DO NOW: fill out row 3 on your scale HOMEWORK Battle of Thermopylae Profile Worksheet DO NOW: fill out row 3 on your scale

Take out a scrap piece of paper and write the definition for this word: Underdog Pass it forward to hand in when you are done

Underdog – predicted loser in a struggle or contest

The Persians Regroup After the death of King Darius and their failure at Marathon, his son, King Xerxes organized a massive invasion of the Greek city-states Xerxes decided to cross the Hellespont by making two boat bridges by roping hundreds of boats together and nailing wood along the top

Leonidas and the Spartans In 480 B.C.E., Xerxes invaded Greece and Athens and Sparta decided to join forces as allies to defeat the Persians The plan was that the Athenians would hold off the Persian navy while Leonidas and the Spartans would fend off the Persian ground troops

The Battle of Thermopylae The Spartans chose to make their stand at Thermopylae because the Persian army would have to go through a narrow pass and their size would count for nothing against the well trained Spartans It was roughly 7,000 Greeks vs. 180,000 Persians and the Greeks were initially successful A Greek traitor showed the Persians a mountain pass behind the Spartan forces and prepared to surround the Spartans

The Bravery of Leonidas Knowing that they would eventually be trapped, Leonidas ordered most of his troops to retreat while he and 300 Spartans remained to keep the Persians at bay While all 300 Spartans were killed, the Greeks would never forget their bravery

Battle of Thermopylae Profile Worksheet

Exit ticket: Were the Spartans victorious at Thermopylae Exit ticket: Were the Spartans victorious at Thermopylae? Why or Why not?