Ancient Greece I > Introduction Geography

Objective SWILLBAT identify how the geography of Greece influenced the development of the city-state.  SWILLBAT to define a city-state and explain how it differs from a country. 
6G.1.1 Explain how the physical features and human characteristics of a place influenced the development of civilizations, societies and regions (e.g., location near rivers and natural barriers, trading practices and spread of culture).
6G.1.2 Explain the factors that influenced the movement of people, goods, and ideas and the effects of that movement on societies and regions over time (e.g., scarcity of resources, conquests, desire for wealth, disease and trade).
Ancient Greek civilization was strong for about 4,000 years ago.  Their culture still impacts our lives today, in the arts, in philosophy, in science, in math, in literature and in politics.   The ancient Greek civilization began around 800 BC.  Eventually the Greeks would build an empire that would last until the Romans invaded and took over Greece in 146  BC.
The geography of ancient Greece was very important in Greek history and civilization.  Greece is a small country in southeast Europe.   Greece is a peninsula.  It is surrounded by three seas.  The Ionian Sea is to the west.  The Aegean Sea is to the east.  The Mediterranean Sea is to the south.  There are hundreds of small islands which are part of Greece in these three seas.  To the ancient Greeks, the seas were the greatest resource.  The ancient Greeks depended on the sea for fishing.  The seas also allowed them to become excellent sailors.  They sailed all over the Mediterranean trading with other civilizations.  The Greeks even set up colonies in North Africa and Spain.  The colonies were able to get things that the Greek peninsula did not have like iron, wood and grains.  Iron was used in tools and weapons.  Wood was used for building and the grains were important for foods like bread.
Another important geographic feature of Greece is the mountains.  The mountains made travel very difficult.  The mountains were important for two reasons.  First, the mountains kept other Europeans away from Greece.  Second, the mountains kept Greeks away from other Greeks.  The mountains isolated people.  Isolated means kept away from other areas.
As the population of Greece got bigger and bigger, people began living together.   Many early towns and cities were isolated from one another because of the mountains.  The towns and cities developed their own governments.  As a result of the mountainous geography ancient Greece was split into many different states.  The people settled into separate cities.  City-states were cities separated from other cities.  A city-state was sometimes called a polis.  Each city-state had a central walled city with villages and farmland surrounding it.   There was one government where everyone obeyed the same laws.  The people shared the same culture, religion and language.
City-states ruled a small area.  They were not countries.  Even though the people living on Greece all had similar cultures, they were loyal to their city not a whole country.  Some famous city-states were Thebes, Corinth, Olympia, Athens and Sparta.  
Essential Questions:                                            

1. How does Greek civilization still affect our lives today?
2. How did the mountains and seas surrounding Greece help create city-states?
3. Why were the colonies important?
4. What is a city-state?  What did all city-states have in common?
5. How is a city-state different from a country?
6. Name 5 Greek city-states.

Assignment: Write 5 questions and answers.  Your questions must be information questions.  They must begin with a “Wh” word (who, what, when, where, how, why or which)

Internet Activity > Have students do a search using ”Greek City-state”. 

• Research features of city-state and write about them. 
• Create questions and answers.

 

 

Timeline- Us e the timeline to answer the questions.
6G.2.1  Use maps, charts, graphs, geographic data and available technology tools to draw conclusions about the emergence, expansion and decline of civilizations, societies and regions

Ancient Greece

Questions:

1. When were the first Olympic Games?
2. Why was 508 BC important for Athens?
3. What happened from 490BC to 480 BC?
4. When did Homer write the Iliad and the Odyssey?
5. Why do you think 146 BC is so important in Greek history?

