Ancient Greece Learning Target #1: I can analyze the various ways that society in Ancient Greece influenced modern society in the United States. CASS 10.1
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece Ancient Greece was a nation of islands and mountains Made it difficult to travel from one city to another Instead of Greece being one country that works together (like the United States), Greece developed city states Greece was Patriarchal and Polytheistic City States ruled themselves and had their own governments Two most important city states were Sparta and Athens
Sparta
Spartan Society Spartans arrived in Greece in 1100 B.C. (Before Christ) Enslaved the inhabitants Slaves outnumbered the Spartans, so Spartans lived in constant fear of rebellion. Spartans had one aim in life: be ready to crush any uprising by their slaves and protect themselves from the surrounding peoples. Lycurgus (the law maker): a Spartan baby that appeared weak and unlikely to be s trong warrior was killed at birth.
Athens
Athenian Government Originally, a few wealthy men (Nobles) ruled over Athens. People of Athens were too smart for this. They rebelled. Solon introduced a new idea in 594 B.C. “The people, the city’s inhabitants, should decide the city’s affairs themselves. They should assemble in the marketplace of Athens and vote.” This new idea of government is called a “Democracy”, or “rule of the people” in Greek. Only citizens could vote Non-Citizens = women, slaves, poor men.
Athenian Philosophy Athenian assemblies taught Greeks to discuss matters openly, with arguments for and against. Soon, Greeks were debating every day matters like whether or not to increase taxation and deeper discussions about the meaning of life. Greeks began to wonder what the world was made of, and why certain events happened. Greeks wanted to know how people should act, what was good and evil, just and unjust. Greeks wanted to find an explanation for human existence. Two major philosophers were Plato (Republic) and his student, Aristotle (Politics).
Plato and Aristotle