Classical Greece
- Geography
- Sea- allowed for travel and trade, all lived close to the sea
- Natural resources it lacked: timber, precious metals, usable farmland
- Land
- Rugged mountains covered about ¾
- Mountain ranges divided different regions
- Hard to move through the mountains with a large army
- Climate
- Moderate climate
- Winters in upper 40’s
- Summer lower 80’s
- Allowed for outdoor activities
- Groups of people
Minoans- Elegant civilization 3000 B.C.
- Writing language
- Design and trade, used ships
- Mycenaean
- Heavily influenced by Minoans
- Indo-Europeans migrants
- 1600-1100 B.C.
- Dorian
- Spoke some sort of Greek
- Not as advanced no writing system
- Storytelling- Homer
- Trojan War
- Key players: individuals and groups
- What occurred?
- Lasting effects?
Different forms of Government
- Monarchy
- State ruled by a king
- Rule is hereditary
- Some rulers claim that they have divine right to rule
- Practiced in Mycenae by 2000 B.C.
- Aristocracy
- Ruled by nobility
- Rule is hereditary and based on ties and social rank and wealth
- Noticed in Athens prior to 594 B.C.
- Oligarchy
- State ruled by small group of citizens
- Wealth and or ability
- Ruling group controls the military
- Sparta 500 B.C.
- Direct Democracy
- State ruled by the citizens
- Majority rule decides vote
- Athens 500 B.C.
Athens
- 600 B.C.
- Democracy
- Major reforms in next 100 yrs.
- Key player
- Draco- developed legal code based on the idea that all Athenians were equal under law, harsh punishments for any crime, believed in debt slavery, the word “draconian” means cruel or severe
- Solom- stated that no citizen should own another, organized Athens into four social classes based on wealth, only top three classes could hold a political office, all four could participate in the Athenian assembly
- Cleisthenes- broke Athens up based on region that the citizens lived instead of wealth (10 groups), increased the power of the assembly by allowing all citizens to submit laws for debate and passage, Created council of 500- proposed laws and counseled the assembly, members chosen at random
- Limited Democracy
- Citizens
- Free, adult, property owner, born in Athens
- Citizens
Sparta
- Southern part of Greece
- Cut off by the gulf of Corinth
- Several branches
- Assembly all citizens elected officials and voted on major issues
- Council of elders proposed laws on the assembly to vote on
- Two kings ruled over Sparta’s military
Athens vs. Sparta
Compare and constrast
Military
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