 

Ancient Greece II > The Minoans
Objective SWBAT ID who the Minoans were and where there civilization thrived.  SWBAT classify the three stages of Minoan history.  SWBAT explain how Minoa became powerful.
6H.2.4  Explain the role that key historical figures and cultural groups had in transforming society (e.g., Mansa Musa, Confucius, Charlemagne and Qin Shi Huangdi

Prior to the rule of the Greeks, another great civilization flourished in the same region on the island of Crete. These people where known as the Minoans. The Minoans flourished from around 2500 B.C. until about 1400 B.C. This civilization was both powerful and advanced. Their might allowed them to control the Aegean Sea.  Just as this society was growing and seeing great success, it suddenly disappeared. Many archeologists believe that it was destroyed by a giant tidal wave. Others believe that they were conquered by another group of people known as the Mycenaeans.
Minoan civilization pre-dated Classical Greece by hundreds of years.
The Minoans lived on the island of Crete a very long time ago. Their culture spanned 2600 years, from about 3650 BC to 1100 BC. While we do not know the name they called themselves, archeologists have discovered much about their culture. To make it easier to understand, it has been divided into periods. Each period of time covers several hundred years and begins with an important change in their society. Although the word palace is part of the vocabulary when talking about Minoans, the structures were not our idea of palaces. They were large complexes with areas designed to serve different purposes and a special place for rulers to live.
The Prepalatial Period (or the period before palaces) lasted for about 1500 years, from 3650 BC to 1900 BC. The culture, just beginning to form from small tribes into larger cities and communities, had no upper or lower class. The people did not have a central government, and yet peace seemed to be the order of the day.  The mild weather and fertile soil of Crete encouraged farming, and the people developed a strong agricultural system that let them prosper. For many centuries, the Minoans developed their culture and ideas apart from mainland Greece or any other influences.  The Minoans interacted with other cultures through trade.  They had naval supremacy during most of this time. So they were able to trade throughout the entire Mediterranean. Trading crops for precious gems and metals, the Minoans began to climb in the ranks of the Mediterranean nations.
But even with all the good parts of Minoan culture, social unrest began in about 1900 BC. This started the Protopalatial Period. No one knows for sure what happened to create a new era in the life of the Minoan people, but even after disruption that changed the whole governmental system, things calmed down quickly. A new political structure was introduced, one governed by a single ruler – a King. Palaces were built in major Minoan cities and were the center of community life.
In 1700 BC, every Minoan palace was destroyed. No one knows why or how, but the palaces were quickly rebuilt, beginning the Neopalacial Period. These new palaces were grander. Concrete roads linked villages and cities.  Smaller palaces called villas sprang up in the rural areas. These, like the grander palaces of the cities, appear to be the home of power. It is likely that landowners lived in them, which means that classes among Minoan people began during this time.  Minos was the strongest influence in the region during this time. It was, indeed, the Golden Age of Minos.
In spite of abundant trading, naval power was lost during the Neopalacial Period. They were challenged by Mycenaeans, who took the role of ‘best at sea’. For the first time, weapons began to appear in the tombs of kings and important citizens. The threat of invasion for the great nation was growing.  No one knows for sure how Minos came to an end, but its destruction was sudden. All palaces and villas were destroyed in about 1500 BC. Minos’ last major city, Knossos, was lost in 1375. Archeologists point to likely invasion or to the eruption of the Thera Volcano as the most probable cause of the loss of the Minoans.  Finally, in about 1100 BC, the culture that had thrived for thousands of years, gave way to more powerful forces. The Mycenaeans took control of Crete until all we have left is artifacts and curiosity.
Essential Questions:  

• Who were the Minoans and where did their civilization thrive?
• What were the 3 periods of Minoan civilization?  Describe each period.
• How did Minoan civilization become powerful?

Use the reading to help you complete each sentence.

• Minoan civilization __________ Classical Greece by hundreds of years.
• The Minoans lived on the island of ___________.
• The __________ Period (or the period before palaces) lasted for

           about1500 years, from 3650 BC to 1900 BC.
4.       ________ were built in major Minoan cities and were the center of community life.
5. Minos’ last major city, _______, was lost in 1375.

