Ancient Greeks: Mountains and Seas

1. Ancient Greeks: Mountains and Seas Chapter 8 Lesson 1

2. Objectives • Describe the geography of Greece • Analyze how the ancient Greeks adapted to the land and sea • Discuss the importance of trade to the ancient Greeks

3. Vocabulary • Peninsula – stretch of land that is almost completely surrounded by water • Isthmus – small strip of land • Harbor – sheltered places with deep water close to the shoreline

4. Mountains and Seas • Present-day Greece is located on the Balkan Peninsula • Mountains covered nearly 75% of mainland Greece, where the soil is thin and rocky • About 2,000 islands surround Greece’s jagged coastline • How do you think living on the coastline affected the lives of early Greeks? (your opinion) • See map on page 271 in textbook • What causes much of the soil on mainland Greece to be thin and rocky?

5. Mountains and Seas • What causes much of the soil on mainland Greece to be thin and rocky? • The mountains caused the soil to be thin and rocky • How is southern Greece connected to the northern part? • It is connected by a small strip of land called an isthmus

6. Life Among Mountains • On the mainland, early Greeks lived in isolated mountain valleys • Land travel was difficult • They raised livestock and grew crops that did well in a dry climate and poor soil • How did the mountains affect inland travel and trade in ancient Greece?

7. Life Among Mountains • What kept the people of Greece from uniting under one government? • The mountains separated • How did the mountains affect inland travel and trade in ancient Greece? • The made them difficult • What did early Greek farmers do to solve the problems caused by the dry climate and poor soil • They figured out how to grow crops that did well in the dry climate and poor soil region. These crops included barley, wheat, olives, and grapes

8. Life by the Seas • Ancient Greeks started most of their settlements near the coast and used the seas for food and travel • As they traveled they exchanged ideas and religious beliefs • Advantages: sea travel helped them exchange ideas and goods with other cultures • Disadvantages: sea travel was dangerous

9. Poseidon • According to the Greeks the god Poseidon ruled the seas and watched over sailors and their boats • They believed he expressed his moods through the sea • Storm = Poseidon was angry

10. Exchange and Trade • Farming surpluses: olives, grains, and grapes allowed the early people of Greece to trade for resources they did not have • Food surpluses and improved farming techniques led to new kinds of jobs • Craft workers made tools, containers, clothing, and other objects from natural resources such as wood, clay, bone, wool, stone and metal • Olives and grapes were used for olive oil and wine

11. Lesson Summary • The geography of Greece affected the lives of its early people • Mountains separated settlements and made inland trade difficult • Early farmers learned to grow crops suited to the rock soil and dry climate • Settlements along the seas developed into seafaring cultures • Through trade, the early people of Greece exchanged goods and ideas with other cultures in the Mediterranean

12. Questions • Why was the farming of olives, grapes, and grain such a powerful discovery for the early people of Greece? • Not only could they produce a steady food supply, they could also provide a surplus. This surplus supported a growing population. • What goods did the ancient Greeks import and export • Imported: wheat • Exported: wine, olive oil, pottery and wood