Ancient Greece

1. Ancient Greece Battle of Salamis 480 B.C.E.

2. Essential Standards • 6.G.1 Understand geographic factors that influenced the emergence, expansion and decline of civilizations, societies and regions (i.e. Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas) over time. • 6.C&G.1Understand the development of government in various civilizations, societies and regions.

3. Clarifying Objectives • 6.G.1.1 Explain how the physical features and human characteristics of a place influenced the development of civilizations, societies and regions (e.g., location near rivers and natural barriers, trading practices and spread of culture). • 6.G.1.3 Compare distinguishing characteristics of various world regions (e.g., physical features, culture, political organization and ethnic make-up). • 6.C&G.1.1 Explain the origins and structures of various governmental systems (e.g., democracy, absolute monarchy and constitutional monarchy).

4. Essential Questions • Which NATURAL BARRIER did Themistocles to defeat the Persians in the Battle of Salamis? • Why would the Athenians choose to live in a region that had NATURAL BARRIERS? • How does the region of Greece’s physical features help Ancient Greece in their famous battles? • What is a DEMOCRACY?

5. Greek Trireme Ships • Ancient Greece’s secret weapon • Greek war ships that were made from Oak… • Light • Fast • Easy to Steer • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhTET-JmFdM • 7:04-7:54

6. Admiral Themistocles • Admiral Themistocles was a Greek sea captain • He was the leader of the Greek Navy • He was the last chance for Ancient Greece to fend off the Persians

7. Persians were Coming • Persians had made it past Leonidas & his 300 men and were coming straight for Athens • A decision had to be made to stay in Athens and fight or to run to escape the Persians

8. Oracle @ Delphi • An Oracle was a person that the Greek God communicated to humans through • Delphi was a mountain where the Oracle lived • Oracles were usually young women that had been heavily drugged • Oracles were often consulted before an important decision was made

9. Oracle @ Delphi • Athenians always consulted the Oracle per cultural tradition before they went to battle to see if it is a good idea or not • When asked the Oracle replied “the walls of wood will remain unsacked”

10. Athenians were Afraid • Athenians wanted to run to the Island of Salamis • Themistocles however called them cowards and said the “walls of wood” were the ships he had built • Nobody believed him and they all left Athens to seek nearby protection on the island of Salamis

11. Athens Burns • Persians attacked from the North after their finally getting through the mountains at Thermopylae • They reached Athens and nobody was there • They burned the whole city all the way to the ground • Xerxes was victorious

12. Finishing the Greeks • Not satisfied with burning down Athens Xerxes wanted to finish the Greeks • He took his ships and sailed to the bay of Salamis to finish the Greeks

13. Admiral Themistocles • Admiral Themistocles takes charge • He begins by organizing all of the Greek Trireme Ships • Then he sends one of his slaves to Xerxes to tell him that the Greeks were about to run

14. Xerxes falls for the Trick • Instead of attacking that day Xerxes sets up his ships to cut off all escape routes so the Greeks cannot escape • He spends the night blocking all escape routes • This tired out all the Persian sailors

15. Xerxes Climbs a Hill • Xerxes so confident in final victory climbs a hill to watch the battle from above • All of Xerxes Naval Captains advise him to attack the Greeks except one • The only woman Naval Captain Artemisia warned not to attack the Greeks

16. Queen Artemisia • Queen Artemisia was the only woman Naval Commander that the Persians had • She was a Greek Queen who had been captured by Xerxes Army and forced to fight for them • She knew that Greek Naval strategies & knew that it was not a good idea to attack

17. Xerxes Attacks • Xerxes attacks sailing into the strait of Salamis • That is where the Greek Navy waits for him • Xerxes is quickly trapped and even though he has 3 times as many ships they cannot move • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CJT_v1Ukbg

18. Essential Questions • Get with a partner and answer… • Which NATURAL BARRIER did Themistocles to defeat the Persians in the Battle of Salamis? • Why would the Athenians choose to live in a region that had NATURAL BARRIERS? • How does the region of Greece’s physical features help Ancient Greece in their famous battles?

19. Gridlocked • Xerxes ships become Gridlocked and they cannot move without smashing into another one of his ships • Themistocles surrounds Xerxes ships and annihilates them

20. Ancient Greece wins at Salamis • Themistocles & Ancient Greece wins at Salamis • A furious but defeated Xerxes realizes that Greece will never be his • Greece has kept their independence from the largest Empire of Earth

21. With Victory comes Culture • Greece is able to keep their culture intact • They are able to keep their Democratic Government intact • Greece’s culture shapes the future culture of all the Western World

22. Essential Questions • Get with a partner and answer… • What is a DEMOCRACY?

23. Important Points • 6.G.1.1 (Natural Barriers) Themistocles uses the Strait of Salamis as a Natural Barrier to protect his ships and force Persia’s ships into gridlock • 6.G.1.3 (distinguishing characteristic of regions [physical features]) Most of Greece has mountains which played an important role in Ancient Greece’s famous battles • 6.C&G.1.1 (Democracy) Ancient Greece is the birthplace of democracy where the people/citizens vote on decisions