 

Ancient Greece III > The Mycenaeans

Objective SWBAT ID who the Mycenaens were and where there civilization thrived.  SWBAT summarize major accomplishments.
6H.2.4  Explain the role that key historical figures and cultural groups had in transforming society (e.g., Mansa Musa, Confucius, Charlemagne and Qin Shi Huangdi

The Mycenaeans originated in Central Asia. As their population grew, they began to spread into the Balkan Peninsula. By around 1400 B.C., the Mycenaeans had overrun the Minoans and began to rule as the dominant culture in the area
In order to protect their people, the Mycenaeans built large fortresses astride the hills and mountain tops of their villages. These fortresses offered a place of refuge during times of danger.  Mycenaean communities were built around these fortresses. The fortress, carefully built on fertile plains, at ports or near the coastline, was the center of power and authority. The palace was placed at the top of the structure. The complex was not just a military one. It had many functions, including worship and storage, with areas for each purpose.

 

Upper class Mycenaeans lived in the fortress. At the top was the King.  He was in charge of both political and religious issues. Below him was a chain of command that covered everything from the military to collecting taxes and organizing trade. The governmental structure was strong and effective.
Not all Mycenaean people lived in the fortresses. Most of them (the lower class) lived nearby. Taking care of crops and animals, they were like farmers and ranchers of today, and were considered self-employed. Sheep and goats were raised for milk and wool. The most common crops were grains, olives for olive oil and grapes, which they used to make wine. Herbs, honey and spices were also commonly grown and produced. Mycenaean farmers traded among themselves to get what they needed and paid their taxes in crops and goods. These fed the royal household and staff, plus became trade goods for the kingdom.
Agriculture was not the only industry of the Mycenaeans. Using wool from sheep and goats.  Mycenanea produced valuable and well-made textiles. Metal work was also a bustling industry in the Mycenaean culture. Swords, weapons and other metal goods were produced in mass quantity, employing hundreds of people in these areas, as well. The Mycenaeans had another, less likely industry. They made perfumes! By mixing oils and spices, they created scents that also became trade goods.
The Mycenaeans had a very prosperous society. Their trade kept them financially sound. Their military kept them safe.  They were considered a warrior people. Expansion (growing their country) was very important to them. They were the downfall of other, less powerful cultures, including the Minoans. The famous city of Troy also fell to their army and naval strength.
Not much is known about the religious practices of the Mycenaeans. They worshipped many gods, but only a few names of their many gods have appeared in tablets uncovered in archeological digs. Almost no temples or central places of worship have been discovered.
No one really knows how the Mycenaean civilization ended. Most historians and archeologists believe it was either an invasion or civil unrest.  Some theorize it was a nation called the Dorians. Still another group of historians believe that the civilization collapsed in upon itself after the lower class became unhappy with the government and rebelled. Either way, by 1100 BC, the Mycenaeans civilization disappeared, leaving only ruins to leave clues to their existence.
Essential Questions:  

1. Who were the Mycenaeans and where were they from.
2. Name at least 3 Mycenaean accomplishments.
3. What was the significance of the fortress?

Question Creation- Now write 10 questions and answers of your own using the text.
Ancient Greece- IV > Government and  Greek City-States
Objective >  SWBAT pinpoint when classic Greek culture began.  SWBAT explain the components of the Greek city-state.  SWBAT identify the 4 major forms of government in Greek City-states and define each. SWBAT evaluate which type of city-state government in which they would have preferred to dwell
6H.2.1 Explain how invasions, conquests, and migrations affected various civilizations, societies and regions (e.g., Mongol invasion, The Crusades, the Peopling of the Americas and Alexander the Great).
6C&G.1.1 Explain the origins and structures of various governmental systems (e.g., democracy, absolute monarchy and constitutional monarchy).
6C.1.3 Summarize systems of social structure within various civilizations and societies over time (e.g., Roman class structure, Indian caste system and feudal, matrilineal and patrilineal societies).
By 1100 B.C., the Mycenaean civilization came to an end. Historians are not sure what happened to their civilization, but one theory is they were over-run by a group of people known as the Dorians.   After conquering the region, the Dorians fell into a ‘Dark Age.’ Poverty became wide-spread, and important skills such as reading and writing were lost. This dark age lasted for about 300 years.
Then, around 750 B.C., a group known as the Ionians brought many elements of culture, including reading, writing and art, back into the region. This began a new era of civilization referred to as the Hellenic Period. During this period, the Greeks rose to become one of the most powerful civilizations anywhere in the world
The Greeks were loyal to their city not a whole country.  Each Greek city-state was called a polis. The word polis still shows up in many English words today, such as politics, police, and metropolis. A polis typically included a city, along with surrounding villages, and fields.  Typically a polis or city-state had a high hill at the center, called the acropolis. At the top of the acropolis, the Greeks built temples to their patron gods. At the base of the acropolis the Greeks carried out the business of the polis, including merchant activities, such as buying and selling goods, as well as the business of their government.

