Greece consists of a peninsula and islands. E. Napp

The Greeks could use the seas for trade. E. Napp

Greece is also rocky and mountainous. The mountains separated Greek cities in the past. E. Napp

Like the Sumerians, the Greeks established city-states instead of great kingdoms. A polis was a Greek city- state. Athens and Sparta were two of the most important. E. Napp

The men of Athens developed democracy or rule by the people. In Athens, only free men born in Athens voted. Women, slaves, and foreigners could not vote. E. Napp

The men of Sparta were not interested in voting. They were interested in war. E. Napp

In Sparta, helots or slaves farmed while Spartan men trained as soldiers. In Sparta, every baby was examined. Weak and sick babies were left to die! E. Napp

In 508 B.C., Athenians chose Cleisthenes as their leader. Cleisthenes created the world’s first democracy. E. Napp

However, Athenian democracy had its limits. The majority of the population (women, slaves, and foreigners) could not make decisions about the laws that controlled their lives. E. Napp

Athenian men seemed unaware that this situation contradicted the spirit of democracy. Many Athenian men felt that slavery was necessary. E. Napp