Antient Greece

Page 1

Geography Shapes Greek civilization

Greece is a peninsula

Mountains cover Greece

Greek communities saw themselves as separate countries

The Seas surrounding Greece were the Mediterranean, Lonian, and the Aegean sea.

Traded to other countries using the seas and found food in these seas (Seafood)

Trading Cultures

There were 2 cultures in Greece, The Minoans, and the Mycenaeans.

Minoans

Good shipbuilders

Transported: wood, olive oil, pottery

Income: copper, gold, silver, jewels

They lived on the island of Crete

In 1600s BC a huge volcano erupted, flooding Crete

Mycenaeans

Were the first Greeks (Because Minoans were not considered greek)

Lived in the Greek mainland

The largest fortress was Mycenae

Took over Crete when Minoan society declined

Often attacked other kingdoms

Started he trojan war when attacking Troy

Fell apart in 1200 BC when Europe came in

Greece then also swept into the "Dark Age"

Page 2

City States

The Greek word for city-state is a polis

A classical age is one that is marked by Great achievements

built around strong fortresses

high hills are called Acropolis

Farmers lived outside city walls

during the war, people went inside for protection

market place is an agora

city state was a foundation

Local Trade

people in city states traded metal from them for wine and olive oil from the mainland

By 550 BC the greeks were the greatest traders in Aegean

Page 3

Aristocrats and Tyrants

democracy: a type of government which people rule themselves

word democracy comes from