Transcript Intro to Ancient Greece

BELLWORK 8/31
1. Explain the causes & effects of the
Israelites move to Egypt.
2. Who were the Chaldeans?
3. Describe the strengths of the Persians.
4. Define tyrant.
5. Define oligarchy.
6. THINKER: What is a democracy? (HINT:
The U.S. government is a democracy)
Middle Eastern Empires
• The Israelites gave the world
their language, law, and
religious beliefs, but they
lacked the military power of
their neighbors.
• Eventually, four warlike
empires with strong armies
came to rule over the Fertile
Crescent.
• Why do you think so many
civilizations fought to control
the Fertile Crescent?
• Hittites
• Assyrians
• Chaldeans
• Persians
Hittite Empire – 2000BC
Assyrian Empire – 650BC
Chaldean Empire – 612 BC
Persian Empire – 539 BC
Ancient Greece
• The Greeks took over the Mediterranean region
and contributed greatly to the way we live
today.
• Ancient Greece included the southern part of
Europe’s Balkan Peninsula and islands in the
Aegean Sea.
• Greece’s mountain ranges protected against
invaders but also limited communication.
• Greece is surrounded by sea, which
encouraged the Greeks to become traders, and
expand their empire.
Greek Civilization
• Originated in Minoan and
Mycenaean civilizations
between 3000BC to
1000BC.
• Early on, they developed
legends of gods and
heroes.
• Main themes throughout
Greek civilization: bravery,
honor, dignity, and the
love of beauty.
• In religion, the Greeks
worshiped gods and
goddesses
Temple built for Apollo (God of
music, prophecy, archery &
medicine) – 4th Century B.C.
The Polis
• Polis, or city-state, emerged as the political unit
of Greek civilization.
• A Polis included a city and surrounding villages
and fields.
• Citizens within a polis government could vote,
hold public office, own property, and speak for
themselves in court.
• In return, they were expected to defend the
polis in time of war.
• Greek women had no political or legal rights.
Greek Government
• By the 700s BC, Kings were losing their powers
and being challenged by lower classes.
• As unrest increased, tyrannies arose in the citystates. (Tyrant: one man who seized power
and ruled the polis on his own)
• Tyrants ruled until 500BC until city-states
became either:
• Oligarchy: rule by a few wealthy people
• Democracy: government and rule by the
citizens
BELLWORK 9/1
1. How did Greece’s geography impact
their civilization? List two ways!
2. Who was Athena?
3. What is a polis?
4. THINKER: What makes Greek
civilization different than other ancient
civilizations?
The Persian Wars
• Persia and Greece
were enemies that
fought for control of
trade/travel routes.
• Between 490-480B.C.,
the rivals go to war
three times.
• 7,000 Greeks
(Spartans/Athenians)
vs. 100,000 Persians
This will be our focus next week,
so stay tuned……
The Peloponnesian War
• War between Sparta and Athens that lasted
from 431BC to 404BC.
• Sparta allied with the Persians
• A plague struck Athens and killed 1/3 of their
population
• Persian-financed Spartan navy destroyed
Athens fleet.
• Athenians surrendered
Engineering an Empire
• Citizens of ancient Greece constructed many temples,
statues, and buildings, but how did they do it?
• In this video, you are going to learn about the history
of the Greek city-states and the construction of these
magnificent structures!
• As you watch the video, answer the 15 questions on
the worksheet.
• Be ready to discuss!