1. Warm Up
Write down the lesson name and objective. Answer the following questions:
What types of geographic features are there in Greece?
Why did so many different cultures and governments form?
Define the term city-state.
How is a city-state different than a country?

2. Greek City-States
• Geographic features separated Greece into small regions

3. Ask students to look at map
Ask students to look at map. Discuss how the geography made it possible for individual city states to appear

4. Greek City States
• Form of government in Greece, including colonies, was the city-state

6. The polis —Greek name for a city-state—common around 700 B.C.

8. • Center of life was the agora—open space for business, gatherings - political discussions, festivals, athletic contests - statues, temples, public buildings
Ask students if we have any agora’s today.

9. Modern Day Agora
How is a mall like a modern day agora? What happens at malls (aside from shopping)?

10. Ancient Greek Agora

11. • Many cities had a fortified hilltop—acropolis, or “highest city” - used for military at first, but later had temples, palaces

12. Acropolis

13. Why would they want to put their defense on top of a hill?

14. Greek City State Governments
Monarchy – Ruled by King or Queen, aristocracy (upper class, wealthy families)
Oligarchy – Rule by few, based on wealth & land, not birth (like monarchy)
Tyrants – someone who took power illegally, not necessarily cruel in Greece, united people in change
Split class into three groups, monarchs, oligarchs and tyrants. Pick one student to play the role, that student will decide the rules of the country, the rest of the students will just have to deal with it. They have to do whatever they leader says.
Ask students is this fair, how would you change it if you could?
Have students come up with different solutions to governments of Greece.

15. Citizenship
• People learned they could influence government, demanded more power
• Greeks invented idea of citizenship • Citizen—person loyal to government and protected by government
In Greece, must be born to free citizens, either upper or lower class and must be male
In much of Greece, only upper-class citizens had power • Lower-class citizens demanded power; slowly created major change
Discuss how this is different than what they had previously. Ask if this reminds them of anything.

17. Direct Democracy Direct Democracy
In democracy, all citizens make political decisions in government
Athens had direct democracy—all citizens meet to decide on laws
United States has indirect democracy—people elect representatives
Students have to decide whether or not they want to change the rules of the classroom or keep them. First write down your own idea. Then share your ideas with the rest of your group and have a discussion. Finally have a vote – majority rules.

18. RAFT Role – Sailor Audience – Mother Format – Letter
Topic – different types of government you’ve encountered in your travels

19. Exit Ticket How were city states divided up?
How I democracy different than a monarchy, oligarchy or a tyrant?
What was most interesting?
What was most confusing?
Write a question that can be used on a quiz – 3 raffle tickets if I choose it.