ANCIENT GREECE

In this lesson, students will identify characteristics of Greece’s geography and its impact on the development of

ancient cultures.

Greece is mountainous

Greece is a mountainous peninsula with islands

Peninsula

• Greece is a peninsula, which means that it is surrounded on three sides by water.

• Greece has a lot of smaller peninsulas sticking out from it, which means Greece enjoys many natural harbors.

The Geography of Greece

• Ancient Greece consisted of a large mountainous peninsula and islands in the Aegean Sea

• Its hilly terrain made farming difficult

• Its location encouraged trade

Mountains separated Greek cities

Effects of Mountains in Ancient Greece

• Greece’s mountainous terrain separated the ancient Greek cities

• They are not huge mountains but in trying to travel across Greece they prove to quite tiresome for travelers

• Because of these mountains, the ancient Greeks never developed a unified system of government

• The ancient Greeks developed their own separate city-states or “polis”

The Polis

• Polis is a Greek word for “city state”

• A polis was an independent city and its surrounding farmland

• Every polis had its own government and laws but the Greeks shared a common language and religion

• The ancient Greeks farmed but it was difficult because of the geography of the land which consisted of hills.

• Hills are not suitable for farming.

However, there is always the sea…

Greece is located on the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean

Sea

The Seas

• Greece is a peninsula and islands

• Seas surround parts of Greece

• The Seas allowed the Greeks to travel and trade

• Trade encouraged cultural diffusion

Trade and Cultural Diffusion

• Cultural diffusion- process by which a cultural item spreads from group to group or society to society

• The Greeks were exposed to the Phoenician alphabet and Egyptian geometry

• In mainland Greece, cities were thriving.• The soil was mostly fertile• The Greeks had a wealth of sea food, fresh

fish, a wealth of vegetables, and fresh drinking water

• The Greeks were very happy with their land

Questions for Reflection

• Why was it difficult to farm in ancient Greece?• Why did the Greeks depend heavily on trade?• List two geographic features and their effects

on the Greeks• Why did the ancient Greeks never develop a

unified system of government?• Define polis.