The Rise of Greek City-States Section 4-2 pp. 118-123
Dec 26, 2015
Geography Shapes Greece
Greece is part of the Balkan Peninsula
Greece is part of the Balkan Peninsula
Greece has rugged terrain
Greece has rugged terrain
Greek city-states were isolated by mountains or
water
Greek city-states were isolated by mountains or
water
The seas connected Greece to the outside world.
The seas connected Greece to the outside world.
PeloponnesusPeloponnesus
Aegean SeaAegean Sea
Adriatic SeaAdriatic Sea
Ionian SeaIonian Sea
II. Governing the City-States
• Polis: Greek City-State– Acropolis• High point of the city• Temples located here
– Lower City• Marketplace• Theater• Homes
II. Governing the City-States
• Citizen: Free residents of a town or city– Not all citizens were equal – Male landowners held the most power
II. Governing the City-States
• Monarchy: A government in which a hereditary ruler exercises central power.
• Aristocracy: Rule by a hereditary landholding elite.
• Oligarchy: Rule by a small group of the wealthy elite.
III. Sparta: A Warrior Society • Government– Ruled by two kings– Citizen assembly
approved decisions– Daily work ran by ephors
• Military Society – Needed to control helots– Trained from birth – Used phalanx formation
III. Sparta: A Warrior Society
• Women in Sparta– Trained to bear and raise healthy soldiers – Patriarchal society, could inherit property
• Isolation– Avoided trade and travel– Didn’t value arts or literature
IV. Athens Evolves Into a Democracy
• Government– Evolved from an
aristocracy into a democracy
– Solon: made the government more democratic
IV. Athens Evolves Into a Democracy
• Pisistratus: Tyrant who weakened the aristocracy by giving more power to the poor
• Cleisthenes: Created the Council of 500 – Legislature composed of 500 citizens chosen by lot
IV. Athens Evolves Into A Democracy
• Athens had a limited democracy– Only landholding males were citizens – Didn’t include slaves, women, or merchants
• Women in Athens– Most important participation was in religious life– Received little or no formal education
IV. Athens Evolves Into a Democracy
• Education – Reserved for wealthy
males – Studied reading,
writing, poetry, music, public speaking