11. Hellenism & Alexander

A. GREEK EDUCATION 

1. The Greeks made contributions in many fields of learning; they developed many innovations that influenced education today (such as having primary and secondary levels)

a. Greece’s location on the Mediterranean allowed for trade with other countries, not just of products but of diverse ideas

b. The Greeks took these achievements from other parts of the ancient world and built on them

c. Because of the prosperity from trade, many Greeks could afford to support academies of education    

B. GREEK DEMOCRACY 

1. The foundation of America’s democratic republic began with Athens’ direct democracy

a. Athenian citizens participate in government decisions by voting

b. A council would propose laws; Greek men over 18 yrs old could vote on them; approved proposals became laws

C. GREEK LITERATURE and DRAMA 

1. Dramatic plays with actors and actresses in theaters were popular entertainment for the ancient Greeks; they were the first to develop comedies and tragedies 

a. Modern entertainment such as television shows, movies, and concerts have their roots here

b. Open-air theaters were built in such a way that everyone attending the dramas in the audience could see and hear the action  

2. The poet Homer wrote the famous stories The Odyssey and The Iliad (which are read in Language Arts classes worldwide!)  

D.  GREEK ARCHITECTURE

1. The Greeks were among the most talented architects of the ancient world

a. The Parthenon, a temple of marble made to honor the goddess Athena, is the most famous example of Greek architecture

b. The Greeks made columns in various styles (Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian) and displayed murals of mythological scenes in their buildings

c. Greek architecture’s influence can be found in many buildings around the world, including the U.S. 

E. GREEK MATHEMATICS

1. Ancient Greek mathematicians developed important math concepts that are still used today 

a. Scientists use pi to find the circumference of circles

b. Euclid developed proofs that became the basis for modern geometry

c. Pythagoras tried to explain everything in mathematical terms

d. He created a theorem about the relationships between the sides of a triangle called the Pythagorean Theorem; the Theorem is still used all over the world


 F. GREEK PHILOSOPHY: SOCRATES, PLATO, and ARISTOTLE

1. Philosophy means “love of wisdom”

a. SOCRATES taught his students to challenge accepted values in Greece 

b. He thought people must think for themselves to understand the truth 

  1. PLATO was a student of Socrates; he was a philosopher and mathematician   

  2.  He also created the Academy of Athens, the first center of higher learning in the Western world 

a. ARISTOTLE was a student of Plato and became a brilliant teacher of the sciences

b. Aristotle created the basis for the scientific method: every truth is followed by other logical truth 

c. Together with the work of Socrates and Plato, Aristotle’s work provided a basis of Western civilization

G. GREEK ASTRONOMY and GEOGRAPHY

1. The Greeks took the first steps into astronomy(study of planets and stars); some of their conclusions were wrong, but provided ideas for later astronomers to build and improve on 

a. The Greeks realized that the Sun was larger than Earth (originally, they thought the Sun was smaller than Greece) 

b. A Greek scientist was able to determine the Earth’s true-size

c. The Greeks debated over whether the Sun or the Earth was the center of the Universe

d. They settled on the belief of Ptolemy: he thought that Earth was the center; this would be believed for 14 more centuries 

H. GREEK ENGINEERING

1. Archimedes was a brilliant scientist and engineer from the Greek territory of Syracuse (modern day Sicily) 

a. He designed levers that could lift heavy objects; he designed a screw that pumped water from the ground 

b. Archimedes also built war machines such as catapults that threw rocks and launched arrows 

c. He made a machine that had reflective metal; he would reflect the Sun’s rays at enemy ships and set them on fire

I.  GREEK ART and SCULPTURES

1. The Greeks’ life-sized statues are renowned for their innovation; the sculptures showed realism and portrayed human movement

a. By making nude sculptures, the Greeks tried to show “ideal human beauty” 

J.  GREEK MEDICINE

1. Hippocrates is called the “father of modern medicine” because he began a school that introduced new medical practices 

a. Hippocrates believed that diseases were caused by natural events not by the gods 

b. Greek physicians developed the “Hippocratic Oath” a pledge that doctors take that emphasizes a doctor’s responsibility to the patients 

“I swear by Apollo, the healer, and I take to witness all the gods…the following Oath:  I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.”