1. The Rise of Greek Cities
Lesson 2

2. Vocabulary Places Athens Sparta Mount Olympus Polis Acropolis Agora
Citizen
Oligarchy
Monarchy
Democracy
colony
Athens
Sparta
Mount Olympus

3. The Big Picture
Each community usually revolved around one city. The Greek word for this kind of city- state was polis

4. A Greek Polis Most city- states were built around an acropolis
Acropolis- was a large hill where city residents could seek shelter and safety in times of war
In a near by clearing farmers would gather to trade with craft workers. The clearing, called an agora often served as a marketplace and meeting place

5. Acropolis

6. Agora

7. Developing Governments
Each city- state had a different type of government
In each type, the leaders had to be citizens of their polis
Citizen- is a person who has certain rights and responsibilities in his country or community
In ancient Greece, only men could be citizens
Women and slaves were not citizens- they have few rights
Slaves (helots) were usually conquered neighbors.

8. Being a citizen did not make men automatically a part of the government
In many city- states a small group of the richest, most powerful citizens controlled decision making (oligarchy)
The city- state Athens was governed by an oligarchy
Before the oligarchy, Athens was a monarchy ( government ruled by one ruler or king). The word monarchy comes from the Greek words “rule by one”

10. Sparta

11. Sparta
In 700 B.C Sparta covered much of the southern Peloponnesus and was Greece’s largest city- state
In the Agora was where Sparta’s leaders made decisions that shaped the polis
Most of Sparta’s farmers were slaves
Sparta had many more slaves than other city- states
7slaves to 1 Spartan

12. The Spartan Military
Around 600 B.C Spartan slaves revolted. Spartans managed to over power them.
Spartans wanted the strongest military
They wanted to make sure that neither slaves nor another polis could ever gain control of Sparta

13. Spartan's wanted to make their polis strong
Spartan children played a role in the polis
Age 7- boys and girls began training (boys had more training)
Girls practiced running, throwing spears (javelins), and playing ball games
Girls trained not to become solders but strong mothers of strong children
Some time was spent learning to read and write

14. Athens

15. “See little, hear little, and ask no more questions than are absolutely necessary”

16. Athens Athens lay on the peninsula of Attica, northeast of Sparta
Athenian girls did not practice sports
Girls stayed home to help their mother
They carried out such duties as weaving cloth from sheep’s wool
Farm girls helped harvest the fields
Many Athenian boys worked each days in the fields or in pottery or stone shops
If parents could afford school- boys learned to read and write
After classes they would practice wrestling or boxing at a local gymnasium

17. Government in Athens
Athenians did not spend as much time and energy building a strong army
600 B.C Athens’ government was a oligarchy
Leaders families belonged to noble families (they were rich and powerful)
the poor demanded to have more say in the government and how it was run
Noble’s were forced to share some power

18. Historians trace our own ideas of democracy back to Greece
They had to form a new government where all of the citizens could take part in decision making. This became known as a democracy
Democracy- Greek word meaning “rule by the people”. It means that citizens vote to make government decisions
Historians trace our own ideas of democracy back to Greece

19. Beyond Greece
After Greek festivals and Olympics were started, athletes from far away Greek colonies came to participate
Colonies were made up of groups of people who lived apart from, but kept ties with, Greece
Colonies became important trading partners with Greece. They grew grains that were in demand
Greek ships sailed down Egypt’s Nile Delta

20. Shared Culture

21. Shared Culture
Every month there were a few days that were saved to honor their gods
Ancient Greeks believed in many gods and goddesses
The most powerful gods and goddesses were said to live on Mount Olympus

22. Special Festivals
Each polis honored at least one special god or goddess as its special protector
In Athens, people worshiped Athena (goddess of wisdom)
Every summer a festival is held in her honor
They would walk to the top of the Acropolis, where a priest would kill cattle in her name/ honor
All people from Greece worshiped Zeus (most powerful god)
City- states came together in competition in athletic competitions

23. A Greek Poet
People in all city- states loved to hear stories of the poet Homer
Many stories described Greece’s past
Most famous poems- The Iliad and the Odyssey. Tell stories of war and adventure
The Iliad describes what happened when a prince from Troy, an ancient city, kidnapped Helen a Greek Queen. It also tells how the gods created Greek cities