notes #1- geography, early greece, polis, govt, homer, religion, daily life
TRANSCRIPT
Ancient GreeceThe birthplace of Western Civilization
Geography The southern part of
the Balkan Peninsula Aegean Sea
Coastline= natural harbors
Mountains make the land very hard to farm> Therefore, they are fishers, sailors, and traders
Geography led Greeks to find colonies
GeographyMountains & Valleys
Kept villages apart Instead of a large
kingdom/empire they formed separate city-states
People felt loyalty towards their city-state instead of Greece
(I’m not Greek, I’m an Athenian)
ClimateVery mild climateSpent much time
outdoorsThey attended
public events & conducted government outside
Early GreeceMinoans- 2500 BCECrete (island southern
Greece)Palace in Knossos ! Amazeing.
Named after King Minos Walls covered in colorful
Frescoes: paintings Poor soil on Crete- Trade for
foodWrote in Linear BBull Jumping! (religion)No evidence of fighting 1620 BCE Volcano causes
tidal waves that weaken the city!
Minoans curled their hair and
wore gold belts around their
waists
Labyrinth= maze
Early GreeceMycenaensMigrated from Europe/Asia
Intermarried with the localscontrolled mainland Greece Adopted Minoan culture ( through trade)
Writing (Lin.B) and some religious beliefs
They were ruled by powerful warrior kings
Built fort-like cities on the Peloponnesus (hand-shaped)
1100BCE earthquakes weakened> then warfare
Early Greece Dorians
Entered through the North
300 yearsKnown as the Greek
“Dark Ages!”Overseas trade stops,
poverty, skills diminish, people move to Ionia
They eventually move back and bring culture with them
New civilization emerged with early Greek elements called Hellenic! After the original
settlers of mainland Greece
Polis=Greek City-StateRepresented the
center of Greek identity
Citizens were intensely loyal to their polis
Fight and die for it!Greece was a
civilization, not an empire.
The Greek City-States…How were the city-states different?
How were they the same?
Each had its own…GovernmentLawsCalendarMoneyWeights/ measures
They shared …The Greek language Religious ideasFestivals
Each city-state consisted of the city and the land around it.
Free, adult males had citizenship rights Each polis was built around an acropolis,
a fortified hill with a temple on it. Near the acropolis was the agora, public
square!MarketsPolitical Center
We have decisions to make… IF, I was to bring in a small snack for the
class, which type of snack would you like me to bring in???A. Candy
1. Chocolate 2. Something Sweet 3. Something Sour
B. Cookies 1. Chocolate Chip2. Sugar
Government1. The first type of government in Ancient Greece was a
Monarchy ….landowners who had money for armies and weapons
gained power
2. These wealthy nobles (Aristocrats) take power from chiefs/ kings and control Greek society and an Oligarchy is formed. • Oligarchy= rule by few
3. Tyrants have the support of the people and take power illegally.
In some cases, the tyrant became unjust. Tyrant become known as ruling cruelly and with absolute power .
Some city-states overthrew their tyrants.
4. Democracy 1st in Athens! People take part in the government. Only men who owned land could voteNo women or non-citizens
Religion PolytheismLooks to explain
NatureHuman emotions To bring benefits
Afterlife: souls go to the underworld with HadesMain gods lived on Mount Olympus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyT3A4vi6cw Oracles: The way in which gods to speak to humans.
People would travel to hear messages and predictions
To explain these Greeks used Myths (Greek
Mythology)
HomerHomer: blind poet c. 700 BCE
Wrote two epicsIliad and the Odyssey
Iliad: Trojan War/Trojan horse: Trojan Prince take Mycenaean King’s wife
Odyssey: Mycenaean King Odysseus is on the way home from war to see his wife Penelope. It takes him 10 years to return. During that time he faces many adventures and interferences from the gods. Is gets home and is reunited with Penelope!.
Shipwrecks- Poseidon One-eyed giant- Cyclops Sea-monsters Trip to the underworld-Hades Temptations by sea nymphs
Schools in Ancient Greece used this epics to teach Hellenic (Greek) values!
You’ll read this in English!
Yay!
Daily life in AthensArmyPhalanx- rows of soldiers using their shields to form a
wallEconomy= Trade
Imports: goods being brought inExport: goods being sent out
Colonies- supplied city-state with wheat and barley Terrace Farming: cutting flat layers into hills for
farming Main crops: Olives (olive oil), Grapes (wine)
Education- Young boys were taught grammar, music, gov’t, math, ethics, rhetoric