Ancient Greece

Geography Greece is a peninsula about the size of Louisiana in the Mediterranean Sea. It was very close to Egypt and the Persian empire (including Turkey) and Rome.

Greek Geography Greece is very mountainous which made if very difficult for poleis to interact with each other. Greek communities often times developed independently because of the mountains, thus they were diverse. As a result of their differences, they fought each other a lot.

Greek Geography

Greek Geography

Traveling – difficult or easy? Why?

City-State / Polis A city-state is an independent city with its own government and laws that is ruled by one ruler (but it can be in the same civilization). What would cause Greek Polis’ (city-states) to develop so differently from one and other?

City-states Isolated and Independent

Ancient Civilizations Timeline/Map

The Earliest Greeks

The Minoans 3000 BC-1500 BC Lived on Crete In capital city, Knossos Thought to be the first people to arrive in Greece

About Minoans Great ship builders and traders Written language Art on walls Grand palaces Running water Influenced the Myceneans

Myceneans 2700 BC-1100 BC Came from central Asia Invaded Greece 1900 BC Became first Greek kings

Myceneans Great warriors Fought with stone Traded with Minoans “Known as the Heroic Age” Trojan War

Early Greeks Comprehension How were the Myceneans and Minoans similar, why? How were they different? ( Hint: think government, daily life, location, jobs, etc.)

The Dark Ages 1100 BC-800 BC Mycenaean Civ. collapsed Trade Slowed Poverty Lost language and culture Written records stopped (400 years) Thousands moved from mainland Greece to Islands/Asia Minor – expanded Greek culture

Storytelling 1100 BC-800 BC Went from town to town - job Same stories same language same history/religion United all of Greece with one culture

The End of the Dark Ages 800 BC Came together form trade centers Beginning of city-states (100s) City-State = Polis Own gov, goals, laws, leaders, & customs All same language and gods

City-States 800 BC Main gathering on a hill (Acropolis) Protection; sometimes religious Below was open area (Agora) Marketplace and debate center Varied in size

Citizenship Belong city-state People had rights, decision-making, and choice Different from other civilizations Armies of people

Effects of Dark Ages City States Common spoken language Fables, legends, myths, religion Metal tools