Ch. 5 & 6

1. Ch. 5 & 6

2. Geography • A peninsula¹ surrounded by islands • Small plains • River valleys • Mountains!! ¹Greece actually sits on TWO; the Balkan Peninsula and the Peloponnesus.

3. Impact of Geography • Mountains separation • Different Greek communities (Athens & Sparta) • Warfare • Aegean Sea seafarers • Colonized islands and lands in the Mediterranean and Black Seas

4. City-States = Polis • Defined- • Central focus of Greek life • Acropolis-fortified area at the top of the hill in each polis

5. What was the benefit of having their temple, The Parthenon, in The Acropolis? The Acropolis in Athens is 70m tall, 300m long, and 150m wide. At the time, it was the financial and religious center of he city, with housing and traders and such around the bottom of he plateau.

6. The Polis was above all else a community • Three types of citizens: • Political rights • No Political rights • Noncitizens • Government--@ this point Aristocracy • Loyalty was to the polis NOT the culture

7. Growth of trade Need for good farmland Each colony became its own polis Spread of Greek culture, and political ideas Created wealthy merchant class Greek Colonies

8. Oligarchy to Democracy 1stAristocracy 2nd Power seized by wealthy merchants—Tyrants 3rd This situation allowed Democracy to develop in several poleis • Although some poleis remained oligarchies

9. ½ class read Sparta ½ class read Athens List characteristics of assigned polis Pair up with a classmate who had the other polis and create a Venn Diagram comparing the two. Sparta vs. Athens pp. 111-115

10. The Challenge of Persia • It all started when the Persian Empire took control of Asia Minor including the Greek colonies. The Greeks revolted (unsuccessfully); but King Darius wanted revenge for the attempt. Why??????

11. Persian War • 490 B.C.—Persians land in Marathon, Greece (26 mi. from Athens) Athenian army attacks and WINS!! • 480 B.C.—Persians try again by land and sea • Battle of Thermopylae (land) • Combined Greek army held off until a spy sold out to the Persians—Spartan soldiers fought valiantly=emotional victory • Battle of Salamis (sea) • Greek fleet outmaneuvered Persian fleet • Battle of Plataea • Largest Greek army defeated the Persian army

12. Persian War

13. Road to an Empire • Delian League—defensive alliance controlled by Athens—successfully liberated all Greek states from Persian control • Also remember who led the defeat of Persia… • Age of Pericles • Direct democracy • Increased # of eligible voters • Athens center of Greek culture

14. Peloponnesian War Athens et al. vs. Sparta et al. • Athens • Stay behind city walls • Supplies from colonies • Despite plague, hunger they stayed for 25 yrs. • Surrendered • Walls torn down, navy disbanded, Empire destroyed • Sparta • Surround Athens force them out • 405 B.C. destroyed Athenian fleet

15. Effects of the War… • Weakened major poleis • Ruined any chance of cooperation • Focused on internal conflict • Failed to notice Macedonia to the north

16. Culture of Classical Greece • Religion (gods)—polytheism, Zeus, etc. Drama—tragedies=evil acts breed evil and suffering; however, in the end reason triumphs over the forces of evil

17. Culture cont’d… • Philosophy—organized system of thought “School of Athens” --Raphael

18. Culture cont’d • Writing History—a systematic analysis of past events—Herodotus & Thucydides • Art—arts of the Western world have been largely dominated by the standards set by the Greeks of the classical period

20. Math & Science… Athanasius Kircher's reconstruction of the sphere of Archimedes, imitating the motion of the planets with the aid of magnets. Euclid’s proof of the Pythagorean Theorem

21. Alexander the Great • The Greeks underestimated their neighbor to the north… • The Macedonian army crushed the Greeks and had to form an alliance with Philip II against Persia • Philip’s son Alexander succeeded him to the throne and continued his father’s plan—naming major cities Alexandria everywhere he went. • He pushed all the way to India, but his soldiers refused to go further. • Gained the throne at 20, died at 32

22. Alexander’s Legacy • Lead by example • Extended Macedonian rule and Greek culture over a vast area • Improved economies of both countries • Greek language, architecture, literature, and art spread—Hellenistic=“imitate Greeks” • Eastern culture was absorbed by Greeks

23. Hellenistic Culture • Religion and Philosophy • Math and Physics • Medicine and Science • Astronomy and Geography