The Greeks had a lot of different governments because each city-state had its own government.  There were four major kinds of governments.  The four kinds of government were monarchy, oligarchy, tyranny and democracy.  In the beginning most city-states were monarchies but over time the city-states used the other three kinds.
The earliest form of government in Greece was the monarchy.  A monarchy is a government ruled by a king.  The king had total power and control over the military.  Rules were made and enforced by the king.  A monarchy was also hereditary.  This meant the king’s son became the next king.  Most Greek monarchies were between 2,000 BC and 1,200 BC.  The Greek people supported their king and the monarchy  
Eventually many of the monarchies became oligarchies.  An oligarchy is a government ruled by a few powerful people called aristocrats.  Aristocrats were rich men who made all the rules of society.  Many times the rich men would fight among themselves for power.  Sometimes this led to tyranny.  Tyranny was when one man took power of the whole government.  A tyrant ruled like a king but did not have the legal right to rule.  He came to power by force and often the people did not like him.
In 510 BC, the city-state of Athens created the first democracy.  A democracy is a government where all the citizens participate in government.  The citizens elect leaders.  Our government we have today is based on what the Athenians began.  In a democracy, citizens vote for leaders.  The leaders make laws and enforce laws.  In a democracy, no one person has all the power.  The power is shared by the people.      
At any time in Ancient Greece, you could find a city-state that had one of these kinds of governments.  Each city-state decided for itself.  Greece was not unified as one country yet.  The Greeks had similar language, religion and culture but they were loyal to their cities first not a unified Greek nation.
By the end, most city-states granted rights to their citizens. These citizens could vote for their leaders, own property, and participate in both government and civic responsibilities. Not everyone who lived in a city-state was a citizen, however. These city-states had many slaves and foreigners who did not have the rights of those native born men. Most women also did not have the rights of a citizen.
Essential Questions:

1. Which group of people led Greece out of its “Dark Age” and began the Hellenic Period?
2. What were the components of a polis or city-state?
3. Name and describe the 4 main types of government found throughout Greek city-states.

Writing Prompt:
Which type of city-sates do you think you would have preferred to dwell and explain why.

Assignment: Write 5 questions and answers.  Your questions must be information questions.  They must begin with a “Wh” word (who, what, when, where, how, why or which)
Ancient Greece- V > Athens vs.Sparta

Objective SWBAT identify differences between society in Athens and in society in  Sparta
6H.2.2 Compare historical and contemporary events and issues to understand continuity and change
6H.2.4 Explain the role that key historical figures and cultural groups had in transforming society (e.g., Mansa Musa, Confucius, Charlemagne and Qin Shi Huangdi
6C&G.1.1 Explain the origins and structures of various governmental systems (e.g., democracy, absolute monarchy and constitutional monarchy).
6C&G.1.2  Summarize the ideas that shaped political thought in various civilizations, societies and regions (e.g., divine right, equality, liberty citizen participation and integration of religious principles).
6C&G.1.3 Compare the requirements for (e.g., age, gender and status) and responsibilities of (e.g., paying taxes and military service) citizenship under various governments.
6C.1.3 Summarize systems of social structure within various civilizations and societies over time (e.g., Roman class structure, Indian caste system and feudal, matrilineal and patrilineal societies).

