GREEK CITY-STATES

Lesson 8.3 Outline

Do Now

Turn to page 284 of your textbook and let’s read about the Dark Age of Greece

Do Now #2

Let’s review the vocabulary words from page 288.

The Rise of City-States

A. In 750 B.C., Greek settlements grew into large city-states

1. A polis connected a city and farms, towns, and villages around it

a. Sparta, Athens, Argos, and Corinth were four major city-states

Greek City States

The Rise of City-States

B. Setup of city-states

1. All free people were citizens, unless they or their parents were foreigners

2. Most city-states had fewer than 5,000 people

a. Corinth had as many as 10,000 people

b. Athens may have had more than 20,000 people

Greek City States

The Rise of City-States

C. Development started similarly in all city-states

1. Most started at a base of a large hill on which a fort, or acropolis, was built

a. During enemy attacks, people would be protected in its walls

b. Later this became a center for religion in many city-states

Acropolis

The Rise of City-States

2. Outside the acropolis were houses, temples, and an open-air market called an agora

a. The agora was the political center of the city-state

b. There people traded and discussed the news of the day

Agora

The Rise of City-States

D. Boundaries of city-states

1. Natural barriers such as mountains and seas separated each city-state

a. This caused the city-states to develop independently and kept them from uniting under one government

Greece’s Mountains

New Ways of Governing

Oligarchies developed as a way to rule

1. Kings ruled during the Dark Age of Greece

2. A small group of aristocrats, or the wealthy ruling class, replaced kings

New Ways of Governing

3. They each ruled over one specific aspect of the society

a. This included the army, economy, and religion

New Ways of Governing

4. They also decided laws and punishments for breaking those laws

New Ways of Governing

B. Problems with oligarchies

1. Poorer people wanted new leaders who could provide them with a better life

2. Ambitious aristocrats struggled to become the sole ruler of the city-state

New Ways of Governing

C. Tyrants developed in the 600’s B.C.

1. Claimed total and sole control over many city-states

2. Originally, they had the support of the people

a. They ruled well and improved lives

New Ways of Governing

3. Later, tyrants began to rule harshly

a. By 500 B.C., the people of many city-states had overthrown the tyrants

New Ways of Governing

D. Democracies grew from disabled tyranny

1. Democracy is a rule by the people

a. This developed in a few city-states, such as Athens

b. Only free males over 18 years of age could vote

Activity

Let’s turn to page 290 of your textbook to review Democratic Values.

Commerce and Colonies

A. Large-scale trade, or commerce, formed in Greece around 700 B.C.

1. This brought much-wanted goods and resources to the city-states

Commerce and Colonies

a. Grain, wine, olive oil, wood, pottery, and metal works, such as iron weapons and tools were exchanged among the city-states

b. Use of iron tools allowed for more food from farms, which brought about larger populations, and a competition over farmland

c. In search of land and resources, such as iron ore, people in these city-states looked beyond the Aegean Sea

Commerce and Colonies

B. New settlements started along coastlines of Mediterranean and Black Seas

1. These colonies were independent city-states but remained tied to homeland through religion and trade

a. By 500 B.C., the Greeks founded colonies in southern Europe, northern Africa, and Asia Minor

Greek Colonies

13 American Colonies

A New Kind of Warfare

A. Even though the city-states had a common culture, they were rivals

A New Kind of Warfare

1. They fought over land and resources

a. To defend themselves, they kept large armies

A New Kind of Warfare

B. All adult male citizens served at least some time in the army

1. Wealth and status determined his rank

A New Kind of Warfare

a. The wealthiest men were leaders

A New Kind of Warfare

b. Those who could afford their own horse were in the cavalry

A New Kind of Warfare

c. The next rank were foot soldiers and hoplites

A New Kind of Warfare

d. The lowest rank were the poorest men, who served as archers and stone throwers

Military Ranks

A New Kind of Warfare

C. Hoplites made up most of the army

1. They were outfitted with at least 70 pounds of bronze body armor, including a helmet and a chest piece

2. They carried a long spear in their right hands and a round shield in their left hands

3. They had to be strong enough to fight under the weight of heavy armor and wealthy enough to pay for it

A New Kind of Warfare

D. Fought in a rectangular formation, marching in rows, sometimes hundreds of soldiers long and eight or more deep

A New Kind of Warfare

1. Fought shoulder to shoulder, with their shields nearly touching

2. Each counted on the soldiers next to him for protection

3. Archers, chariots, and cavalry backed up the hoplites

4. Marched forward in a thick, moving wall

A New Kind of Warfare

a. One army of hoplites pushed up against the other army’s wall in a brutal style of fighting

Hoplite Vase

Wrap Up

Define oligarchy, democracy, commerce, and colonies

What were the major city-states of Greece?

Describe the progression of Greek government

How is Greek democracy similar and different from the democracy of the United States?

What were the ranks of Greek soldiers?