1. Unit 1: The Ancient World
Greco/Roman Civilization - Lasting contributions of Greco/Roman civilizations - The Fall of Rome

2. The Middle Ages:
Time period between Classical Rome and the Renaissance.
400 C.E. – 1450 C.E. In European history
The “Dark” Ages: The Early Middle Ages are sometimes called the “Dark” because they appeared less “enlightened” than the ancient Greco – Roman or Renaissance (“rebirth”) periods, and because documentation of the period is often sparse and unreliable.

4. I. Greek Civilization
A. A series of city-states begin to develop rich cultures circa 600 BC
1. Athens: seat of learning, philosophy, artistic and literary greatness; Athenians also value freedom of thought and expression
2. Sparta: a military-oriented society; stressed physical fitness and military/ obedience to one’s society
B. Achievements of Greek Civilization
1. Great literary achievements:
Epic poems by Homer (the Iliad & the Odyssey)
Birth of theatre (dramas, comedies, tragedies)
An enduring mythology tells of the origins of the world and offers morals for proper living
2. The birthplace of democracy
Athens developed a government based on active participation of all citizens
Decisions based on the will of the majority
The concept of citizenship and devotion/patriotism to your city/country

5. Birthplace of philosophy in the western world
Socrates (Father of logic), Plato, Aristotle search for wisdom and truth in themselves and in their fellow men
Sought to better the human condition through use of logic
Philosophy means “love of wisdom”

6. 4. Art, Sculpture: emphasized realism, and the grace and beauty of the human form; architecture – Greek style commonly used today on govt buildings, college campuses
5. Physical fitness, athleticism emphasized, glorified
776 BC: first Olympic games held
6. Scientific, mathematical advancements
Euclid: the father of geometry
Archimedes: calculated the value of pi, developed the lever
Erastosthenes: concluded that the Earth had a circumference of 24,662 miles (only 200 miles off!)
7. The first study of history
Herdotus: the father of history; the first to attempt to gather the stories of the past together and present them as history

7. C. Greek Civilization Spreads
1. Conquests of Alexander the Great ( BC) spreads Greek culture throughout the world
BC: the Greeks are conquered by the Romans, who adapt the Greek civilization to their own and build on it – Hellenistic Culture

8. II. Roman Civilization

9. A. Rome rose from a small village on the Tiber River in central Italy (ca. 800 BC)
509 BC: Rome overthrew their Etruscan rulers, became Independent
Slowly expands its borders over the centuries by conquest/trade
For five centuries, Rome is a republic (government of Elected officials)
14 BC: Augustus is crowned as Rome’s first emperor (republic ends)
120 AD: Roman emperor at its height
300s-400s: a slow decline
476 AD: the fall of Rome

10. The Roman Forum

11. Roman Forum Ruins

12. B. People of Rome
Rome was divided up into several different groups who struggled for power
Patricians: wealthy landowners who held most of the power
Plebeians: the common farmers, artisans, and merchants; majority of pop.

13. Tribunes: elected representatives who protected the rights of the plebeians from patrician officials

14. Consuls: two officials with limited power and one year terms; one controlled the army the other directed the government
Dictator: in times of crisis, the republic could appoint a leader with absolute power to make laws and control the army; power lasted for 6 months
Legions: military units made up of 5,000 soldiers

16. B. Roman Achievements
1. Government systems, offices
A republic; citizens elected to various offices for a term of years, public affairs
A legislative branch to make laws (Senate)
an executive branch to run the affairs of the state
a judicial branch to administer Roman courts
2. A world-wide network of trade
goods moved along established trade routes by land and sea
Western Europe, north Africa, much of Asia, including China
Use of money (gold and silver coins) replaced the less efficient barter systems of exchange
3. Latin: the language that became the basis for many modern languages
French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian are today the Romance Languages, direct offshoots of Latin
Much of English also of Latin origin

17. 4. Grand architectural styles
Temples, domes, aqueducts
5. Christianity’s origins:
Began as an offshoot of Judaism in the Roman province of Judea, ca AD
Early Christians persecuted by Rome in savage games
313 AD: Emperor Constantine ends persecutions grants religious tolerations to Christians
380 AD: Emperor Theodosius makes it the official religion of the empire
Centered in Rome, the Roman Catholic Church grows in power as the empire goes into decline