1. Ancient Greece Notes

2. Greece – Early People Minoan Civilization Mycenae
Island of Crete in Aegean Sea
King Minos and Palace at Knossos
Disappeared, volcano and tidal wave
Mycenae
Sea traders, moved ideas and items
1250 B.C. Trojan War
Fall of Troy same time as Mycenaean disappearance

3. Greece – Rise of City-States
Mountainous peninsula
Polis – city
Acropolis – high city, temples to gods
Monarchy – King or queen rule
Aristocracy – rule by landowning elite
Oligarchy – Small, powerful, business elite rule
Military
Iron weapons
Phalanx – formation of armed foot soldiers

4. Greece - Sparta Government From birth, trained for military
2 kings and council of elders, assembly of citizens
From birth, trained for military
7 – boys sent to barracks, training, beaten
20 – marry, 30 – move out & join assembly
Women – trained, ran estates & business
Isolated from trade, looked down on wealth

5. Greece - Athens Aristocracy became democracy
Democracy – Government by the people
Set up legislature – lawmaking body
Cared more about art, philosophy than war
Good navy
Women – secluded in homes, family and kids
Education was important above all else
Greeks believed all others were barbarians

6. Greece - Religion Polytheistic - Many gods and goddesses
Zeus – leader, God of Gods and Humans
Many children became other gods
Used to explain nature
Temples built for prayers & ceremonies

7. Greece and Its Glory Philosophers – Socrates, Plato, Aristotle
Developed rhetoric and logic
Architecture – columns
Sculpture of gods, goddesses, athletes, politicians
Drama – Tragedy and Comedy
Writers – Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey

8. Alexander the Great Conquered lands: Greece to India, Germany to Egypt
Spread cultures, mixed together = Hellenistic
Named over 20 cities after himself
Conquering more than ruling
Traveled 10,000 miles, men made him turn around
Died 3 days after return