The Rise of Greek Cities Unit 3 Chapter 8 Lesson 2 L. Nabulsi

VOCABULARY POLIS ACROPOLIS AGORA CITIZEN ELIGARCHY MONARCHY DEMOCRACY COLONY HOMER ATHENS SPARTA MOUNT OLYMPUS

Read Aloud Shared blood, shared language, shared religion, and shared customs.” Long ago a Greek historian named Herodotus…used these words to describe what it meant to be Greek. Greeks were very proud of what they shared. However, they prized just as highly those things that made them different from one another. Those differences began in the many city-states that dotted the mainland and islands of ancient Greece (Banks 196).

The Big Picture 1100BC – Egypt’s New Kingdom lost power as did China’s Shang dynasty. 1100-970BC – Little known of Greece Few artifacts give insight 700BC – Artifacts exist showing Many cities Powerful men creating communities Polis – existed within these communities

A Greek Polis City-states in Greece had a similar plan Built on an acropolis or large hill which gave “shelter and safety in times of war” (Bank 197). Included an area called an agora where farmers and craftworkers gathered as a marketplace and meeting place.

Developing Government Plan similar but governments of the city-states differed. Leaders Citizens Men Rights not extended to women or slaves Slaves in Sparta Called Helots Conquered neighbors

Monarchy First form of government in Athens Ruler was a king Means “rule by one.”

Oligarchy A small group of rich men who ruled This system disallowed non-rich to be leaders Most powerful citizens made decisions 600 BC – Athens an oligarchy Rested on value of property Rich owned property

City-States of Greece Greece is not a united country City-states differed from one another Governments of city-states differed Most information known about Athens and Sparta Other city-states also existed Corinth Megara

Sparta 700 BC – Sparta in Peloponnesus Greece’s largest city-state in area Contained dozens of villages Central city contained 30 villages Located 30 miles from the Mediterranean Sea. Low mountains formed the acropolis Had an agora for farmers to do business Farmers in Sparta were slaves More slaves than other city-states with 7-1 ratio

The Spartan Military 600 BC – Slave revolt in Sparta Spartans overpowered slaves Leaders determine to make Sparta “the strongest military power in Greece” (Banks 198). Reason – neither slaves nor other polis to gain control. Spartan children – At age seven, boys and girls began training Girls – running, throwing javelins, playing ball games, to be strong mothers of strong children

Athens Life very different for boys and girls Located in Attica Athenian girls did not practice sports (to “see little, hear little, and ask no more questions than are absolutely necessary” (Bank 199). Boys Worked in fields Learned pottery or stone working shops Wealthy families sent boys to school for reading and writing Wrestling and boxing at gymnasium Girls stayed home to help their mothers weaving cloth. Farm girls helped in the fields at harvest time

Government in Athens Building an army was not the focus Prior to 600 BC – monarchy 600 BC – oligarchy Power to rich Poorer citizens wanted power Nobles forced to share power with poorer citizens

Power to the People Large meetings allowing all citizens to take part in decision making Athens divided into demes Ten demes Fifty people from each deme drew lots to serve in the 500 Begins democracy in the world, a new form of government.

Shared Culture Monthly religious celebrations Polytheistic Belief that gods and goddesses lived on Mt. Olympus.

Special Festivals Each polis honored one god or goddess as its protector or patron Athens – Athena (contest between Athena and Poseidon) Festival to honor Athena in spring: cattle killed. Zeus worshipped in all of the polis. Olympics another special festival

Olympics Olympics is 3000 years old Achieved cooperation between city-states 400 AD – games disappeared 1896 – Modern Olympics began Ties past with present Women could not participate in original Olympics, but can now. Now summer and winter Olympics

Beyond Greece 700 BC - Greeks established colonies due to their inability to produce enough food to extend their trade routes Colonies remained loyal to Greece Participated in the Olympic games Traded needed grain to city-states 500 BC –colonies “ringed the Mediterranean. Threat now came from larger empire of Persia

Why It Matters City-states differed and valued independence Had different types of governments Athens developed democracy Cities shared cultural ties 499BC – city in Turkey wanted to break from Persian control Athens, Sparta, and others joined together in the League to fight Persia.

Main Ideas Life in most of the Greek city-states revolved around an agora and an acropolis. Spartans spent much of their time working to strengthen their bodies and their army. In Athens free women and girls worked at home. Boys and women worked, went to school or took part in government.

Think About It What did city-states have in common? What made them different? Who was allowed to vote in the developing democracy of Athens? FOCUS Why was life in Sparta so different from life in Athens? THINKING SKILL What effects did slavery have on life in Sparta? GEOGRAPHY What made the agora a center for cultural interaction?

A Greek Poet Homer – bard or poet Blind and lived by entertaining others with his stories Lived possibly between 800-700 BC. Oral literature Poems Iliad – kidnapping of Helen by Paris, Prince of Troy, a city in Turkey The Odyssey – voyage of Odysseus from Troy to Ithaca after being punished by Poseidon for hubris.