1. Ch 4, Sec 1-2: The Early Greeks, Sparta, and Athens

2. Objectives
Explain how the geography of Greece influenced where people lived.
Explore the economy and survival or the Minoans.
Identify the power of the Mycenaeans and explore how they gained power.
Explain how citizenship developed between city-states.
Explore different forms of government including democracy, tyrants, and oligarchies.

3. Where is Greece
A peninsula in Europe
Had water on 3 sides

4. Economy of early Greeks
Fishing, sailors,
and traders
Farming
hard to grow crops
Grew wheat, barley, olives, and grapes
Raised sheep and goats
Mountains and seas separated the Greek communities
Made them independent from each other

5. Minoans Lived on the Island of Crete around 2000 B.C.
First Greek civilization
Traders/great sailors
Traded with Egypt
Group collapsed by 1450 B.C.
Mystery of what happened
Earthquakes or attacked by Mycenaeans is the best guess

6. Who were the Mycenaeans?
Originally from Asia
Took over parts of Europe starting in 1900 B.C.
First Greek kings
Warriors became the first nobles of Greece

7. Set up of the Mycenaean Kingdom
Kingdom was protected by a palace on the hill
Farms/estates were outside the walls
Slaves/farmers worked the land
Palaces used for protection, trading, and businesses

8. Influence of the Minoans on the Mycenaeans
Learned how to build weapons/boats
Learned navigation by the stars/sun
Worshipped the same gods
Took over Minoan trade routes

9. Cons of the Dark Ages of Greece
Between B.C., the Mycenaean kingdoms started to fall
Trading stopped
Poverty was high
Lack of education
Little food was grown

10. Pros of the Dark Ages of Greece
Population spread to new areas-spread culture
Dorians invaded Greece in SW
Brought iron weapons and tools
Increased power and farming
New Greek alphabet was created

11. Greece starts to colonize
Greeks needed more food
Cities were overpopulated
Created colonies in Italy, France, Spain, N. Africa, and W. Asia
First group to use
coins for trade
People specialized
in one job

12. Rise of the Polis Nobles overthrew kings Created a polis-“city-state”
1,500 different city-states created
Acropolis-religious/safe places at the top of the hill
Agora-under the acropolis for trading and debate

13. Greek Citizenship Ran the polis
Citizens-people who were equals to each other and have rights and responsibilities
Right to vote, hold office, own property, and defend themselves in court
Had to serve the gov’t and fight in wars
Originally had to be free men who owned land

14. Citizen Soldiers Foot soldiers were called hoplites
Had a shield, short sword, and a 9 ft spear
Soldiers fought for the polis and not the country

15. Rise of Greek Tyrants Nobles gave money to other nobles/farmers
Took land if debt was not repaid
Virtual slavery
Tyrants used armies to beat the powerful nobles and rule with ultimate power
Took over huge areas of land
People did not want one person in charge

16. Problem
What problems do you see with one unelected person ruling over one huge area?

17. Spartan Government Was an Oligarchy:
A few people held power
Two kings ran the council of elders
28 citizens over 60 yrs old
Presented laws to an assembly
Assembly
All men over 30 yrs old
Chose 5 men called ephors to enforce/manage laws/taxes

18. Boys in the Spartan Army
Conquered new lands to
gain power
Helots-slaves of the Spartans
Strong and determined people
Boys taken from families at age 7 to learn the Greek way of life
20-30 yrs old-fought in Greek army
30-60 yrs old-could go home but had to return to the army if a war was started

19. Girls of Sparta Trained in sports
Running, wrestling, and javelin
Wives lived at home while husbands lived with the army
Could own land and go where they wanted
Had lots of independence

20. Education in Athens Boys Girls taught to read, write, and do math
Played sports, sang, and played the lyre
Became citizens at 18 when they finished school
Girls
Stayed at home
Taught by their mothers to do household duties
Wealthy families gave girls a boy’s education

21. Early Government of Athens
Was an oligarchy run by nobles
People had few rights/powers
Farmers sold themselves into slavery to pay off debts

22. Solon (Noble) canceled the debt and freed the farmers
Created an assembly of 400 citizens to make laws
Start of a Democratic gov’t:
All citizens share in running the gov’t

23. Peisistratus (noble)
Took away large estates from the nobles and gave the land to the farmers
Loaned farmers money
Gave the poor jobs

24. Cleisthenes (noble) Reorganized the assembly All male citizens could
be in the assembly
vote on laws
debate topics
hear court cases
appoint army generals
Created a council of 500 to make laws, deal with other countries, and handle money
Chosen by lottery instead of voting