Remember, in ancient Greece people lived in city-states.  Each state had its own laws and governments.  However, all of the city-states did have the same language and religion.  Two Greek city-states competed with each other for the title of most important and most powerful. These two city-states were Athens and Sparta.
Originally, both Athens are Sparta were monarchies.  Around 700 B.C., both Athens and Sparta where ruled by powerful kings. These kings slowly lost power to local merchants and noblemen. The lower classes were not given any rights nor authority. This was a source of anger and a possible cause of revolts.  The farmers and other lower classes demanded that their voices be heard, and that their rights be granted. Both Athens and Sparta faced great challenges. How would they maintain their control and influence over their people? Each city-state solved this challenge very differently.

Assignment: Write 5 questions and answers.  Your questions must be information questions.  They must begin with a “Wh” word (who, what, when, where, how, why or which)
Athens
Athens was a beautiful city with many public buildings, baths and shops.  Athens was named after the Greek goddess Athena (Goddess of Wisdom).  Athens is in southeastern Greece.  It is surrounded by mountains and the sea to the east.  The Acropolis was built on top of a hill in Athens.  The Acropolis was where the Greeks built their temples for their Gods.  The Acropolis was like a city for the Greek gods.  Another famous place in Athens was the Agora.  The Agora was like a giant market place.  This is where the people came to talk to friends and buy goods.   
Athens did not have a king.  It was a democracy.  Citizens were able to vote for leaders and were able to help make laws.   The people of Athens granted rights and privileges of citizenship to all the lower classes. Every male member of their city-state were given the same rights as the wealthiest politicians. They could buy property, serve in public office, and participate in other aspects of daily life. Athenian men were highly educated. They began their formal education at the age of seven and continued until age eighteen. The reason that they placed such high importance on educating all young men was because it was likely that everyone would at some point have an opportunity to serve in public life.  Instead of voting for their public leaders, these leaders were selected at random through the process of a lottery. The Athenians believed that any male was capable of making a good leader, and they worried about votes being influenced by those with money or important family names.
The male citizens met on a hill in Athens.  Anyone was allowed to talk and tell the government what it should be doing.  When the citizens met on the hill to vote and to talk it was called the Assembly.  The Assembly was made of all the citizens of Athens.   Athenian democracy was not like the democracy we have today. Only citizens over 18 could vote.   Women, slaves and foreigners could not become citizens.   Democracy in Athens meant rule by the men of Athens.  The Athenians had many slaves.  Most of the slaves were people who were captured in wars.  Slaves did a lot of the hard labor like picking crops or moving heavy stones for building
The Athenians also introduced the concept of trial by jury. Juries might be made up of more than 1,000 individuals, which they believed insured that no one could bribe them. A decision of a jury had to be made by the majority vote.
This freedom and emphasis on education helped create an atmosphere that would produce some of the most important advancements that the Greeks are credited for; everything from science, to art, to medicine. Athens became a center of culture and education for the entire world.
The people of Athens lived below the Acropolis. The Parthenon was a temple built on the highest part of the Acropolis.  The Parthenon was built for Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war.

Parthenon, a temple
Essential Questions:

1. Why was Athens considered a democracy?
2. How was democracy in Athens different from democracy we have today?
3. How do you think democracy in Athens led to its high cultural standing?

Assignment: Write 10 questions and answers.  Your questions must be information questions.  They must begin with a “Wh” word (who, what, when, where, how, why or which)
Sparta
Sparta was much different than Athens.  It did not have all the glorious buildings like Athens did.  Sparta was in southern Greece.  It was surrounded by mountains.  The mountains helped protect the city from invaders.  Sparta was a military society.  It was the only city-state that had a full time army.  Boys were taken from their mothers at age seven to be trained in warfare.  Spartan men were soldiers until they either died in battle or were too old to fight at the age of 60.  Boys and men spent their whole lives training and fighting.  Since all Spartan men were soldiers, slaves called Helots did all the farming.  Helots were allowed to keep some of their crops for themselves but most of it was given to Spartan citizens.  Helots were often captured in battles from other Greek city-states.
Spartan emphasis on war was very effective at keeping obedience and loyalty in their city-state. Sparta’s military expertise has been credited for many victories that helped protect the other city-states. However, Sparta did not focus on much else. As a result, they were poorer, and less technically advanced than the other city-states
Sparta had a much different kind of government than other Greek city-states.  Spartan government was both an oligarchy and a monarchy.  It had two kings but the rich and powerful were part of an Assembly which made the laws. The kings made sure the laws were followed.  Because Sparta was at war so often one king stayed at home to protect society and the other king led the war.  In some ways it was similar to the Untied States where our Congress makes laws and the President enforces them.  However, in Sparta only a few people had any say in their government whereas in America everyone participates.

