End of the Dark Ages  Dark ages= time of fighting, lack of art and “intelligence”  300 years later, the Mycenaean civil. crumbled  Groups joined (protection and sustainability)  Set up independent city-states (Polis)  Starts Greece’s Classical Age (an age marked by great achievements

City State Design  Center: grand and strong fortress on top of hill (called acropolis)  Market place (Agora)- selling items and political/religious assemblies  Houses around fortress  Big walls around city  Some farms outside of city walls

Life settles down  City-states bring order to society  People expected to participate  People spent less time worrying about defense and attacks  Think about our other civilizations: what do people do when they have extra time not spent doing essential tasks?

Growing Population Problem  Solution: Set up colonies in far away (along Mediterranean and Black Sea)  Colonies became independent city- states (Polis)  Colonies traded with mainland Greece and set up a trading network  By 500 BC became greatest traders in Aegean region

Learn more about the Acropolis  Watch the video on Ancient Greece Use this map to help you with your homework ASIA MINOR Black Sea

Government in Athens  Democracy: a type of government in which the people rule themselves