1. Geography of Ancient Greece

2. This is a physical map of Greece. What do you notice?
What is the absolute location?

3. Geography shapes settlement of people
Couldn't settle in mountains
No farming
Had to settle in coastal plains and river valleys
Isolated communities
Effect: different govt. and ways of life

4. Peninsulas and Islands
Peninsula: an area of land surrounded by water on 3 sides
Greece is one big peninsula with many smaller peninsulas coming off of it.
How will the geography affect the people living there?

5. Benefits of the Sea
Since they couldn't travel over the mountains, Greeks used the sea to travel
3 main seas: Mediterranean, Ionian, Agean
Became great ship builders and sailors
Used the sea for food and trade
What is the benefit of being able to trade with different groups of people?

6. First People of Greece Many cultures settled here
2 earliest: Minoans and Mycenaeans
Minoans: built advanced society by 200 BC on the Island of Crete
Mycenaeans: built towns on Greek mainland
Both influenced entire Agean Region and shaped culture in Greece

7. Minoans One of best ship builders of their time
Carried goods to eastern Mediterranean
Traded wood, olive oil, and pottery for things like copper, gold, silver, and jewels
Volcanoes nearby that can cause damage and affect life and may have led to the end of their civilization

8. Mycenaeans
First to be considered Greek because they spoke the Greek language
Lived on mainland and built many strong fortresses
Mid 1400s, Minoan society declined and Mycenaeans took over Crete
Became major traders
Set up colonies in northern Greece and Italy and shipped goods to markets

9. Trade not always peaceful
Would often attack other kingdoms and sometimes started war
1200s, society began to fall apart because of invaders from Europe
Earthquakes destroyed many cities
Period of warfare and disorder called Dark Ages