west civ

UNIT I: ANCIENT GREECE

Study Guide


For the upcoming test, be sure to look over your textbook, notes, and activities in order to prepare. Even though I have provided some key terms on this guide, it will be to your benefit to create your own list of key terms, people, places, events, and groups for the entire unit – as these things will surely turn up on the test. To help guide your studying efforts – consider the major themes / key questions below:


KEY TERMS & CONCEPTS


Government Types- Aristocracy, democracy oligarchy, monarchy,

Polis-A version of a greek city states

Pericles-ruler of Athens from 460-429 BC

Dardanelles- a narrow straight of water where the battle of Salamis occurred

Acropolis- the elevated part of a city-state usually where the big temple went.

Rhetoric: Art of skillful speaking, good for debate and respect 

Minoans- an early civilization that set the cultural foundation for the Ancient greeks

Hoplite-a heavily armed soldier 

Macedonia- a kingdom of rough mountains that eventually conquered the ancient world

Mycenaeans-an early civilization that will help the greeks early developement

Phalanx- a battle position

Hellenism / Hellenistic Culture-a blend of multiple cultures that was created by Alexander's conquering of the ancient world.

Dorians- they invaded Greece and took over the Mycenaean civilization, they were sea raiders, they settled in Greece around 750BC and were a part of Homer's time.

Helot: enslaved people of Sparta who were the backbone of the economy, could not vote and did not have many rights 

Peloponnesian War-When the Spartans defeated the Athenians which ended the Athenian Golden Age and the Peloponnesian league.

Homer- wrote poems like The Iliad and The Odyssey. 

Archon Solon- A wise and trusted leader who was appointed Archon (a chief official)in 594BC in Athens

Parthenon: the chief temple of the Greek goddess Athena on the Acropolis in Athens, Greec


TEXTBOOK TOPIC 5: ANCIENT GREECE


Section 5.1: EARLY GREECE

  • What early civilizations set the cultural foundation for the Ancient Greeks and how do we know anything about them?

The minoan

Section 5.2: THE GREEK CITY-STATES

  • How did geography impact the development of the Greek City-States? 

Every city-state is developed separately because they settled in valleys and were separated by mountains.

  • How were Athens and Sparta different as they developed into the two dominant city-states of Ancient Greece?

Spartan women  could get an education and were encouraged to be active so they could have healthy sons for war while in Athens Athenian women had to stay inside everyday.

  • How did the Persian Wars impact the Greek city-states – both during and after the conflict? What were the major battles associated with the Persian Wars? What were their outcomes and impacts? 

  • The marathon: athenians rushed persians with heavy armour and attacked them they won

  • Thermopolis: 300 spartans on a hill they wedged themselves in between the water and land their sacrifice let the greeks run away, 

  • Salamis: naval battle they tricked the Persians into the bay, Athenian victory

  • Plateas: Athens and Sparta on the hill Persians think they are retreating so they follow them but the Athenians and Spartans counterattack.


  • What was the Golden Age of Greece? Why did it occur? What did this “golden age” look like in Athens? The leader was Pericles . They just got out of the Persian wars, this is where there was a democracy and everyone was admiring the Athenians for their greatness.


  • What were the causes and impacts of the Peloponnesian War in Ancient Greece?

Sparta and other nations did not like the new Athens and war broke out, the Peloponesian wars, Sparta eventually defeated Athens and Athens became less rich and more selfish but it was still the cultural center of Greece.

Section 5.3: GREEK THINKERS, ARTISTS, AND WRITERS

  • Who were the major Greek philosophers and what role did they have in Ancient Greek society?

Socrates- came up with the socratic method he asked people questions to help them find themselves he got put on trial for dishonesty gods, threatening their religion, and corrupting the youth and was sentenced to death


Plato-distrusts democracy because of what happened to Socrates and he wrote The Republic he wants one leader that were philosophers he wants us to question the world and use logic, he believes in perfect forms of everything.


Aristotle- believed in trusting your senses and the world around you


Heroditis- he colored history and told them creatively he was the historian for the Persian wars, he was biased because he was greek


Thucydides- a historian that told the stories of the Peloponnesian wars looked for rational explanations and avoided bias.



  • Who are some of the other major Greek thinkers and innovators that are remembered from this time period? What did they do? Why is their legacy significant?


Aeschylus,Sophocles, and Euripides- wrote tragedies for plays famous ones are Oresteia by Aeschylus


Aristophones- wrote comedies like Lysustrata


Section 5.4: ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND THE LEGACY OF GREECE

  • What impact did Alexander’s conquests have on the Ancient World?

He spread Greek culture around to many other countries and created a new blended culture in the process called Hellenistic.

  • What is “Hellenistic Culture” and why is it significant to the ancient world?

A blend of multiple cultures that was created because of Alexander conquering the ancient world.

  • Who are some of the major Hellenistic thinkers and innovators that are remembered from this time period? (those based on Alexandria) What did they do? Why is their legacy significant?