The Trojan War

• And the golden globe goes to ….– Acting out the Trojan War and finding

out what may have happened.–What should we do…

1. First summarize your section in no more than three sentences

2. Figure out who is acting out what part and who is narrating (everyone must participate)

3. Come up with a short 2-3 minute skit.

Part 1

• A gift was presented to three goddesses. It said it was for the most beautiful. The three goddesses fought over it. They picked a human named Paris to vote who was the prettiest and bribed him. He picked Aphrodite because she offered him the most beautiful woman in the world.

Part 2

• Paris goes to Sparta to take Helen (the most beautiful woman in the world) home with him. They run away together even though she is married. Her husband chases them.

Part 3

• After 10 years of war the Trojans and the Greeks are tied. The hero of the Greeks, Achilles, has his lady taken from him. He is upset and refuses to fight. His cousin fights and pretends to be him. The cousin is killed. Achilles gets upset and starts to fight again killing the Trojan hero, Hector./

Part 4• The war is still not won. The Greeks

come up with a plan to trick the Trojans. They make a huge wooden horse and hide soldiers in it and then pretend to sail away. The Trojans take the horse into their city and that night the Greek soldiers leave the horse and let the other Greeks in the city to destroy Troy and win the war!

But wait it doesn’t end there….

•Do you want more of the

story??

The Collapse of Mycenae

• Trojan war = victory???• Cost of War:–$$$$$$$$$–Soldiers away at war are not

available to protect at home • Civil Wars break out at home, while military is in Troy.

The Collapse of Mycenae

• Major Earthquake makes Mycenae even weaker

• Other civilizations start invading Mycenae

• By 1100 B.C.E. Mycenaean civilization collapsed.

Alternative Theory # 1

• The first alternative theory is that it was a "trade war". The Greeks and Trojans, like the Vikings later, would raid and trade across the Aegean Sea, often coming into conflict with each other. The Trojans controlled the entrance to the Black Sea (aka the Dardanelles Strait), and the Greeks wanted access to that area and decided to fight for it. Controlling the Dardanelles Strait made it possible for the Trojans to become very rich as they were able to tax any ship that used it.

Alternative Theory # 2• The second is like the first, but there is an

important element of politics and revenge. Paris, prince of Troy, may have raided the Greek mainland and kidnapped Helen. Note the name Helen is similar to the Greek name for themselves "Hellenes", so Helen was probably something like the high priestess of Greece. Possessing her would give the Trojans claims to Greek territory and a claim being king of Greece. To protect their own status, the Greek high-kings Agamemnon and Menelaus were actually forced to attack Troy. Supporting this theory is the story that Agamemnon brought the Trojan high-priestess Cassandra back with him.

 

Exit activity… In your passport

• You decide…Why do YOU think the Trojan War took place? –Was it a combination of the story we

acted out, wanting the Dardanelles Strait, was Helen a high priestess t hat gave the Trojans claim to Greece or was she the most beautiful woman in the land who fell in love with another although she was already married?