1. The Crucible of Civilization
Ancient Greece
The Crucible of Civilization
cru·ci·ble: a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development

2. Geography

3. Greece is the southeastern-most region on the European continent
Greece is the southeastern-most region on the European continent. It is defined by a series of mountains, surrounded on all sides except the north by water, and endowed with countless large and small islands. The Ionian and Aegean seas and the many deep bays and natural harbors along the coastlines allowed the Greeks to prosper in maritime commerce and to develop a culture which drew inspiration from many sources, both foreign and indigenous.
Located in southeastern Europe, Greece is defined by a series of mountains and surrounded on all sides except the north by water.

4. The Mediterranean Sea moderates Greece's climate, cooling the air in summer and providing warmth in the winter months. Summers are generally hot and dry. Winters are moderate and rainy in coastal regions and cold and snowy in mountainous areas.
The Mediterranean Sea moderates Greece´s climate, cooling the air in summer and providing warmth in the winter months. Summers are generally hot and dry. Winters are moderate and rainy in coastal regions and cold and snowy in mountainous areas.

5. Geographic factors played an important role in Greek history.
The mountains, which served as natural barriers and boundaries, dictated the political character of Greece. From early times the Greeks lived in independent communities isolated from one another by the landscape. Later these communities were organized into poleis or city-states. The mountains prevented large-scale farming and impelled the Greeks to look beyond their borders to new lands where fertile soil was more abundant.
Geographic factors played an important role in Greek history.

6. Numerous MOUNTAIN RANGES, which crisscross the peninsula, hampered internal communications and led to the development of independent city-states.
Numerous ISLANDS and the indented coastlines of the Greek peninsula and of Asia Minor stimulated a seagoing trade.
The ROCKY SOIL and limited natural resources encouraged the Greeks to establish colonies abroad.

7. The Effects of Mountains
Greece’s mountainous terrain separated the ancient Greek cities.
As such, the ancient Greeks never developed a unified system of government.
The ancient Greeks developed the polis or city-state.

8. The Greeks lived in separate city-states.

9. City State Foundation of Greek civilization
Provides security for its people, and gave them
an identity.
People thought of themselves as residents of a city, not as Greeks.
EQ: How did the geography of Greece help shape early Greek civilization?

10. The ancient Greeks farmed but it was
difficult. Hills are not suited for farming.

11. However, there is always the sea.

12. Even today, the Greeks have access
to the Mediterranean Sea and the
Aegean Sea.

13. The Seas Greece is a peninsula and islands.
Seas surround parts of Greece.
The Seas allowed the Greeks to travel and trade.
Trade encouraged cultural diffusion.

14. Trade and Cultural Diffusion
The seas allowed the Greeks to depend heavily on trade.
Trade encouraged cultural diffusion.
The Greeks were exposed to the Phoenician alphabet and Egyptian geometry.

15. It is important to remember that mountains
separated the Greek city-states.

16. The Polis
The hilly terrain separated the Greeks. Though the Greeks shared a common language and religion, they never developed a unified system of government.
The Greeks lived in separate, independent city-states.
The Greek word for a “city-state” was a polis.

17. Polis Cont.
A polis consisted of an urban centre, often fortified and with a sacred centre built on a natural acropolis or harbour, which controlled a surrounding territory (chora) of land. 
There were eventually over 1,000 poleis in the Greek World but among the most important were Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Thebes, Syracuse, Aegina, Rhodes, Argos, Eretria, and Elis.

18. This magnificent building is the Parthenon.
The Parthenon was a temple in Athens,
a Greek polis.