
Athenian democracy
was limited- only free
men born in Athens
could participate in
gov’t
The Search for Truth
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Greek philosophers felt this was their duty
Questioned gods and goddesses control of
nature
Found natural forces, not evil, caused
diseases
Socrates (470 B.C. to 399 B.C.)
Socratic Method- Question & answer
technique that forces the examination of
beliefs & disposal of any belief that could
not be proven through reason
 Put to death b/c he was seen as
corrupting the minds of the youth- He
argued he was a friend of the truth
Plato
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Wrote The Republic- describes ideal
government based on justice for all
Rejected democracy b/c it condemned
Socrates to death
Said philosophers should rule as kings,
workers produce food, and soldiers protect
the state
Aristotle
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Sought truth from
experience
Gather evidence from
the real world and
then use reason to
determine truth
Created a system of
reason known as logic
Urged for moral
behavior and
moderation
The Hellenistic World
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Greek city-states were
constantly at war with
each other.
Phillip of Macedonia
(an outsider) gained
control of the citystates.
Alexander the Great
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Phillip’s son
Took over and expanded his empire
Spread Greek culture & Aristotle’s
teachings to all of the lands he conquered
Lasting effects on European and Asian
cultures- his rich, new culture know as
Hellenistic: blended Greek culture with
Egypt’s and cultures of the Middle East
Heritage of Rome
Growth of Rome
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In 509 B.C. Rome set up a republiccitizens who have the right to vote choose
their leaders
A senate and an assembly made laws
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Patricians- wealthy landowners,
controlled the gov’t at first
Plebeians- common people, had no voice
in gov’t. They could vote, but could not
hold office
Roman Expansion
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Emphasized duty, sacrifice, and patriotism
Developed strong, swift army that
conquered all of Italy, North Africa, Spain,
and Greece.
Expansion led to social and economic
problems.
To restore order, military leaders ruled.
Julius Caesar
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Most brilliant and
powerful leader
Conquered many
European lands for
Rome
Killed in 44 B.C. b/c
people were afraid he
was too powerful
His death marked the
end of the Roman
Republic
His son, Octavian,
declared himself
emperor and
renamed himself
Augustus Caesar
Roman Civilization
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Pax Romana- (Roman
Peace) first 200 years of
Roman Empire
Developed a legal system
to meet the needs of the
diverse people they ruled
Everyone equal before
the law
Innocent until proven
guilty
Decline of Rome
Several reasons
1. Frequent civil war- leaders competing for
throne
2. Fighting disrupted trade, weakened the
economy
3. Outside invasions
4. Failed attempts at reform