1. Geography of Greece  Dry and hot climate  Small country in Southern Europe.  Shaped like a hand with fingers that reach into the Mediterranean Sea.  Greece is a peninsula that is surrounded by 3 bodies of water:  Mediterranean Sea  Aegean Sea  Ionian Sea  Mountains separated communities  The sea was extremely important to Greek life

2. Traveling In Greece  Was a great challenge in Greece  Travel by sea:  Easiest but still dangerous  Pirates were a threat  Greatest danger: the sea itself  Stayed close to the shore  Travel by day, anchor at night  Travel by land:  Walk  Rode in carts pulled by oxen or mules  Sharp rocks usually shattered wooden wheels.  Only wealthy rode horses

3. Farming in Greece  Most people survived by farming.  Farming was hard since land was rocky and water was scarce.  No major rivers run through Greece. It rains in the winter months  Farmers built wide earth steps into hills to create flat land  Farmers grew:  Some barley and wheat  Olives  Olive Oil- used for cooking, soap, and fuel for lamps  Grapes  Orchards of fruit and nuts  Vegetables

4. Farming and More  Farmers raised animals:  Sheep- used for clothing  Goat – milk and cheese  Oxen – for travel and plowing  Mules – for travel and plowing  Donkeys – for travel and plowing  Pigs and chickens

5. Starting Colonies  Colonist: a person who lives in a colony  Colonies: are settlements in distant places  Many did not have enough farmland to feed their families.  People started colonies to reduce this problems  People were sent over sea hoping they could grow food in new lands (colonies). Colonists were sent to do this

6. Preparations for Colonists  Wanted to make sure the gods Greek felt it would be a successful journey. Followed these steps: 1. Spoke with a oracle  Oracle: a holy person whom they believed could talk to the gods. 2. Gathered food and supplies. Take a flame from towns sacred fire so they could start fire in new home 3. Long sea voyage to new land 4. Looked for areas that had harbors and good farmland. 5. Establish a community and work hard to make it survive.

7. Established Colonies  Colonies were established for more than 300 years  Colonies spread Greek culture  Greeks started colonies in:  Spain  France  Italy  Africa  Along coast of Black Sea