 

 EssentialQuestions:

• What type of government did Sparta have?
• What kind of society was Sparta?

Assignment: Write 10 questions and answers.  Your questions must be information questions.  They must begin with a “Wh” word (who, what, when, where, how, why or which)

Ancient Greece Part VI >The Peloponnesian War
Objective SWBAT explain the causes and effects of the Peloponnesian War.  SWBAT predict what became of Greece due to the war.
6H.2.1  Explain how invasions, conquests, and migrations affected various civilizations, societies and regions (e.g., Mongol invasion, The Crusades, the Peopling of the Americas and Alexander the Great).

Over time, Athens gradually became richer and more powerful than all the other city-states. As its influence grew, the leaders of Athens began to demand loyalty from the other city-states. This loyalty was further strengthened when an alliance was formed to fight the Persians, who were invading Greece. After the Persians were defeated, the troops raised for the war were used by Athens to control the other city-states.
Shortly after, an Athenian general by the name of Pericles insisted that all criminal trials be held in Athens. He also attempted to force the other city-states to adopt and use Athens money.
Led by Sparta, the other city-states rebelled against the growing strength of Athens. The war that followed is known as the Peloponnesian War. This war lasted from 431 B.C. until 404 B.C., and had devastating effects on Greece.
At first it appeared that Athens would win. Their powerful navy dominated the Mediterranean Sea. However, Sparta’s hatred of Athens was deep. The Spartans made a deal with Persia, their former enemy. They traded the Persians land for money. Sparta then used this gold to build a navy of its own.
For decades, the war tore the city-states of Greece apart. Finally, in 404 B.C., Sparta was able to conquer the city of Athens and demand its surrender. Though Sparta had won, no one could claim victory. The war had resulted in the deaths of many of their citizens. Orchards, vineyards and fields had been destroyed. The treasuries of the city-states had been destroyed, and faith in democracy had been reduced. As a result of the Peloponnesian War, Greece became weaker and poorer.
Within a few decades, when attacked by the Macedonians, they would be completely unable to defend themselves, and their civilization would collapse

Essential Questions:

