Ancient Greece Core Knowledge History 6 th Grade

Ancient Greece Core Knowledge History 6 th Grade

The BIG Idea v. The ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome have influenced Western society more profoundly than perhaps any other cultures in world history.

Lesson 1 The Ancient Greek City-States

Lesson 1 Objectives v Understand the social organization of Greek city-states that share a common language and religion. v Identify tyranny, aristocracy, oligarchy, and democracy as early forms of Greek government.

Vocabulary v City-state – polis; an independent town or city that governs itself and the land around it. v Asia Minor – another name for the Anatolian Peninsula, where much of Turkey is located.

The Ancient Greek City-States Ancient Greece was not a unified country but a collection of independent city-states (polis). Small – population of 20, 000 or less and covered only a hundred square miles. Located mainly along the shores of the Aegean Sea. See the map on page 43 of the textbook.

City-state Commonalities All spoke Greek; although dialects varied from city-state to city-state. Greeks referred to non-Greek speakers as “barbarians. ” Unified by religion – citizens of the citystates worshipped the same set of Greek gods – polytheism. Came together for athletic competitions.

Greek Mythology Zeus – the chief god; the god of the sky; shared power Hera – the wife of Zeus Apollo – the sun god Poseidon – the sea god Aphrodite – the goddess of love And many, many more.

City-state Differences Each had its own traditions, legends, and local heroes. Worshipped local gods along with the central gods. Had their own forms of government.

City-state Government Originally ruled by kings - monarchy However, by 500 B. C. most had adopted other various forms of government, including: - tyranny - aristocracy - oligarchy - democracy

Greek Vocabulary The suffix –archy is Greek for “leader. ” The suffix –cracy is Greek for “to rule. ” Remember you can often figure out the meaning of new words by breaking them into familiar parts.

Tyranny A system where one man was the dictator. Tyrants seized power illegally, whereas kings inherited their throne. Tyrants were popular because they usually opposed the rich and helped the poor. However, few Greeks wanted to live under their rule all the time.

Aristocracy A system in which a few noble or upperclass families held power. Aristocracy actually means “rule of the best. ” Sometimes these “best” families shared power with an assembly made up of citizens, but not always.

Oligarchy Similar to aristocracy. Actually means “rule of the few. ” But in this case the few were not noble families, but wealthy men.

Democracy Power is shared by a large number of citizens. Citizens took part in debates, decided government policy, and elected officials. The Greeks seem to have been the first people to experiment with this kind of government. The experiment caught on, and became the pattern of government throughout Greek city-states.

Lack of Unity Proud of their independence and individuality. Thought it was better to live under local government. However, there are disadvantages to the city -state model.

Lack of Unity Always getting into disagreements. This lack of unity made it easier foreign countries to invade Greece. Times of great crisis they would have to join together. Alliances were fragile and short-lived. Rivalries were sturdy and long-lasting. Greatest rivalry – Athens vs. Sparta

Review Questions 1. What was a typical Greek city-state like? 2. What languages were spoken in Greek city -states? 3. What religions did Greek city-states observe? 4. What were the forms of government that existed in Greek city-states?

Lesson 1 Activity & Homework

Lesson 2 Athens vs. Sparta

Lesson 2 Objectives v Understand aspects of v Understand the Athenian democracy. Spartan emphasis on military training. v Describe the rights of the citizens, women, v Explain the Spartan and slaves. system of government. v Recognize the importance of important differences education to Athenians. between Athens and Sparta.

Vocabulary Ostracize – in ancient Athens, to banish or send away; nowadays it means to “drive someone out of social life” Rhetoric – the art of using language, especially to persuade others Epic poem – a long poem that tells the story of the adventures of one or more legendary heroes.

What makes person a citizen of the United States?

Athens

Athenian Democracy Developed gradually over decades. By 500 B. C. the democratic system was firmly established. The Assembly was at its center.

The Assembly Passed laws, levied taxes, and voted on issues of war and peace. They would debate proposals and decide by a majority of raised hands. Power to ostracize citizens who posed a danger to the polis. An ostracized citizen had to leave the citystate and stay away for ten years. Allowed to keep their property and return in 10 years.

Athens’ Legal System Athenian law was divided into 2 sections Public laws – had to do with the city-state Private laws – through which people could work their disagreements. Public law consequence – pay a fine, face the penalty se forth by the Assembly. Private law consequence – jury could decide your case.

