Classical Greece
Geography -
Sea: Allowed for great oppurtunities for trade and travel.
**Important because it allowed Greece to get natural resources that it lacked: tiber, metals, and usable farmland.
Land: Rugged Mountains covered 3/4 of ancient Greece.
Mountains were the divider for different regions.
Played a big role in wars. Hard to move throught he mountains with large army
Climate: UPPER 40's in the Winter and LOWER 80s in the summer. -- Allowed many different activities.
Minoan Influence:
^Influenced the Mycenaeans.
Started an elegant civilization that had great power in 3000 BC - Had the first forms of writing and language throughout the world.
Used ships to trade goods.
Mycenaeans:
Heavily influenced by the Minaons.
They came from Indo-Europeans migrants
Dominated Greece fom 1600 BC to 1100 BC.
Dorian:
Spoke a kind of Greek.
Not as advanced as the others, no writing.
Focused more on storytelling -- Homer became known as the best storyteller.
-During the Dorian Period - Dorian and the Mycenaean people started to identify less with culture of their ancestors and more with the local area.
-Government made the transition from tribal or clan control to more formal governments.
Government:
Polis: Made up of a city and its surroundings countryside, which would include villages. Citizens of polis would come together to meet an acropolis to discuss the government.
Different Forms of Government:
Monarchy- State ruled by a king - Rule is hereditary - Divine Right means that they felt as if God has appointed them to be King and have them there to rule. - Practiced in Mycenae
Aristocracy- Stated ruled by nobility - Rule is hereditary and based on ties, social rank, and wealth. - Practiced in Athens
Oligarchy - State ruled by a small group of citizens - Rule is based on wealth and ability - Ruling group controls the military. - Practiced in Sparta.
Direct Democracy - State ruled by citizens - Rule is based on citizenship - Majority rule decideds vote. - Practiced in Anthens.
Athens began making steps toward democracy - There were major reforms for the next 100 years that would eventually lead to a democracy statrting around 500 BC.
Key Players:
Draco -
Developed a legal code based on the idea that all Athenians, rich and poor, were equal under law.
-He believed in debt slavery.
The word "draconian" has come to mean "extreme cruelty or severity."
Solon -
Stated that no citizen should own another.
-Organized Athens into four social statuses.
-ONLY top three classes could hold political office, but all could participate in the Athenian Assembly.
Cleisthenes -
Broke Anthens up based on region that the citizens lived instead of wealth. (10 groups)
He increased the power of the assembly by allowing all citizens to submit laws for debate and passage.
Created the Council of Five Hundred:
-Proposed laws
-Counciled the assembly
-Members were chosen at random
Limited Democracy -
The refomed allowed for a limited democracy
Requirements of being a citizen:
-Free
-Adult
-Property owner
-Born in Anthens
Sparta - Located in the southern part of Greece.
Spartan Government:
-Several Branches:
Assembly, all citizens, elected officials and voted on major issues.
-Council of Elders, 30 older citizens, proposed laws on the assembly to vote on.
5 elected officials that carried out the laws that were passed by the assembly.
-Two Kings that ruled over Sparta's military.
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