1. The Rise of Greek Cities
Ancient Greece Lesson 2
The Rise of Greek Cities

2. Vocabulary Homer Athens Sparta Mount Olympus Polis Acropolis Agora
Citizen
Oligarchy
Monarchy
Democracy
Colony
Homer
Athens
Sparta
Mount Olympus

3. READ ALOUD
“’Shared blood, shared language, shared religion, and shared customs.’ Long ago a Greek historian named Herodotus used these words to describe what it meant to be Greek. Greeks were very proud of what they shared. However, they prized just as highly those things that made them different from one another. Those differences began in the many city-states that dotted the mainland and islands of ancient Greece” (Banks. 2001, p. 196).

4. The Big Picture
1100 B.C. – Egypt’ New Kingdom and Shang Dynasty were loosing power
1100 – 800 B.C. – Greece – little known of this time period.
700 B.C. – Greek artifacts found
Formation of city-states (polis)
Groups of powerful man decision-makers

5. A Greek Polis Cities shared a similar plan
Built around or atop a hill or acropolis
Nearby clearing, or agora, for farmers to trade at a marketplace.

6. Developing Governments
Citizenship required of leaders with rights and responsibilities to country and community
Only men citizens
Women and slaves had no rights
Athens –
Before 600 B.C. – ruled by king as a monarchy – rule by one
600 B.C. – oligarchy – small group rule – resting on the value of property giving the rich power, the poor none

7. Two Greek Cities Athens
Boys – worked for their fathers in the fields, pottery, stone working, studied reading and writing if parents could afford it. Practiced wrestling and boxing
Girls – “SEE, HEAR, AND ASK LITTLE,” WAVING CLOTH, stayed at home
Sparta
700 BC
30 miles from Med. Sea
Farmers –slaves –Helots, who revolted in 600 BC
Boys joined military at 7
Girls tough military mothers

8. Government in Athens Monarchy Oligarchy Democracy – rule by the people
City divided into demes
10 demes
Each had 50 representatives
Selected by lot
Served in the 500
Building was the tholos (round)

9. Shared Culture Gods ruled their lives
Gods “lived” on Mt. Olympus in northern Greece

10. Special Festivals Each polis honored a special god or goddess
Athens – Athena
Each polis competed in the Olympics

11. A Greek Poet – Homer Lived from 800-7– BC The Iliad - Trojan War
The Odyssey – Odysseus’ journey home

12. Beyond Greece Traveled beyond
500 BC Greek city-states all around Med. Sea

13. Why It Matters
United to fight the Persians
Ideas of democracy

14. Main Ideas
Life is most of the Greek city-states revolved around an agora and an acropolis
Spartans spent much of their time working to strengthen their bodies and their army. In Athens free women nd girls worked at home. Boys and men worked, went to school, or took part in government.

15. Think About It
What did city-states have in common? What made them different?
Who was allowed to vote in the developing democracy of Athens?
Why was life in Sparta so different from life in Athens?
What effects did slavery have on life in Sparta?
What made the agora a center for cultural interaction?