Athenian Legal System Juries were very large – as many as 501 citizens sat on a single jury. Their reasoning was that giant juries were less likely to be corrupted because of bribes. A board of ten generals – strategoi. These generals directed the army. Elected each year by the Assembly.

Limits to Athenian Democracy Not everyone in the polis was considered a citizen. Women, children, slaves, and foreigners were not citizens and could not vote in the Assembly or serve on juries. To qualify for citizenship – 1)male 2)18 years old+ 3)not a slave 4)Athenian parents

Limits to Athenian Democracy Women played an important role in religious affairs, but they had no political rights. Could not own property. Always under the control of men. The male family members would decide whom the woman would marry. Girls were not sent to school.

Limits to Athenian Democracy Foreign residents were known as metics. They were important to the Athenian economy. Many metics were artisans, craftsmen, or merchants Some metics were highly admired and presented with honorary citizenship, but most never became citizens.

Limits to Athenian Democracy Slaves had it the worst. Made up at least a quarter of the population. One rich citizen might have had 100 slaves to run his house, farm, or business. Lesser households might have 10 – 50 slaves. Only the poor did not depend on slave labor. Slaves cleaned, cooked, shopped, washed, and raised children.

Limits to Athenian Democracy Some slaves were educated so they could teach their owner’s children. Sometime Athenian slaves could earn enough money to buy their freedom, but they could never buy citizenship.

Limits to Athenian Democracy Once women, children, metics, and slaves are subtracted from a standard population of about 300, 000, only 40, 000 of the people living in Athens were qualified as citizens.

Athenian Education Athenians prepared young men to become good citizens through a good education so they could participate politically well. A citizen needed to take part in debates in the Assembly. Need to know how to argue. Needed to know how to defend his opinions, and how to criticize the ideas of others. So this is why Athenians taught their sons rhetoric. Athenian schools taught logic, reading, writing, arithmetic, and music.

Athenian Education Boys learned to play a stringed instrument called a lyre. Memorized sections from two epic poems by the ancient Greek poet Homer, The Iliad and The Odyssey.

Athenian Education Every young man was given 2 years of military instruction and many years of physical education. Expected to exercise in a gymnasium.

Athenian Education Athenian education sought to produce loyal, cultured, politically responsible citizens who appreciated art, music, and sports. Ideal citizens would be comfortable both on the battlefield or in the Assembly.

Sparta

Spartan Government Oligarchy – with elements of other forms. Had 2 kings – kept each other honest. Also had an aristocratic council and an assembly much less democratic than the Athenians’.

Spartan Government Citizens not allowed to debate. Only approve or disapprove by shouting out. Skeptical of Athenianstyle democracy.

Spartan Education Spartan educational system emphasized military training, almost from the cradle to the grave! Required 23 years of military training. Newborn Spartan boys were inspected by a government committee.

Spartan Military Training Children grew up tough. If they cried they were not picked up or soothed – that would make them soft. Soldiers needed tough feet. Boys went barefoot, even in winter. Spartan boys sent away at the age of 7 to begin training. Taught to obey and not to question. Little time spent teaching reading, writing, and poetry. Physical fitness was king!

Spartan Military Training Taught to endure great pain and never accept defeat. When the boys grew into teens, their food rations were cut – they would have to learn to be clever and steal food for themselves. Men could marry at age 20, but they continued living in their barracks until age 30. Military service continued until the men turned 60.

Contrasting Lifestyles Athenians Enjoyed symposiums with good food and drink Skilled in rhetoric and public speaking Culturally rich with some of the greatest literature and art Athens located near the coast – welcomed foreigners Especially strong navy Spartans Luxuries were a dangerous distraction – simple was best Famous for avoiding long speeches – laconic “Things of the mind” made them soft Sparta was an inland city – encouraged isolation Best army in Greece

Contrasting Lifestyles Sparta and Athens were so different that each city-state was suspicious of the other, and it was hard for the two to get along. Occasionally they would cooperate, but we will discuss how their rivalry would play an important role in Greek history.

Lesson 2 Activity

Athenian Review Questions 1. What did the Athenian Assembly do? 2. How did Athenian juries differ from American juries? 3. What were the conditions for citizenship in Athens? 4. Who were metics? What kind of rights did they have? 5. What are some the subjects taught in Athenian schools?

