its nearness to the sea strongly Greece’s geography an its nearness to the sea strongly Influenced the development of trade and the growth of city states.

The Greeks lived on rocky, mountainous lands surrounded by water.

The Greek peninsula is very irregular and made up of smaller peninsulas

Greek Settlement Look at the map on page 255. Where do you think the people of Greece settled? Do you think travel and trade would have been easy within Greece? How might the geography of Greece affected the way communities governments were created?

What is a city state?

The Greeks created city-states for protection and security People created their own governments and ways of life. Even though they spoke the same language, Greek communities saw themselves as separate countries.

Travel inland across rugged mountains was so difficult, the early Greeks turned to the seas. What were the names of the seas surrounding Greece?

Trading cultures developed in the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations

The Minoans Lived on Crete Spent much time at sea; good shipbuilders Did a lot of trading 1600’s B. C. a huge volcanic eruption led to the end of the Minoans

The Minoans traded and made them rich so they built magnificent buildings like the ones on the city of Knossos, on the island of Crete

Knossos

Although they lived in what is now Greece and influenced Greek society, historians don’t consider the Minoans to be Greek. They did not speak the Greek language.

The Mycenaeans The first people to be considered Greek because they spoke the Greek language Lived on mainland Greece Built fortresses like Mycenae

Mycenae became the major trading center in the eastern Mediterranean. The Minoans declined Mycenae became the major trading center in the eastern Mediterranean. This mask was found in a tomb in Mycenae

Minoans take over Crete

They set up colonies in northern Greece and Italy and shipped Goods to markets around the Mediterranean and Black seas. They even traded in Egypt

They were not peaceful traders They Mycenaens didn’t think trade had to be conducted peacefully. They often attacked other kingdoms. Some think they may have attacked the city of Troy possible starting the Trojan War.

Mycenae Declines Mycenaean society began to fall apart in the 1200’s BC Invaders from Europe swept Greece Earthquakes destroyed many cities Greece entered a period of warfare and disorder called the Dark Age

The Dark Age

The Classical Age After the Mycenaens declined the Greeks started to join together in small groups for protection. They formed city states; the word for city state in Greek is polis A classical age is one of great achievements

The Acropolis

The City State The Greek city was usually built around a strong fortress that stood on top of a high hill called the acropolis. Farmers lived outside the city The agora was the market place and meeting place The city state was the center of Greek civilizations.

People thought of themselves as part of a city not of Greece

Greeks Colonize Eventually Greece settled down and the Greeks formed colonies in distant lands so they could trade and become rich. City states became rich from trade and by 550 BC the Greeks had become the greatest traders in the whole Aegean region.

Greece’s geography influenced the development of city states and trade.