The Legacies of Ancient Greece

What is a legacy? Traditions, skills and knowledge of a culture that get passed on to people in the future What will they write of your legacy? Something a culture is known for A gift from the past

The Legacies of Ancient Greece democracy scientific method classification epics trial by jury theater Hippocratic Oath architecture Olympics Socratic Method marathon Greek mythology tragedy comedy philosophy

The Arts and Architecture What new elements did Greek art and architecture introduce? Drama Actors Tragedy and Comedy Sculpture Architecture

Drama Greeks invented drama (which was the written work performed by actors). Drama contests were part of religious festivals.

Actors Men played all parts, including female roles; wore costumes, masks.

Tragedy and Comedy Serious drama showing downfall of important character Themes included love, hate, and war. Less serious drama; often made fun of politics, people, and ideas.

Sculpture Greek sculptors aimed to capture ideal in work: Tried to show objects, humans as perfectly as possible. Tried to create order, beauty, harmony.

Sculpture Art works were large, outdoors; statues of gods placed in temples. Sculptor Phidias worked on Parthenon; created statue of Athena. Statue was made of gold, ivory; over 30 feet tall.

Architecture Designed temples, theaters, meeting places.

History, Philosophy, and Democracy How did the Greek love of reason and logic influence the development of Western thought?

Democracy A government where the people have the right to make decisions about leaders and laws Greek word meaning “power of the people” Athens developed the first democracy The U.S. government is based on Athenian democracy.

Democratic Roots Athens had the first democratic constitution (a set of rules for how the government should run) All men over 20 years old could participate in the Assembly (the lawmaking group) Each year 500 names of citizens were drawn to be on the Council of Five Hundred who ran the daily business of Athens

Trial By Jury When a group of citizens decides if a person is innocent or guilty of a crime Serving on a jury was a citizen’s duty About 500 jurors for a trial Jurors were paid for service

Herodotus and Thucydides One of the first civilizations to write history, examine facts of past. Herodotus: “Father of History”- wrote Persian Wars. Thucydides: Wrote about Peloponnesian War- set writing standard using documents, eyewitness accounts.

The Search For Truth After the Peloponnesian War, Greek thinkers developed philosophy: Study of basic truths, ideas about universe.

Greek Philosophers Universe is ordered and controlled by laws of nature. People can understand these laws.

Socrates Encouraged young students to examine beliefs through questions. Question-and- answer style of teaching called Socratic method.

Socratic Method Teaching through step-by-step questions that are designed to lead the student to the truth Socrates was a Greek philosopher who wanted people to question and think for themselves Athenians were afraid and threatened by his ideas, so he was tried and put to death.

Plato One of Socrates’ best students. Started school of higher learning called the Academy.

Aristotle Devised debate method based on logic; applied logic to science. Tutored Alexander the Great.

Science and Technology

Classification of Living Things A system of grouping plants and animals that have similar characteristics Developed by Aristotle Helps scientists to handle a lot of info. Still used today

Process used by scientists to study something Scientific Method Process used by scientists to study something 1 Collect Info 2 Form Hypothesis 3 Test Hypothesis

Hippocratic Oath A list of rules about practicing medicine that doctors today still promise to follow Honor your teachers Hippocrates was the “Father of Scientific Medicine” 460-370 BCE Believed that disease came from natural causes not evil spirits Do your best for the sick Never give poisons Keep the secrets of patients

Astronomy Eratosthenes- estimated circumference- distance around Earth Aristarchus- studied sun , moon, Earth; estimated size of sun.

Astronomy Ptolemy: studied universe, incorrectly putting Earth at the center.

Mathematics and Physics Euclid’s geometry text with proofs of work is basis of geometry.

Mathematics and Physics Archimedes explained levers, invented compound pulley. Ideas were later used to build pumps, and steam engines.

Summary Greek and Hellenistic writers, artists, and architects invented new and beautiful styles.

Summary Greek Philosophy and history set standards of logic, reason, and record keeping.

Why does it Matter Now? The Greek culture set enduring standards in art, philosophy, and science.