Ch. 5 & 6

Geography

A peninsula¹ surrounded by islands

Small plains

River valleys

Mountains!!

¹Greece actually sits on TWO; the Balkan Peninsula and the Peloponnesus.

Impact of Geography

Mountains separation Different Greek communities (Athens & Sparta) Warfare

Aegean Sea seafarers Colonized islands and lands in the Mediterranean

and Black Seas

City-States = Polis

Defined-

Central focus of Greek life

Acropolis-fortified area at the top of the hill in each polis

Th

e A

cro

po

lis in

Ath

en

s is

70

m t

all,

30

0m

lon

g,

an

d 1

50

m w

ide

. A

t th

e t

ime

, it

wa

s th

e f

ina

nci

al

an

d r

elig

iou

s ce

nte

r o

f h

e c

ity,

with

ho

usi

ng

an

d t

rad

ers

an

d s

uch

aro

un

d t

he

bo

tto

m o

f h

e p

late

au

.

What was the benefit of having their temple, The The ParthenonParthenon, in The Acropolis?

The Polis was above all else a community Three types of citizens:

1. Political rights

2. No Political rights

3. Noncitizens Government--@ this point Aristocracy

Loyalty was to the polis NOT the culture

Greek Colonies

1. Growth of trade

2. Need for good farmland

Each colony became its own polis Spread of Greek

culture, and political ideas

Created wealthy merchant class

Oligarchy to Democracy

1st Aristocracy

2nd Power seized by wealthy merchants—Tyrants

3rd This situation allowed Democracy to develop in several poleis

Although some poleis remained oligarchies

Sparta vs. Athens ½ class read Sparta ½ class read Athens

List characteristics of assigned polis Pair up with a classmate who had the other

polis and create a Venn Diagram comparing the two.

pp. 111-115

The Challenge of Persia

It all started when the Persian Empire took control of Asia Minor including the Greek colonies. The Greeks revolted (unsuccessfully); but King Darius wanted revenge for the attempt. Why??????

Persian War

490 B.C.—Persians land in Marathon, Greece (26 mi. from Athens) Athenian army attacks and WINS!!

480 B.C.—Persians try again by land and sea Battle of Thermopylae (land)

Combined Greek army held off until a spy sold out to the Persians—Spartan soldiers fought valiantly=emotional victory

Battle of Salamis (sea) Greek fleet outmaneuvered Persian fleet

Battle of Plataea Largest Greek army defeated the Persian army

Persian War

Road to an Empire

Delian League—defensive alliance controlled by Athens—successfully liberated all Greek states from Persian control

Also remember who led the defeat of Persia…

Age of Pericles Direct democracy Increased # of eligible voters Athens center of Greek culture

Peloponnesian War

Athens et al. vs. Sparta et al.

Athens Stay behind city walls Supplies from colonies Despite plague, hunger

they stayed for 25 yrs. Surrendered

Walls torn down, navy disbanded, Empire destroyed

Sparta Surround Athens force

them out 405 B.C. destroyed

Athenian fleet

Effects of the War…

Weakened major poleis

Ruined any chance of cooperation

Focused on internal conflict

Failed to notice Failed to notice Macedonia to the Macedonia to the northnorth

Culture of Classical Greece

Religion (gods)—polytheism, Zeus, etc.

Drama—tragedies=evil acts breed evil and suffering; however, in the end reason triumphs over the forces of evil

Culture cont’d… Philosophy—organized system of thought

“School of Athens” --Raphael

Culture cont’d

Writing History—a systematic analysis of past events—Herodotus & Thucydides

Art—arts of the Western world have been largely dominated by the standards set by the Greeks of the classical period

Math & Science…

Euclid’s proof of the Pythagorean Theorem

Athanasius Kircher's reconstruction of the sphere of Archimedes, imitating

the motion of the planets with the aid of magnets.

Alexander the Great

The Greeks underestimated their neighbor to the north…

The Macedonian army crushed the Greeks and had to form an alliance with Philip II against Persia

Philip’s son Alexander succeeded him to the throne and continued his father’s plan—naming major cities Alexandria everywhere he went.

He pushed all the way to India, but his soldiers refused to go further.

Gained the throne at 20, died at 32

Alexander’s Legacy Lead by example

Extended Macedonian rule and Greek culture over a vast area

Improved economies of both countries

Greek language, architecture, literature, and art spread—Hellenistic=“imitate Greeks”

Eastern culture was absorbed by Greeks

Hellenistic Culture

Religion and Philosophy Math and Physics Medicine and Science Astronomy and Geography