Spartan Review Questions 1. How many years were Spartans required to train 2. 3. 4. 5. for the military? What were some of the ways Spartans made sure their children grew up to be tough? What were some of the features of Spartan government? What was one difference between Athenians and Spartans in their public speaking? How did Athens and Sparta differ in their attitudes toward foreigners?

Lesson 3 The Olympic Games

Lesson 3 Objectives Understand the importance of athletics and physical competition to ancient Greeks as evidenced by the Olympic Games. Describe the Olympic truce, events, prizes, and legacy.

Vocabulary Truce – an agreement where two or more people agree to stop fighting

The Olympic Games Most famous athletic competitions. Originally held in Olympia every fourth year. Began as a religious festival in honor of Zeus. It included religious ceremonies.

The Olympic Games Over time, athletic events were added to the original religious processions. Official prize for winning an athletic event was a wreath of olive leaves placed on the victor’s head. The real prize was honor. The victor would more than likely become a local hero of his city-state.

The Olympic Games Greek citizens came from all parts to compete in and observe the events. Marveled in athletic excellence.

The Olympic Games Original athletic contests based on physical skills the ancient Greeks needed for survival: Javelin throw Running Wrestling Riding a horse

The Olympic Games Discus throw Long jump Footraces Pentathlon Pankration

The Olympic Games The games continued for centuries even though the Roman Empire would rule Greece. Finally, in 393 A. D. , after more than 1000 years of competition, the Roman Emperor Theodosius cancled the games. He was Christian and did not approve of the Greek’s polytheistic religion.

The Olympic Games began again in the late 19 th century. The first modern day Olympic Games were held in 1896, in a new stadium built in Athens. Played every 4 years since then except for WWI and WWII. Many events have been added, but the skill and courage still live on.

Lesson 3 Activity #1 Mini Metric Olympics Event 1 – Javelin throw Event 2 – Shot put Event 3 – Discus throw Event 4 – Long jump

Lesson 3 Activity #2 Make an olive leaf crown…in honor of your victory during our Mini-metric Olympics!

Lesson 4 The Persian Wars

Lesson 4 Objectives Describe the Persian Wars and the battles of Sardis, Marathon, Thermopylae, and Salamis. Understand the achievements of Sparta and Athens during the wars. Discuss the leadership of Leonidas and Xerxes in these battles.

Always at War Greek city-states were often at war. The cause of war was usually food shortage.

Sometimes United Greek city-states had a common enemy, Persia. These wars are know as the Persian Wars. Three famous battles: *Marathon *Thermopylae *Salamis

Some Greek city-states were under Persian rule. The people of Miletus asked other Greeks for help. Sparta refused…Athens agreed to help. Athenians crossed the Aegean Sea and lead a revolt that pushed out the Persians.

The Battle at Marathon Even though Athenians regained control of their empire, the Persians were still angry and decided to prepare to punish the Athenians. Refer to page 52 in your history book.

The Battle at Thermopylae Refer to page 52 of your history book.

The Battle at Salamis Refer to page 53 of your history book.

What caused the Persian and Greek conflict in Asia Minor? What was significant about the Battle of Marathon in 490 B. C. ? How did the Persians defeat the Greek army at Thermopylae? What kind of behavior did Leonidas and his men display at Thermopylae? What does Xerxes’ behavior at the battle near Salamis suggest about his character?

Lesson 5 The Golden Age of Athens

Lesson 5 Objectives Recognize the successes of Pericles. Identify contributions that Aristophanes, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripedes, Herodotus, Thucydides, and Hippocrates made to Greek culture.

The Delian Leauge

The Golden Age Begins 479 – 431 B. C. A time period during which Athens was at its cultural peak and at its most powerful. Athens was a model for all other city-states.

Golden Many works of literature, buildings, and art were created during this time. Athenian art, sculpture, architecture, philosophy, science and drama were the best in the world.

Wealth Athens prospered from the great wealth of trade. Used this wealth to fund elaborate building projects.

The Age of Pericles Much of the accomplishments in Athens during the Golden Age was done so because of Pericles. He had great pride in Athens. The people loved his democratic policies. Rebuilding structures on acropolis. Increasing the participation of poor citizens. Built a huge wall around Athens.

The Parthenon A temple built to honor Athena, the goddess of wisdom.

