Aim: Did Alexander the Great deserve his name? Do Now: What should someone have accomplished to deserve being named “the great”? NY State Standards 2, 3 Common Core RS 2, 5, 7, 8, WS 2

I Philip II of Macedonia 382 – 336 BCE A) The Persian Wars and later Peloponnesian War of the 5th century weakened the Greek mainland. This helped King Philip II of Macedonia to conquer Greece . *The one area he could not conquer was Sparta.

After the Peloponnesian War Continued… B) King Philip II respected Greek culture, which is why he hired Aristotle to tutor his son Alexander. C) Philip’s dream was to conquer the Persian Empire, but in 336 BCE he was assassinated.

II The Rise of Alexander (b. 356 – d. 323 BCE) At 16 years old, Alexander became the leader of his father’s empire. B) He never lost a battle.

III How Did Alexander Do It A) 335 BCE Alexander massacred 6,000 rebels in Thebes; a warning to not rebel. B) Conquered Persian ports; prevented Persia from access to their ships. C) Married his men to local women. D) Alexander showed respect to local cultures. 333 BCE Persian King Darius III fled the battlefield and left his family behind. Alexander treated them with the respect of royalty. He never destroyed temples, art or libraries. Made himself a pharaoh in Egypt

IV The Death of Alexander A) 323 BCE in Babylon Alexander died at 33 years old. B) As he left no heir, his Empire was divided up into 4 main kingdoms. C) The last Macedonian ruler of Egypt was Cleopatra VII !

V The Legacy of Alexander the Great A) Alexander spread Hellenism (Greek culture). This is why his empire is called the Hellenistic Empire. B) He founded cities in his name. Alexandria in Egypt housed the Library at Alexandria. The Lighthouse at Alexandria used a mirror to light the harbor, to help guide ships. C) The Library at Alexandria led to discoveries in science and astronomy. Pythagoras invented the Pythagorean Theorem (A2 + B2 = C2) Aristarchus discovered that the Earth rotates on its axis, and orbits the sun. *Copernicus won’t “rediscover” this for over 1000 years!

Reconstruction of Alexandria, Egypt

The Library at Alexandria 295 BCE Ptolemy I established the Library at Alexandria, with a goal to house a copy of every book in the world. In addition to scrolls, there were lecture areas, laboratories, observatories, botanical gardens, a zoo, living quarters, and dining halls! Scholars worked at the Library by doing scientific research and lecturing, but also copied manuscripts of Greek authors… and translated works from Egypt, Assyria, Persia, as well as Buddhist texts and Hebrew scriptures! One story goes that the hunger of Ptolemy III for knowledge was so great that he ordered all ships docking at the seaport should surrender their manuscripts to the authorities. Copies were then made by official scribes and delivered to the original owners, the originals being filed away in the Library. Unfortunately the Library was burned to the ground. The culprit is still unknown.

Lighthouse at Alexandria Reconstruction

Activity In groups students will close read articles on Alexander the Great and complete a graphic organizer in which they provide evidence supporting reasons why he should be considered “great” and reasons why he might not deserve to be considered “great.” Students will participate in a Socratic Seminar using their articles and completed graphic organizers.

Closing Exit Slip Question: Reflect upon the Socratic Seminar. How did you feel about your participation? What could you have done differently? What d you think you can improve upon? Homework: # 4 on the Unit 4 Outline

Summary through Primary Sources A) “I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.” B) “I had rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent, than in the extent of my power and dominion.” 1. What did Alexander the Great mean by these quotes? 2. Based on the above quotes and what you just learned, do you believe that Alexander the Great deserved his name?

Key Vocabulary Alexander the Great Persian Empire Alexandria Philip II Aristarchus Pythagorean Theorem Cultural Diffusion Hellenism Hellenistic Empire King Darius III Library at Alexandria Lighthouse at Alexandria Macedonia