1. What were the causes and effects of the Peloponnesian War?

Assignment: Write 5 questions and answers.  Your questions must be information questions.  They must begin with a “Wh” word (who, what, when, where, how, why or which)
Ancient Greece VII >Alexander the Great- Creation of an Empire
Objective SWBAT explain how both Philip and Alexander saved Greek city-states from each other and created an empire.  SWBAT examine the legacy of Alexander the Great and explain his impact on European history.
6H.2.1  Explain how invasions, conquests, and migrations affected various civilizations, societies and regions (e.g., Mongol invasion, The Crusades, the Peopling of the Americas and Alexander the Great).
6H.2.4  Explain the role that key historical figures and cultural groups had in transforming society (e.g., Mansa Musa, Confucius, Charlemagne and Qin Shi Huangdi
6C.1 Explain how the behaviors and practices of individuals and groups influenced societies, civilizations and regions.
Many of the ancient Greek city-states were constantly at war with each other.  They fought for many reasons but mostly about land and control over trade.  City-states made alliances with each other.  An alliance was like a friendship.  If one city-state attacked another city-state then other city-states would join the war with their alliance partners.  Think of it this way.  Let’s say you have a friend who is attacked by another student.  You join in to help your friend even though the other student didn’t do anything to you.  You are just trying to help your friend but all of a sudden the other boy also has friends who try to help him.  Before you know it, there aren’t just two boys fighting but rather there are ten boys fighting.  This is what it was like for the Greek city-states.  Wars between two city-sates brought in other city-states.  The most famous war was the Peloponnesian War.  Athens and Sparta fought each other for many years (431 BC-404 BC).  Sparta eventually won the war but thousands of Greeks were killed before it was over.   The Greek city-states all fought against each other constantly.  They only fought together when there was a greater enemy from outside Greece.  The Greeks biggest enemy was the Persian Empire to the east.  The Persians tried to take over Greece.  All of the Greek city-states came together to beat the Persians several times, but after the Persians left they would start fighting each other again. 
By the fourth century BC (300s BC) the city-states had fought so much that the Greek population went down.  Greeks were killing each other.  They became so weak that they were targeted for invasion.  Macedonia was a kingdom north of the Peloponnesian city-states.  Macedonians were a collection of Dorian and Ionian tribes.   Remember Greece was not a nation.  Macedonians were basically Greek in culture but just part of another kingdom. 
King Philip of Macedonia wanted to take over and unite the Greek city-states.  King Philip II of Macedonia was the first Greek leader to organize Greek city-states to form union. Before he could complete his mission totally he was murdered.   Afterwards his son Alexander the Great took control and achieved his dream and much more.
Alexander had been taught by the famous Athenian teacher, Aristotle.  Aristotle instructed Alexander in politics, war, and in critical thinking. At the age of 16, Alexander was made a captain in the Macedonian armies where he gained the respect of his soldiers for his bravery and battle strategies. When Alexander was 20 years old his father was murdered. After the death of his father, Alexander became the king of Macedonia.
Having been tutored by Aristotle, Alexander admired the Greeks. He thought that their culture was refined and that it had many things to offer. Alexander also admired the Persian culture, seeing many things that he thought were noteworthy. 
Alexander was determined to conquer both Greece and Persia.   He wanted to combine them into an empire.  Alexander was an excellent military leader.  He conquered other Greek city-states, but unlike the Spartans he did not make his fellow Greeks into slaves.  He made them all Greeks fighting together for one cause. For the next 13 years Alexander, now known as Alexander the Great, marched his troops from battle to battle, conquering more and more territory. Alexander conquered territories outside of Greece and created an empire.  An empire is when a country controls areas outside its own country.  Alexander even went all the way to India.  By uniting all the Greeks, both Phillip and Alexander saved Greeks from killing themselves and at the same time built a gigantic Greek empire.
At the age of 33, Alexander the Great contracted a fever which quickly took his life. The empire he had worked so hard to build was divided among three of his generals whose decedents ruled these three territories as separate empires.  However, even though his kingdom did not last long, his influence and legacy did. The conquests of Alexander the Great spread the Greek culture throughout much of Europe and Asia.  The Greek culture mixed with other cultures, forming a new type of civilization which is today referred to as Hellenistic. These Hellenistic cities spoke Greek and practiced many of the religious and other cultural practices first introduced by the Greeks.  Greece as a nation was gone, but as a culture, it had been spread throughout the known world. In Egypt a new city was founded by the name of Alexandria. In Alexandria, the first museum was founded in the history of the world. This museum included a zoo, a botanical garden, and a vast library. Scientists and scholars from around the world traveled to Alexandria to study the works collected there.
Even today, many thousands of years later, the Greek culture continues to influence many aspects of Western culture. This small nation has become one of the most influential cultures in the history of the world.
Essential Questions:

1. Why were Greek city-states constantly at war with each other?
2. How did King Philip and Alexander unite the Greeks?
3. What was Alexander the Great’s legacy and explain his impact on European history?

Assignment Finish each sentence.

1. If one city-state attacked another city-state then other city-states would join the war with their __________________________ partners. 
2. Alexander had been taught by the famous Athenian teacher, _________________________________.
3.   Alexander was determined to conquer both Greece and _____________________________.
4. Alexander conquered territories outside of Greece and created an ___________________________.
5. The conquests of Alexander the Great spread the Greek culture throughout much of ________________________.

Assignment: Write 10 questions and answers.  Your questions must be information questions.  They must begin with a “Wh” word (who, what, when, where, how, why or which)
        Alexander the Great

 

 

Ancient Greece the Minoans The Mycenaeans Athens vs Sparta summary and study guide