1. Chapter 4 The Ancient Greeks
Lesson 1 – Poets and Heroes
Lesson 2 - The Greek City-States
Lesson 3 – Classical Greece (500BCE-338BCE)
Lesson 4 – Classical Greek Culture
Lesson 5 – Alexander and the Hellenistic Era

2. 1. Occupied a very small area compared to Mesopotamia or Egypt
GEOGRAPHY
The lack of trees and barren landscape in Greece today due to wide spread deforestation or clear cutting of forest and subsequent erosion of the top soil of ancient Greeks insatiable appetite for charcoal to smelt copper
Copper – (Latin – Cuprum): Metal found in Cyprus
Easy to smelt
7lbs of wood to get 1lbs charcoal
20lbs of charcoal for smelting 1lbs of copper
1. Occupied a very small area compared to Mesopotamia or Egypt

3. 2. Two peninsulas and many small islands
GEOGRAPHY
2. Two peninsulas and many small islands

4. GEOGRAPHY
Q – What bodies of water?
3. Very mountainous (about 80%) 4. Water separated Greece into many parts

5. GEOGRAPHY
How would this geography affect the ways the Greeks settled down and lived?
1. Isolated from each other
2. Very independent and proud
3. Seafaring – much trade and contact with outsiders

6. MYCENAENS Mycenaean's – The First Greeks
Crete is home to the Minoans the first Hellenistic civilization along with the Mycenaean's they heavily influenced the rest of Greek civilization

7. Prided themselves on their Battle Skills
MYCENAENS
Prided themselves on their Battle Skills
Part of the Indo-Europeans who spread into Europe and Asia
Achilles dragging the body of Hector
Mask of Agamemnon

8. MYCENAENS
Greek poet Homer wrote about their fighting in the Trojan War against the city of Troy.
Part of the Indo-Europeans who spread into Europe and Asia

9. After their fall – Greece entered into the Dark Ages
MYCENAENS
After their fall – Greece entered into the Dark Ages
1100BCE-750BCE
Population decline
Low food Production
Hard times – no progress or culture
4) Many left and formed Greek colonies
8th Century BCE some things began to improve

10. Greece
8th Century BCE
Revival of agriculture, trade and economic activity
Iron replaced bronze for weapons
Iron helped tools to produce food
Adopted the Phoenician alphabet
Iron was stronger and more affordable
New system of writing made learning simpler

11. HOMER
One of the greatest poets of all time (many say the greatest) He began to write at the end of the Dark Age

12. HOMER
Epic poem: Tells the deeds of a great hero The Iliad: hero is Achilles/he learns many valuable lessons The Odyssey: hero is Odysseus/the story is his journey home from the Trojan War

13. HOMER
Writings very influential not only to the ancient Greeks but to many people even today
Gave the Greeks a vision for who they were and inspiration to the young
Used as texts for education
Taught values like courage and honor – strive for excellence
arete: Greek word for struggle or contest – showed
how to preserve honor and a good reputation - Good
model for Greeks to follow for the future

14. ANCIENT GREECE
Turn to your partner and answer the following question Why did so many communities or City-States with independent ways of life develop in ancient Greece?
Mountains, seas and islands isolated people from one another and prevented unity