CHAPTER 4: ANCIENT GREECE

AND THE PERSIAN EMPIRE

ANCIENT GREECEI LOVE Greece! And Greek food. Who wants octopus?

The best way to experience Greece is by boat because it’s not just one country, it’s actually made up of dozens of little islands.

Actually, 2500 years ago when Ancient Greece was the center of the universe, the country was basically filled with dozens of independent little countries called city-states. In fact, Greece didn’t become one whole country until Alexander the Great conquered her in 350 BCE (350 years before the birth of Christ)

The 2 most famous city-states were ATHENS AND SPARTA

Athens:Athens is the coolest little town in Greece. Of course, its’ also Greece’s capital and its most famous city. It was named after Athena, the goddess of Wisdom.

Every major city-state in Greece had a place where all the people would get together and talk politics, or culture, or talk about which Gods were gonna destroy them that week. In Athens, this was on top of a small mountain called the Acropolis. And this is where the world-famous Parthenon was built. You can visit this hill top for about $20.00 and either climb up or take a bus. (See the picture on the Cover Page)

S.P.E.E.C---- POLITICAL SYSTEM

The word ‘DEMOCRACY’ actually comes from the Greek. ‘Demos’ means ‘the people’ and ‘kratos’ means ‘to rule’, or ‘rule by the people.

GREEK DEMOCRACY IN ATHENSAncient Greece was the first democracy in human history. This is no small thing. In fact, after ancient Greece died the world had forgotten about the idea of democracy until the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence came around.

Except Greek Democracy was not like the kind we have here in the United States. In America, we elect leaders who then make decisions for us as our ‘representatives’. This type of representative democracy actually comes from the Roman Empire which we will study in the next chapter.

In Greece, however, every man voted on every single law (no women allowed). This is known as DIRECT DEMOCRACY. No law was passed without the people actually voting on it. There was no President, no Senators and no Congress. Just Greek men wearing togas voting on stuff like “how big should a Starbucks latte be?!) Answer: very big!

Whenever we study political representation in AP World History you should know that:1. Women were NOT allowed to vote2. POOR men were not allowed to vote.3. Sometimes, you had to join the ARMY to vote4. SLAVES couldn’t vote.

So if they ask you about ANY country on the AP Exam in May, you can talk about who could and couldn’t vote!

But remember that even here in the United States women didn’t get the right to vote until 1920 and the 19th Amendment.

S.P.E.E.C : SOCIAL AND LABOR SYSTEMS Slavery has been around since ancient times. And Ancient Greece was no exception.

Athens had A LOT of slaves. In fact, about 50,000 out of only 250,000 people were slaves. What percentage is that math nerds? ____ %

Most Greeks owned at least one slave. You could free a slave (known as manumission) but they could never become a Greek citizen, even if they joined the Army. Slaves had little to no legal rights and could also be freed as a gift to the Gods.

EDUCATIONWestern philosophy, as opposed to Eastern philosophy, really comes from ancient Greece. In fact, the word ‘PHILOSOPHY’ comes from the Greeks.

Philo: Love of Soph: WisdomPhilosophy means “love of wisdom”.

The main 3 Greek Philosophers were Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. In the assignments at the end of the chapter, you’ll find some of their quotes. Be sure to explain what they mean?

1. Philosophy was very special because it said that using ‘reason and logic’ were more important than using religion.

In fact, Socrates, the main Greek philosopher was forced to drink poison by the Athenian Government because he …………….told the children of Athens to question of the Greek Gods.

PHILOSOPHY wanted you to think for yourself and find evidence of stuff instead of just religion. Evidence is known as ‘empirical observation’, like the sun rising every day. You know the sun will rise tomorrow based on empirical evidence.

2. Speaking of the Gods, Ancient Greece was polytheistic.

Greek Gods and Goddesses:Athena: Goddess of wisdom and schoolsPoseidon: God of the seaApollo: God of musicAphrodite: Goddess of love and online datingShtrakhman: God of packets

3. Wow, it seems that the Greeks actually had A LOT of prefixes and suffixes that we still use today. Let’s take a look at a few.

GREEK TERM COME UP WITH ONE ENGLISH WORDA. GEO: EARTHB. ALPHA: LETTERSC. HYDRO: WATERD. MICRO: SMALL

4. In addition, the Greeks had the very first alphabet. Of course that alphabet has been ruined by all the Sororities and Fraternities of the world. (ALPHA, BETA, GAMMA etc.)

GREEK CULTURE5. The Greeks also invented:

a. The Olympics- Javelin throwing- Wrestling- Discus throwing- Freshmen tossing

The first Olympic events were in Athens in 776 BCE (almost 3000 years ago). The Greeks got them again in 1896 and then again in 2004. Do you know where the next Summer and Winter Olympics will be (Brazil and South Korea). Who’s going?

b. The Greeks invented Theatre (Comedy and drama)

In fact, the Greeks were the very first civilization to put on plays and have theatres in every city.How many of you like plays?How many of you are gonna try out for the school play?

c. Greek architecture. The Greeks invented the pillar. The most famous Greek building with pillars is the Parthenon in Athens

d. Greek sculpture was also very fine too. Remind me to show you pictures online (If ur good!)

SPARTA……………………………….- Sparta, unlike Athens, was a very militaristic city. If a baby was born

deformed or weak, they would throw it off the side of a cliff. I would only throw about 12 of you off!

