WHI.05a: Ancient Greece: Geography to Persian Wars

Objectives p. 069 The student will demonstrate knowledge of ancient Greece in terms of its impact on Western civilization by a.assessing the influence of geography on Greek economic, social, and political development, including the impact of Greek commerce and colonies; b.describing Greek mythology and religion; c.identifying the social structure and role of slavery, explaining the significance of citizenship and the development of democracy, and comparing the city-states of Athens and Sparta; d.evaluating the significance of the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars;

Essential Understandings p The physical geography of the Aegean Basin shaped the economic, social, and political development of Greek civilization. 2.The expansion of Greek civilization, through trade and colonization, led to the spread of Hellenic culture across the Mediterranean and Black seas. 3.Greek mythology was based on a polytheistic religion that was integral to the culture, politics, and art in ancient Greece. 4.Many of Western civilization ’ s symbols, metaphors, words, and idealized images come from ancient Greek mythology. 5.Classical Athens developed the most democratic system of government the world had ever seen, although not everyone could participate in decision making. 6.It became a foundation of modern democracies. 7.Contrasting philosophies of government divided the Greek city-states of Athens (democracy) and Sparta (oligarchy). 8.The Greeks defeated the Persian empire and preserved their political independence.

Essential Questions p How did the mountains, seas, islands, harbors, peninsulas, and straits of the Aegean Basin shape Greek economic, social, and political development and patterns of trade and colonization? 2.How did mythology help the early Greek civilization explain the natural world and the human condition? 3.What impact did Greek mythology have on later civilizations and the contemporary world? 4.How did democracy develop in Athens? 5.How did Sparta differ from Athens? 6.Why were wars with Persia important to the development of Greek culture?

Why Do I Need To Know This? p The seeds of much of Western cultural heritage were planted during this time period. 2.Many political systems in today ’ s world mirror the varied forms of government that evolved in Greece.

Ancient Greece p

p. 071 Map of Ancient Greece Using the pages indicated, label the following on the map. Color where directed. Page 109 Ionian Sea, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Mt. Olympus, Thebes (City), Athens (city), Corinth (city), Mycenae (city), PELOPENNESUS, Sparta (city), CRETE, MACEDONIA Color in: Greek Homeland in 750 B.C. (put the color in the key at the bottom) Page 119 Troy (city), PERSIAN EMPIRE, Ionia (you’ve already colored it as part of the Greek Homeland from page 109)

Greece

Geography 1. Geography p. 072 a.mainly of the mountainous Balkan and Peloponnesus peninsulas  surrounded by the Ionian Sea (East), Aegean Sea (West) and Med Sea (south) b.about 1,400 islands c.western coast of Anatolia d.rugged mountains cover about ¾ of ancient Greece e.Greece has a mild climate with temperatures averaging 48 degrees in the winter and 80 degrees in the summer – supports an outdoor life

Geography 2. Effect of the mountains p. 072 a.cover about ¾ of Greece b.difficult to unite the ancient Greeks under a single government; developed small independent communities instead – only religion and language connected the Greeks c.made land transportation difficult d.only 20% of the land was suitable for farming; grew grains, grapes and olives e.Greece was poor in natural resources such as timber, precious metal and usable farmland f.the sea was an important transportation route for the Greeks

Greek Mountains

Grapes and Olives

Geography 3. Colonizing p. 072 a.A desire for more living space (they were overpopulated), b.grassland for raising livestock c.adequate farmland may have been factors that motivated the Greeks to seek out new sites for colonies

Minoans 1. Where? p. 072 a.Island of Crete b.Capital at Knossos

Minoans 2. King Minos p. 072 a.Legendary king who kept a minotaur (half bull, half man) locked inside a labyrinth underneath the palace b.King Minos forced a sacrifice from Athens of 7 boys and 7 girls every year in retaliation for the death of his son

Minoans 3. Civilization? p. 072 a.Enjoyed sports such as boxing, wrestling, and bull-leaping b.Peaceful – cities did not have walls to protect them c.Traded metal goods, pottery, and textiles  Traded with Egyptians, Syrians, and others

Mycenae 1. Who? p. 073 a.a group of Indo-Europeans settled on Greek mainland around 2000 B.C. b.ruled by warrior kings c.invaded the Minoans in 1400 BC

Mycenae 2. Trojan War p. 073  Mythological – the Trojan prince, Paris kidnapped Helen, the beautiful wife of a Spartan king (Menelaus), brother of the king of Mycenae (Agamemnon); the Greeks went to war with Troy for 10 years; Greeks pretend to give up and give Troy a large wooden horse (filled with soldiers); the soldiers open the gate to Troy and the Greeks destroy Troy

Mycenae 2. Trojan War p. 073  Probable – struggle for control of the strategic Dardanelles Straits that connected the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea, giving sea access to central Asia

Dorians ( BC ) 1. Who p. 073 a.the Mycenaeans collapsed around 1200 B.C. and the Dorians took over the Greek peninsula b.a warrior people and were not interested in trade or culture

Dorians ( BC ) 2. Homer p. 073 a.blind poet who composed epics – narrative poems celebrating heroic deeds b.wrote the Iliad and The Odyssey; describe the battle of Troy

Mythology 1. What is a myth? p. 073 a.a traditional stories about Greek gods; a way for the Greeks to explain natural phenomena, life events, and the power of human passions

Mythology 2. Characteristics of gods/goddesses p. 073 a.the Greeks attributed human qualities such as love, hate, and jealousy to their gods

Mythology 3. What is a myth? p. 073 a.Zeus – ruler of the gods, ruled the sky, weather and thunderstorms b.Hera – Zeus’s wife, often jealous of Zeus’s relationships with other women c.Athena – warrior goddess of wisdom and Zeus’s favorite child d.Apollo – god of poetry and music, son of Zeus and Leto e.Aphrodite – goddess of love and beauty f.Poseidon – god of the seas g.Hades – god of the underworld