 Greece is a mountainous peninsula about the size of Louisiana.  The mountains and the sea were the most important geographical influences on Greece.

 Greece has many ports, inlets, and islands.  The Greeks became seafarers.  They sailed into the Aegean, the Black and the Mediterranean Seas, making contact with the outside world and spreading colonies and trade throughout the Mediterranean area.

 By 2800 B.C.E., a Bronze Age civilization called the Minoan civilization was established on Crete.  The Minoan civilization flourished between 2000 and 1450 B.C.E.

 Is a Greek city-state  The first Greek polis was Mycenae  The term Mycenaean comes from Mycenae, a fortified site in Greece  The Mycenaean civilization thrived between 1600 and 1100 B.C.E., reaching its height between 1400 and 1200 B.C.E.

 Mycenae was made up of an alliance of powerful monarchies.  Monarchy- a government ruled by a king or queen  Mycenaeans had a warrior culture.  Their murals show the typical occupations of a warrior aristocracy-- hunting and fighting.

 By 750 B.C.E., the polis, meaning Greek city-state, became the central focus of Greek life.  Our own word politics comes from the Greek word polis.  The polis was a town, city, or village serving as a center where people met for political, economic, social, and religious activity.

 The main gathering place was usually on a hill, topped with a fortified area called the acropolis.  This was a refuge and sometimes a place for religious or other public buildings.  Below was the agora, an open area for assembly and for a market.

 Is Considered Greece’s greatest city  Was the birthplace of democracy  Democracy- government controlled by its citizens, either directly or indirectly  Athens’ population exceeded 300,000 by the 5th century B.C.E.