5.1 Greece: Cultures of the Mountains & the Sea

Geography Shapes Greek Life Surrounded by4 Seas : Traded A LOT (had limited natural resources) Land: Mountainous Balkan Peninsula & 1,400 islands ¼ of the land was arable= must trade Difficult to unite under a single gov’t (size, geography, independent people) Climate: 48 W/ 80 S Moderate temps. supported an outdoor lifestyle Public events: discussions, news, civic life Mediterranean, Aegean, Ionian, Black

The 1st Greeks Mycenaeans settled Greek mainland 2000 B.C. Mycenaeans invaded the Minoans (who inhabited the island of Crete) & adopted Minoan culture

Greek Culture Declines Under the Dorians Mycenaean civ. collapsed after Trojan War Dorians moved into the war-torn countryside Lack of written records = little is known about this period in Greek history

Homer’s Epics- Iliad & The Odyssey Greek Culture Homer’s Epics- Iliad & The Odyssey Epics- long, narrative poems celebrating the deeds of legendary or traditional heroes

Trojan War: Fact or Fiction? Supposedly began by the Trojan kidnapping of Helen-the wife of a Greek king A war-1200 B.C- Mycenaean kings attacked Troy

Homer’s Epics Tell of qualities that all people should have: Strength, honor, courage Arete- striving for excellence, courage, fame, & honor Synonyms & examples:

Greeks created Myths about gods/goddesses Myths- traditional stories about gods, ancestors, or heroes, told to explain the natural world or the customs & beliefs of a society Hera Zeus Athena Hades Hermes Kronos? Hestia Hepheastus Poseidon Ares Artemis Aphrodite

1. What is the peninsula that Greece is located on? In Review… on sticky note 1. What is the peninsula that Greece is located on? 2. How did the mountains, seas, & weather influence how the Greeks lived? 3. Who were the 1st Greeks? 4. Who lived on the island of Crete? 5. What was the war b/t Troy & the Mycenaeans? 6. According to legend, why did that war start? 7. After the war, who were the people in Greece who left no written records? 8. In your own words, what is Arête? 9. Who was the Greek story teller who wrote the Iliad & the Odyssey? 10. What’s the difference b/t a myth & an epic? 11. Who is the father of the Greek gods?

Draw, label, & color 4 pictures that trace early Greek history