The Early Greeks Notes #1

A. Greeks lived around Aegean Sea from BC  Lived on Peloponnesus or on other islands  Greece divided into small isolated areas because of mountains, bays, inlets of the sea B. Different areas became enemies with neighbors- wars started at times C. Sea linked Greeks to other people, ideas, products I. Geography

II. Farming A. Most people were farmers B. crops were grown year round C. Traded with other civilizations for grain and ideas  Egyptians  Phoenicians  Persians

III. Minoan Civilization A. 2000bc-1450bc- on the island of Crete B. King Minos-leader C. Minoans:  Developed writing system  Created artwork  Great sailors  Master builders Minoan Civlization 

IV. Mycenaean Civilization A.1900BC- 1100BC on peninsula of Peloponnesus B.The Mycenaeans:  Built large fleet of ships  Set out to capture rich trade routes and establish colonies C.Learned from Minoans  Built palaces like they did  Used Minoan system of writing D.Conquered the Minoans in 1450BC E.Most famous king- Agamemnon who sacrificed his daughter and used trickery to win the trojan war Minoan Civilization  Mycenean Civlization 

Mycenae

V. Dark Ages A BC B.Period of Decline  Trade stopped  People lived in isolated villages  Written language disappeared C.Oral tradition kept the history of the time period alive D.Storytellers retold legends and myths about the past E.Homer, a poet, wrote a poem based on these oral tales- called the Odyssey  The Odyssey was an important literary achievement for the Greeks

VI.Greek City States A.750 BC- Dark Age ended B.Dorians- Greeks from the North moved to Peloponnesus  Dorians brought iron with them giving the greeks stronger weapons and farm tools  Gradually farmers began to produce more food and trade revived  Greeks used Phoenicians (one of their trading partners) alphabet to create A new greek alphabet for writing C.Many nobles overthrew Greek Kings and created city- states called Polis.  A Polis was independent and was like a tiny little country. D.The Polis (City States) were run by its citizens-  Only free native men who owned land could be citizens E.Greek citizens had several rights:  chose their officials and passed laws  Right to vote, hold office  Own property, defend themselves in court  In return citizens had to serve in the government and fight for their polis as soldiers

City States