1. Bell Ringer LIFE IN SPARTA WAR IN ANCIENT GREECE
What does the Agora tell us about the culture of Athens?
*When you finish, copy down the chart below into your classroom notebook
LIFE IN SPARTA
WAR IN ANCIENT GREECE

2. LIFE IN SPARTA
Life in Sparta was the opposite of Athens (free and open), it was harsh and cruel
One basic rule: put the city’s needs above your own
Turned conquered people into helots: slaves owned by the city-state of Sparta (having slaves left Spartans free to wage war)
*What type of people do you think the Spartans were? *

3. How might Sparta have viewed Athens?
LIFE IN SPARTA
Only the healthiest children were raised
Males: At 7 years old began training for 13 years to become a solider at the age of 20
Assembly: a council consisting of all male citizens born in Sparta (men joined at 30 years old) who approved decisions made by the council of elders and the King.
Females: Girls also trained in order to have strong, healthy children. The were allowed to own land and take some part in business – still had to obey males in their lives.
Spartans did not mingle with other Greeks, looked down on the desire for wealth and trade, lacked interest in the arts, known for their skill and bravery in battle

4. WAR IN ANCIENT GREECE
Much of Greek history tells of wars between themselves but at the beginning of the 400’s B.C. there was a new threat – Persia
Battle at Marathon: (25 mi North of Athens) Persians outnumbered Athenians 2 to 1, but Athenians ambushed the Persians and won.
Greece united to fully defeat the Persians and this made them believe that the gods favored them
Athens then became the most powerful city-state in Greece (joined the Delian League) and eventually started to expand it’s empire while championing political freedom at home (Golden Age of Athens)

5. How did Athens play a part in it’s own downfall?
WAR IN ANCIENT GREECE
The Peloponnesian War: a conflict between Athens and Sparta that lasted for 27 years.
Sparta formed the Peloponnesian League to counter Athens Delian League
Athens advantages – more wealth and fine navy, Disadvantages – Geography
Sparta advantage- Geography (located inland)
Sparta invaded Athens and overcrowded conditions caused a plague: widespread disease (1/3 of Athens died – including Pericles)
Fall of Athens: Spartans staged a blockade: an action taken to isolate the enemy and cut off its supplies. Athens surrendered starving and beaten, never again to dominate the Greek world.
How did Athens play a part in it’s own downfall?

7. Athens vs. Sparta
After completing the handout you will need to work on a RACE writing response to the following question: If you were an immigrant to Greece and had a choice of which city-state to settle in, would it be Athens or Sparta? (Use evidence from the worksheet and your textbook to support your answer.)