- This is because all men in Sparta had to join the army when they turned 18. Even the scrawny ones like the kids in 1st and 6th Hour

- In fact, Spartan women were treated very well because the Greeks wanted them strong so that they could give birth to male sons. My mom had a son.

- Sparta also didn’t have any slaves at all because the kids and soldiers did all the work (Isn’t that what children are for?! How many of YOU have chores?)

WAR:Athens and Sparta used to fight each other all the time. That’s where you get the stories of the Trojan Horse and the Peloponnesian Wars. But the country that Greece really fought with was The Persian Empire.

The Persian Empire:- Located in the Middle East near Mesopotamia (Iran and Iraq)

- Had many great kings. It is what the movie ‘300’ is all about!!! (The bald dude with all the piercings is King Xerxes (Zerceez)

- The Persian Empire was the first MONOTHEISTIC country (They only had ONE GOD and his name was Shtrakhman, I mean Ahura Mazda. Below is his picture.

- The Persian Empire had lots of slaves!!!!! The slaves became soldiers, farmers, diggers, potters etc.

- Greece did not defeat the Persians until Alexander the Great came along.

Alexander the Great:

- Born in 356 BCE Died in 323 BCE (He was only 33)- He conquered Greece, Egypt, the Persian Empire, much of the Middle East and some of Central Asia. He got greedy and tried to get into India but was defeated by the elephant armies and eventually succumbed to MALARIA. (We’ll watch the movie ‘Alexander’…..if ur good!)-

- That means that Alexander the Great was only 33 years old when he died. But he controlled 1/2 the known world at the time (Remember, Christopher Columbus had not yet discovered America)

- Alexander spread the Greek culture all over the known world. This was known as the Hellenistic Era (after Helen of Troy and the Trojan Horse). Alexander made everyone speak Greek and wear togas. He also created 10 cities all named Alexandria, the biggest one being in Egypt near the Pyramids. In fact, Cleopatra was actually Greek.

- Eventually, this whole area would fall to the Roman Empire, and since Greece was already there, the Romans will incorporate a

lot of their culture, into Roman life. This will be known as the Greco-Roman influence.

CLASSWORK/HOMEWORKASSIGNMENTS

Assignment #1:Define the following terms:

1.The Hellensitic Era2.Monotheism3.Philosophy4.Democracy5.Ahura Mazda6.Which areas did Alexander conquer7.Provide 5 examples of Greek culture:A. B. C. D. E.

Assignment #2:- In America we elect leaders that then pass the

laws. - In ancient Greece each law is voted on

independently. - Which system do you think is better and why?

Assignment #3: The word ‘ology’ means ‘study of’ in Greek. Think of at least 10 words that end with ‘ology’.

1. 6.2. 7.3. 8.4. 9.5. 10.

ASSIGNMENT #4: EXPLAIN THE FOLLOWING QUOTES FROM THE 3

GREATEST WESTERN PHILOSOPHERS

PLATO Wise men speak because they have something to say;

Fools because they have to say something.______________________________________________________________________________________________

The greatest wealth is to live content with little. (MY FAVORITE)

______________________________________________________________________________________________

One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors (MY 2ND FAVORITE)

______________________________________________________________________________________________

ARISTOTLE: Good habits formed at youth make all the difference.

Those that know, do. Those that understand, teach. (MY 3RD FAVORITE)

SOCRATES (HARD ONES)

QUOTE #1: “Following your desires is like pouring water into a bucket with a hole at the bottom”.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

QUOTE #2: "The unexamined life is not worth living."

______________________________________________________________________________________________

ESSAY ASSIGNMENT : MILITARY SERVICE

- In ancient Sparta all men had to serve in the army. - When my father was growing up in Russia all men had to serve for 18 months when they turned 19 years old unless they went to college.- In Israel all men and women have to serve 2 years, even if they get into college.

Question - Should all Americans be required to serve in the military when they turn 18? Why or why not?

APPROXIMATELY 1-2 PAGES HANDWRITTEN OR TYPED.

EXTRA CREDITWRITE EACH GOD’S NAME IN GREEK AND

THEIR DESCRIPTIONS IN ENGLISH.USE ONLY CAPITAL LETTERS.

ZEUS: KING OF THE GODS

HERA: ZUES’ WIFE AND GODDESS OF CHILDBIRTH

APHRODITE: THE GODDESS OF LOVE (AW!)

APOLLO: THE GOD OF MUSIC AND POETRY

ATHENA: THE GODDESS OF INTELLIGENCE AND WISDOM

SHTRAKHMAN: THE GOD OF ALL THAT IS HOLY

POSEIDON: GOD OF THE SEA

HADES: THE GOD OF THE UNDERWORLD

ART SUPPLIESTHE CONSTRUCTION PAPER IS ON THE TABLE AS ARE THE

ART SUPPLIES.

WE WILL BE DOING A LOT OF ART WORK IN CLASS. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE VERY INTERESTED IN SUCH

ACTIVITIES I THINK YOU SHOULD BRING IN YOUR OWN ART SUPPLIES. YOU CAN USE MINE BUT I DON’T HAVE A

LOT.

IF THERE IS NO GREEK LETTER AVAILABLE, MAKE YOUR OWN.