Greek Columns Doric Ionic Corinthian

Lesson 5 Activity Create a collage. Look for pictures that can represent the Greek’s interest in architecture, sports, politics, reading, art, beauty and military. The image could be symbolic. Then write a paragraph explaining your selection of images and tell what each image stands for.

Lesson 6 The Peloponnesian War

Lesson 6 Objectives Understand the origins of the Peloponnesian War, the military strategies employed by the Athenians, and the consequences of the conflict for the Greeks. Describe the strategy behind Alcibiades’ attack on Sicily to win the war and its consequences.

Athens vs. Sparta Athens continues to build its empire. Athenians attempt to push democracy on other Greek city-states. Sparta is worried that they are becoming too powerful. They resent the Athenian style of government.

Athens vs. Sparta and allies, Corinth and Thebes, formed the Peloponnesian League. Named after the mountainous peninsula that forms the southern part of Greece. For several years, diplomatic relations between Athens and the Peloponnesian League deteriorated. Finally, in 431 B. C. the Peloponnesian War broke out and continued for 25 years.

Beginning of War Pericles was still leader of Athens. He knew that the Spartan army was stronger, but he also knew the Athenian navy was stronger. He would avoid a land war, while the city of Athens held themselves up behind their newly built walls.

Beginning of War Pericles convinced the citizens to follow his plan. The farmers and families who lived outside the city left their homes, took all belongings, and took refuge behind the walls.

Beginning of War When the Spartans marched in, they found a deserted countryside. They burned the crops and farmhouses. Athenians begged Pericles to let them fight, but he knew fighting on land would be too dangerous. “Crops will grow back; Dead men will not. ”

Beginning of War This strategy was successful for the first year. Since the Spartans burned the fields, they had no food. The Spartan army gave up and left. When they got home, they found the Athenian navy had attacked several Peloponnesian cities.

War Continues The second year began with a Spartan land attack. Athenian’s retreated behind their walls, but it was a terrible plague that killed a quarter of the population. Plague – a disease that sweeps through a city or country, causing many to die. The plague lasted for 3 years.

The Athenian Plague The Athenians became deeply discouraged. They wondered if the gods were against them, and they began to lose faith in their ideals of reason and order. People started to feel that honesty, truth, and justice had no meaning. Worst of all, Pericles died in the plague and was replaced by not so wise men as he.

The War Drags On No victory for either side for years. Spartans could not win because the Athenians would not fight on land. The Athenian navy could not win because they only made random raids on coastal cities. Something had to be done.

Athens Gets Bold In 415 B. C. , Alcibiades, an Athenian, proposed to conquer the island of Sicily. By conquering this land, Athens could renew their supplies and attack Sparta and the rest of the Peloponnesian League from both sides. This idea was bold and daring. Some Athenians liked this, others did not. Some felt the military was not strong enough to handle so many enemies.

Athens Gets Bold Some Athenians distrusted Alcibiades. Very charming and power hungry. Spent too much, drank too much, gambled too much, and talked too much. Didn’t respect the Athenian ideals and traditions. However, enough Athenian citizens supported his decision to invade Sicily.

A Disastrous Decision The Athenian army met great resistance. Held out for as long as they could, but they fled in a panic. Their army was divided. Many were killed. Others were taken captive and made slaves. Alcibiades fled to Sparta and told them of Athenian plans. He was willing to be a traitor in order to save his own skin!

Don’t Trust a Traitor Sparta took his information, but still did not trust Alcibiades. He fled again when he learned they might kill him. He went to Persia – where they did not trust him either!

War Favor Goes to Sparta The Athenian army and navy were seriously weakened because of the Sicilian disaster. Sparta began to build a navy of their own. Persia became Spartan allies. In 405 B. C, Sparta scored a major naval victory. They cut off grain supply to Athens held out for a year, but surrendered in 404 B. C.

SPARTA WINS Made Athens tear down their walls. Sparta kept Athens from having a navy. Set up a new government for Athens would be ruled by a group of 30 nobles. There would be no more democracy.

And the winner is… The nobles were so cruel that Athenians rebelled against them within one year. In 403 B. C. , democracy was restored. The kings of Sparta decided that as long as Athens was peaceful, they would let them have their democracy. But the Athenian empire and their Golden Age was over…

Lesson 7 Greek Philosophy & Socrates

Lesson 8 Plato & Aristotle

Lesson 9 Alexander & the Hellenistic Period