Ancient greece

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece


Learning PointsLearning Points The Greek views of government, law, The Greek views of government, law,

and reasonand reason The development of the Greek political The development of the Greek political

ideasideas

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece The Greeks were an The Greeks were an

ancient farming and ancient farming and fishing culture fishing culture whose development whose development gave rise to modern gave rise to modern day politics, day politics, literature, warfare, literature, warfare, and art.and art.

Founders of Western Founders of Western civilizationcivilization

Classical Era – 500 Classical Era – 500 BCBC

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece Geography forced Geography forced

Greeks to form city-Greeks to form city-states – small states – small “nations” the size of “nations” the size of a city.a city.

Desire for more Desire for more land led Greeks to land led Greeks to emigrate to other emigrate to other lands.lands.

This spread Greek This spread Greek civilization to the civilization to the known world.known world.


Which culture is considered the Which culture is considered the founders of Western civilization?founders of Western civilization?


Life in a city-state:Life in a city-state: Honored Greek Honored Greek

Gods (Zeus, Gods (Zeus, Hermes, Poseidon)Hermes, Poseidon)

Ruled by kings, Ruled by kings, later democracylater democracy

Built bronze Built bronze weaponsweapons

Held slaves, mainly Held slaves, mainly captured in warcaptured in war


When iron-making is When iron-making is discovered, warfare discovered, warfare changes too.changes too.

The Phalanx is the The Phalanx is the Greeks prime Greeks prime weapon.weapon. Rows of men, armed Rows of men, armed

with spears trying to with spears trying to push the other side off push the other side off the fieldthe field

All citizens required All citizens required to train in the Phalanxto train in the Phalanx

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece Sparta: The Warrior Sparta: The Warrior

StateState Practiced fighting from Practiced fighting from

the time of children.the time of children. Ignored farming in Ignored farming in

order to train, so their order to train, so their diet was bland.diet was bland.

Only males over 30 Only males over 30 who had proved who had proved themselves in battle themselves in battle could be citizenscould be citizens


What was the main weapon used by What was the main weapon used by the Greeks?the Greeks?


Athens: The Political Athens: The Political StateState

First democracyFirst democracy Outlawed slavery, gave Outlawed slavery, gave

more people citizenshipmore people citizenship ““Tyrants” took Tyrants” took

advantage of the new advantage of the new democracy, favoring democracy, favoring only the merchants and only the merchants and poor (because of poor (because of numbers)numbers)

Created a legislatureCreated a legislature

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece The ultimate enemy of The ultimate enemy of

all Greeks was the all Greeks was the Persian EmpirePersian Empire

Athens stopped an Athens stopped an invasion at Marathon, invasion at Marathon, 490 BC490 BC

480 BC - The Persians 480 BC - The Persians returned and burned returned and burned Athens, but a combined Athens, but a combined force of Spartans and force of Spartans and Athenians sunk the Athenians sunk the Persian NavyPersian Navy

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece 479 BC – The 479 BC – The

Persians return by Persians return by land and are defeated land and are defeated at Thermopylaeat Thermopylae

300 Spartans stood 300 Spartans stood against 300,000 against 300,000 Persians.Persians.

Athens’ navy again Athens’ navy again defeated the Persian defeated the Persian navy.navy.

Now, Greece was Now, Greece was safe from Persianssafe from Persians


What were the two most important What were the two most important city-states?city-states?

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece Athens came out on Athens came out on

top – money is top – money is powerpower

Led by PericlesLed by Pericles All citizens directly All citizens directly

participated in participated in governmentgovernment

Established juriesEstablished juries Pericles said citizens Pericles said citizens

in a democracy have in a democracy have rights, but also rights, but also responsibilityresponsibility

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece Athens spent lots of Athens spent lots of

money on temples and money on temples and works of art.works of art.

Some Greeks turned Some Greeks turned away from the gods away from the gods and began to think and began to think that the universe was that the universe was regulated by natural regulated by natural laws.laws.

These “philosophers” These “philosophers” believed in the reason believed in the reason of the human mind to of the human mind to understand human understand human existence.existence.


Peloponnesian War Peloponnesian War 431 BC – 404 BC431 BC – 404 BC

With Persia gone, With Persia gone, the two Greek the two Greek giants squared off giants squared off – Athens and – Athens and Sparta.Sparta.

Sparta won and Sparta won and Athens’ power was Athens’ power was diminished.diminished.

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece A group of A group of

philosophers, called philosophers, called “Sophists” said that “Sophists” said that goodness and truth goodness and truth were just opinions not were just opinions not something that something that needed to be followed.needed to be followed.

They trained They trained politicians to use their politicians to use their ideas to become ideas to become powerful.powerful.

But one man But one man disagreed…disagreed…

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece Socrates:Socrates: ““Use self-examination Use self-examination

to determine what can to determine what can a person do that will a person do that will work for the greatest work for the greatest good.”good.”

Rejected the Sophists Rejected the Sophists and said that their and said that their teachings were teachings were destructivedestructive

Socrates arrested and Socrates arrested and refused to escape. refused to escape. Executed by poison.Executed by poison.

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece Plato:Plato: Socrates’ brightest Socrates’ brightest

student.student. Hated democracy for Hated democracy for

what it did to his what it did to his teacher.teacher.

Said the government Said the government should control should control everyone's life.everyone's life.

Said all were born equal, Said all were born equal, but by their actions but by their actions showed their true level.showed their true level.

Workers, soldiers, Workers, soldiers, thinkersthinkers


Plato’s brightest Plato’s brightest student was Aristotlestudent was Aristotle

Argued for a Argued for a constitutional constitutional government ruled by government ruled by the middle class.the middle class.

Rulers should be Rulers should be subject to their own subject to their own laws.laws.

Aristotle’s most famous Aristotle’s most famous student was a young student was a young boy named Alexander.boy named Alexander.


Who was Socrates’ best student?Who was Socrates’ best student?

Ancient greece

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