The Early GreeksChapter 4 Section 1

Pg. 116-123

The Geography of GreeceThe mainland Greece is a peninsula meaning

a body of land with water on each sideTo the west is the Ionian Sea To the south is Mediterranean SeaTo the east is Aegean

Early GreekMade their living by the seaThey became fishers, sailors, and traders.Others made their living by farmingGrowing wheat, barley, olives and grapesThey also raised sheep and goats

MinoansMinoans were note Greek but their

civilization was the first to arise in the region that later became Greece

They made their wealth from trade.They built ships from oak and cedar and

sailed as far as Egypt and SyriaThey traded pottery & stone vases for ivory &

metalTheir ships controlled the eastern

Mediterranean Sea

MinoansAbout 1450 B.C. Minoan civilization suddenly

collapsed.Some believe by undersea earthquakes

causing giant waves. Others believe the cities were destroyed by a

group of Greeks from the mainland called the Mycenaeans

The First Greek KingdomsThe Mycenaeans were originally from central

AsiaThe Mycenaean leaders became the first

Greek kingsThey would pay their taxes in wheat,

livestock, and honey and stored them in the place.

Mycenaeans learned from the MinoanMycenaeans began trade with the MinoanAs a result they learned much from their

cultureHow to work with bronze How to build shipsHow to navigate by the sun and stars.They began worshiping the Earth Mother, the

Minoans’ chief goddess

Dark AgesBy 1200 B.C the Mycenaeans began to

crumbleEathrquakes and fighting among the

kingdoms destroyed their hilltop forts.By 1100 B.C their civilization had collapsed.

Dark AgesBetween 1100 B.C. and 750 B.C. was difficult

for the Greeks.Overseas trade slowed and poverty took holdFarmers grew only enough for their familyThey stopped teaching others to wrist and do

craftworkThey forgot the written language and how to

do things

The good of the Dark AgesGreek culture began to expand. Thousands of Greeks left the mainland and

settled in the islands in the Aegean SeaOthers moved to the shores of Asia Minor

Dorians Dorians lived in the northern mountains of

Greece and began to move south during the Dark ages

They brought iron weapons giving the Greece more advanced technology

Iron weapons and farm tools were stronger and cheaper than those made from bronze

Farms began to produce food again and trade revived

AlphabetBecause of trade a new way of writing was

obtainedThe Greeks picked up the idea of an alphabet

from the Phoenicinas. The Greek alphabet had 24 letters that stood

for sounds.Making reading and writing more simpler

than ever

City-StateThe nobles created city-states after

overthrowing the Greek Kings. Each Greek city-state known as a polis was

like a tiny independent countryThe polis would have a main gathering place

usually on the top of a hill called acropolis. Acropolis were used as a safe refuge and as a

religious center.

City-State continueBelow the acropolis would be an open area

called agora.This had two functions

A marketA place where people could meet and debate

issues

CitizenshipGreeks were the first people to develop the

idea off citizenship.Each city-state was run by its citizensThese were political community who treat

each other as equals and who have rights and responsibilities

Most Greek city-states citizens could only be free native-born men who owned land.

Some city-states allowed women and children to be citizens but they had no rights.

Rights of a CitizenThey could gather in the agoraChoose their officialsPass lawsRight to voteHold officeOwn property Defend themselves in courtIn return they had to serve in government

and fight for their polis as citizen soldiers

HoplitesEarly Greek wars were fought by nobles riding

horses and chariotsThe development of citizenship changed the military

systemCity-states depend on armies of ordinary citizens

called hoplitesThey would march into battle on foot with a round

shield, a short sword, and 9-foot spear.Hoplites made good soldiers because they took pride

and fighting for their city-stateHowever this hometown loyalties divided the Greeks

and caused them to destroy one another.