Greek Government

Grade 6 Humanities

See Video – Ancient Greece Wife Swap

City States

• Villages formed strong trading centers• Each city-state (polis) had its own personality,

laws, and customs• Believed in the same gods and spoke the same

language• No central government• Some ruled by kings, groups of men, or other

Athens

• Known for their literature, poetry drama, theater, schools, buildings, and government

• Special god – Athena (goddess of wisdom)• Girls – learned how to be a good wife• Boys – learned at school (drama, public

speaking, reading, writing, math, music)• Ruled by Democracy – each person had a vote

Sparta

• Known for their strength• Ruled by a small group of warriors• Girls – learned at school to fight• Boys – taken away from parents at 7 and

taught to fight and treated badly• Men and women lived separately

Corinth

• Known for their culture and center of trade• Ruled by a king that had many advisors• Created public works, aqueducts, coins• Children were taught at home and boys went

to school from 7 – 14 (poetry, drama, public speaking, accounting, reading, writing, math, science, and flute)

Megara

• Boys were trained in arts and science• Had beautiful temples, statues and theaters• Famous for their textiles• Coins for trade• Explorers – founded Istanbul and many other

cities

Agros

• Located inland – bad soil and poor weather• Fight to get food• Invented coins to make trade easier• Arts – stone statues and music & poets• Ruled by a king

Activity

• Go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/ancient_greeks/athens/

• Complete a Venn Diagram – on A3 that compares Athens and Sparta