1. Greece

2. Early History 3000-1400 BC—Minoans Crete Seafaring merchants
Sophisticated civilization

3. Early History 1400-1000 BC—Hellenes 1000-750 BC—Dark Age
Eastern Europeans, migrated south
Intermarried with natives Greeks
BC—Dark Age
Life was primitive/tribal
Homer

4. Geographic Influence
Mountains
Fertile valleys
Independent city-states

5. Geographic Influence Insufficient farmland
Founded colonies on Mediterranean coast

6. Geographic Influence Location Deep harbors Peninsula in Mediterranean
Exchange of culture/trade
Deep harbors
Numerous good harbors on its irregular coastline
The Diolkos

7. Athens Democratic, leading city-state After 750 BC slow progress:
Monarchy--one-man, inherited
Aristocracy--group of nobles
Tyranny--one-man, for people
Democracy--rule by people

8. Athens (cont’d) Move toward democracy (600s-400s BC)
Draco—Codified law (including severe punishments)
Solon—Granted male commoners right to vote in Assembly
Cleisthenes—extended male citizenship
Pericles—Golden Age of Athens
Paid salaries to public officials
Society and economy thrived

9. Sparta Aristocratic/military city-state On Peloponnesian peninsula
Population
Helots
Large number of slaves
Nobles
Small number of citizens
Feared helots

10. Sparta (cont’d) Did not develop trade/industry Remained agricultural
Emphasized military might
Neglected:
Art
Literature
Science

11. Uniting Bonds Greek language Religion Olympic games Fear of Persians
Felt superior to non-Greeks, referring to them as “barbarians”

12. Persian Wars 500-479 BC Greek colonies in Asia Minor revolted
Darius defeated them and wanted to annex all of Greece
Persians defeated at Marathon
Greeks rallied to beat Persians
Preserved Greek independence

13. Peloponnesian War BC
Sparta (Peloponnesian League) defeated Athens (Delian League)
Sparta unable to unite Greece

14. Philip of Macedonia 359 BC-king of Macedonia
Admired Greek culture
Wanted to unify Greek city-states
338 BC-conquered/united all Greek city-states, except Sparta
Assassinated
His son, Alexander (aged 20) came to power

15. Alexander the Great 336-323 BC Taught by Aristotle
Conquered Persian Empire
Created Hellenistic culture
Suddenly died at age 33

16. Greek Contributions Theater Poetry Historical Writing
Sophocles--Oedipus Rex
Poetry
Homer—Iliad & Odyssey
Historical Writing
Herodotus (Father of History)
Embellished facts
Thucydides (scientific historian)
Accurate account

17. Greek Contributions (cont’d.)
Architecture/Sculpture
Marble
Simple
Well-proportioned
Philosophy
Socrates (individual)—Questioned
Plato (group)—Ideal government
Aristotle (world)—Philosophy/science

18. Greek Contributions (cont’d.)
Science and mathematics
Pythagoras/Euclid—Geometry
Hippocrates—Medicine
Aristarchus—Geocentrism
Archimedes—Levers/pulleys
Eratosthenes--Accurate estimate of earth’s circumference