Classical Greece
- The sea allowed for great opportunity for trade and travel. It’s important because it allowed Greece to get the natural resources that it lacked: timber, precious, metals, usable farmland
- The land was rugged mountains covered about ¾ of ancient Greece. Mountains were often the divider for different regions. The mountains played a big role in wars. Hard to move through the mountains with a large army.
- The climate: 40’s in winter 80’s in the summer. The climate allowed for many different outdoor activities.
- The Minoans created an elegant civilization that had great power that started around 3000 BC (first one). Minoans culture influenced the Mycenaeans. First forms of writing, language, design, trade which they used ships.
- The Mycenaeans were heavily influenced by the Minoans. They came from Indo-Europeans migrants. They dominated Greece from 1600BC to 1100 BC.
- Dorian spoke a kind of Greek. Not as advanced as the others, no writing system. Focused more on storytelling. The best storyteller: Homer
- During the Dorian period the Dorian and the Mycenaean people started to identify less with culture f their ancestors and more with the local area. The government made the transition from tribal or clan control to more formal governments called city-states.
- Their government was a polis was made up of a city and its surrounding countryside, which would include numerous villages. Citizens of the polis would come together to meet at an acropolis to discuss their city government. Not all city-states had the same form of government
- A monarchy was a state ruled by a king, rule is hereditary. Some rulers claim that they have a divine right to rule.
- Aristocracy was state ruled by nobility. Rule is hereditary and based on ties, social rank, wealth. Social Status and wealth support ruler's authority. Practiced in Athens prior to 594 B.C.
- Oligarchy was a state ruled by a small group of citizens. Rule is based on wealth and or ability. Ruling group controls the military. Practice in Sparta by 500 BC.
- Direct Democracy was a state ruled by the citizens. Rule is based on citizenship. Majority rule decides vote. Practiced in Athens by 500BC.
- About 600 BC, Athens was taking steps towards a democracy. There were major reforms for the next 100 years that would eventually lead to a democracy starting around 500
- Draco developed a legal code based on the idea that all Athenians, rich and poor, were equal under law. He had very harsh punishments for nearly any crime. 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 classes based on wealth. Only top three classes could hold political office. However, all four could participate in the Athenian assembly which is where they would come together at the Acropolis.
- Cleisthenes broke Athens 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. It created the Council of Five Hundred proposed laws counseled the assembly members were chosen at random.
- A limited democracy was where the reforms allowed for a limited democracy. However, all people were citizens. The requirements you had to be free, an adult, a property owner, and born in Athens.
- Sparta was located in the southern part of Greece. It was cut off from the rest of Greece by the Gulf of Corinth. Their government had several branches. An assembly, all citizens, elected officials and voted on major issues. The council of elders, 30 older citizens, proposed lawns on the assembly to vote on. Five 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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