The Geography and Early People of Ancient Greece

1. The Geography and Early People of Ancient Greece The Geography and Early People of Ancient Greece

2. The Geography of Greece • Greece is very mountainous • Separated the different city-states from one another • Had many peninsulas • 2 main ones • Peloponnesus • Balkan • Had many different waterways • Seas • Straits • Islands • Harbors

3. The Geography of Greece Europe Black Sea Macedonia • Dardanelles • Strait that connects Aegean Sea to the Black Sea • Strait- thin area of water connecting two other waterways Asia Minor/ Anatolia Mediterranean Sea

4. Greek Geography Information Greek Geography Information • Greece was ¾ covered in mountains • Left little land for regular farming • Forced to grow/harvest other products; • Olives, grapes, seafood, etc. • Mountains force Greeks to use seas • Increased their sailing abilities • Increased their necessity to trade by sea • Travel to areas like Italy, Egypt, Phoenicia

5. Effect of Geography on Greece Effect of Geography on Greece • Effected Greece economically • Limited farmable (arable) land for crops • Forces them to depend on the seas • Also forces them to colonize other lands to farm • Effected Greece socially • All were Greek, but they were not unified • Saw themselves as separate peoples • Spartans, Athenians, Ionians, Mycenaeans • Mountains separated each different group • Effected Greece politically • Each area created its own rules, gov’t and citizenship • Government styles of the time include; • Monarchy, Tyranny, Democracy, Oligarchy

6. Early People of Greece • Indo-Europeans spread into Greece • Mycenaeans settled around 2000BC • Name came from city- Mycenae • Mycenae included city of Athens • Ruled by kings (known as a monarchy) • Mycenaeans fight Troy in Trojan War • Fought over Helen of Troy • Mycenaeans win when they use the Trojan Horse • Dorians move into area after Mycenaeans • Far less advanced than earlier groups • Following the Dorians, Greek broke into city-states

7. Homer and the Illiad & Odyssey Homer and the Illiad & Odyssey • Homer – famous writer of epic poems • Thought to have been blind • One of the most famous writers in history • Writes the Illiad and the Odyssey • Tells the stories of the travels of characters to and from the Trojan War • Incorporates numerous gods and goddesses • Showed the incorporation of Greek mythology into the daily lives of the Greek people

8. Greek Religion and Mythology Greek Religion and Mythology • Greek religion was polytheistic and practiced by all Greeks • Believed in many different gods/goddesses • Greek mythology had 3 purposes • Explaining natural phenomena • Storms, thunder, lightning etc. happening in nature • Explaining human qualities • Speed, knowledge, strength, sight, etc. • Explaining life events • Births, deaths, marriages, etc. • Symbols and representations of gods spread to Rome and can still be seen today in everyday life • Literature, art, monuments, politics and architecture

9. Early Cities of Greece Early Cities of Greece • Early Greek cities focused on two ideas • Promoting civic participation • Getting people involved in the decisions of the city • Promoting a commercial (business) life • Getting people to trade products and ideas • Greek city-states known as the polis • Polis- was a city and surrounding countryside • Example- Washington DC and its suburbs • Agora- city center- like a business district • Acropolis- fortified (protected) area of city • Not all cities had these • Some cities built their agora in their acropolis

10. Uses of areas of the Greek Polis • The Agora • Used for discussion and trade • Men would meet for food, clothes, ideas • Women were rarely seen in the agora • The Acropolis • Used for protection and a sign of power • Made it easy to see oncoming attackers • Provided a place for royalty, women and children to hide during times of war

11. Early City-states • Examples of agoras • Athens agora (L) • Destroyed agora (R)

12. Modern Example of a Polis CITY CENTER (AGORA) Could be acropolis AND agora, doesn’t have to though All Blue area and Agora makes up POLIS Surrounding Land (COUNTRYSIDE)

13. Processing- Find the Polis • Locate the 2 areas that would be considered a polis. How can you tell?

14. The Famous Athenian Acropolis • A fortified hilltop for protection • Walls are actually the mountain its located on (marble)

15. Ancient Greek Society • Early Greek society was broken into two groups • Free people • Adult males; usually wealthy and landowners • Considered to be citizens w/ rights and responsibility for civic participation in the city-state • Slaves • Not based on race/color • Had no political rights and were the property of the wealthy • Women and foreigners have no political rights • Women rarely seen in Greek public life

16. Daily Life in Greece • Daily life very different for men, women & slaves • For Men – life based around the agora • Expected to participate in conversation of the city • Expected to serve in military and be educated • For women – life based in the home • Not expected to be educated • Expected to stay in the home and tend to children • For Slaves – life based on doing daily chores • Expected to run the errands of the home • Expected to protect the family while men are away

17. Forms of Government • Many different ways to govern a city-state • Monarchy – ruling by a king or queen (usually king) • 1st way most Greek city states were ruled • Aristocracy – rule by small group of wealthy land owners • Usually gained power and land from a former king • Oligarchy – rule by a few powerful people • Usually military leaders or a person with a strong army • Tyranny – rule by one very powerful person • Usually came to power by appealing to the poor and starting a revolution against the rich