THE ANCIENT GREEKS

Question

LESSON 1 RISE OF GREEK CIVILIZATION

Mountains and Seas

Greece is a peninsula. This means that it is surrounded by water on three sides. There are also many islands that are part of Greece. Ancient people traded among the islands and along the coastline. Many fished for a living. The land on the Greek peninsula has many mountains. On the plains between the mountains, farmers raised crops and sheep and goats. The sea and mountains greatly influenced how ancient Greek culture developed.

An Island Civilization

Another civilization developed on one of the islands off the coast of southern Greece. That island is Crete. About 1900 a British archaeologist named Arthur Evans found items from this civilization.

The place he discovered on Crete is called Knossos.

● He dug up remains of an amazing palace.

● The palace had many rooms that stored food.

● Other rooms were workshops where people made jewelry and vases.

● An ancient people called the Minoans built the palace.

Trade was an important economic activity for the Minoans. They traded pottery and vases for ivory and metals in Egypt and Syria. Sometime around 1450 B.C. the Minoan civilization ended. Historians do not know why.

A Mainland Civilization

Another early civilization in the area was the Mycenaean civilization. They lived in Greece from about 2000 B.C. to 1100 B.C.

Little was known about the Mycenaeans until the late 1800s. That was when a German archaeologist named Heinrich Schliemann found the remains of a palace. The palace was on the Greek mainland in a place called Mycenae.

In the Mycenaean civilization, each king lived in a palace built on a hill. Nobles lived outside the walls on large farms called estates. Enslaved people and other workers lived in villages on the estates. The palaces were centers of government. Workshops were housed there too. People made clothes and jars for wine and olive oil. Other workers made metal swords and leather shields.

By the mid-1400s B.C., the Mycenaeans grew. They built a strong military and fought in the Trojan War. The Mycenaeans conquered the Minoans and controlled the entire Agean Sea region. Later the many Mycenaean kings fought one another. Earthquakes destroyed their palaces. By 1100 B.C. the civilization had crumbled.





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A group called the Dorians invaded the Greek mainland. Historians call the following 300 years a Dark Age. Trade slowed down. People made fewer things to sell. Farmers grew enough food only for their families. As the Dorians continued to push into Greece, people fled to other areas. They took Greek culture with them.

Finally, by 750 B.C., the difficult time started to end. Small communities formed on the Greek mainland. They were independent and ruled by kings. The people of these communities called themselves Greeks.

Greek farmers grew more food than they could use. Trade increased, so the Greeks needed a system of writing to record their trade. They adopted or used an alphabet from the Phoenicians.

The Greek alphabet made reading and writing easier for the Greeks. Soon bards, or storytellers, were writing down old stories. Until then, the stories had been told out loud.

Colonies and Trade

The population increased in Greece when the Dark Age ended. By 700 B.C. farmers could not grow enough food for all of the people. Greek communities started to send people outside the area to form colonies. A colony is a settlement in a new territory with close ties to its homeland. Greek people started colonies along the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.

The colonies shipped grains, metals, timber, and enslaved people to "parent" cities in Greece. In return, the cities shipped wine, olive oil, and pottery to the colonies.

In the 700s B.C., the Greeks started to make coins from metals to make trading easier. A coin is small and can be traded for many different types of goods. This makes it convenient to carry and use. Trade increased and made the Greek colonies wealthier.

The Greek City-State

The polis, or city-state, was the basic political unit in early Greece. At the center of each polis was a fort built on a hilltop. This fort was called an acropolis. The open area outside the acropolis was called the agora. This space was used as a marketplace. People gathered in the agora and debated issues, passed laws, and chose officials.

Each polis was governed by its own citizens. The Greeks developed the modern idea of citizenship. In early Greece, only males who had been born in the polis and owned land were citizens. They had the right to vote, hold public office, and defend themselves in court. Their responsibilities included serving in government and fighting to defend their polis. Women and children, however, had no political rights.

Citizens fought to defend their city-state. These citizen soldiers were called hoplites. They fought on foot. Each was armed with a round shield, a short sword, and a spear. When fighting, the hoplites would march shoulder to shoulder into battle. This formation was called a phalanx.

Text BoxThe polis gave Greek citizens a sense of belonging. However, strong loyalty to their individual city-states also divided Greece. This lack of unity weakened Greece and made it easier for outsiders to conquer Greece.





READING CHECK

How did seas influence the way many ancient Greeks lived? The seas provided trade routes and resources, allowing ancient Greeks to engage in fishing, trade among islands, and trade with other civilizations. They developed maritime skills and relied on the sea for economic and social interactions.

MARKING THE TEXT

2. Circle the word that means “the system in a country that includes making, buying and selling goods.” Economy

READING CHECK

3. What did the discovery at Knossos reveal about the Minoans?

EXPLAINING

4. Why were the Mycenaean palaces important places?

IDENTIFYING

5. Name two things the Mycenaeans learned from the Minoans.

LISTING

6. List words and short phrases to answer the question for each.

You can find the answers in the Island Civilization & Mainland Civilization section.

What Mycenaeans Adopted from Minoans



Island Civilization

Mainland Civilization

What do excavations reveal?

























READING CHECK

7. How did the Dorian invasion help spread Greek culture.

READING CHECK

8. How did the colonies affect trade and industry in the Greek world?

EXPLAINING

9. Why were coins invented?

READING CHECK

10. What were the rights and responsibilities of Greek citizens?

11. List and describe the city-states in Greece.

Draw and label a diagram of a typical city-state.



WRITE IN 6TH GRADE WRITING

Answer 1

The Rise of Greek Civilization: A 6th Grade Overview

Introduction to Ancient Greece

Greece is a beautiful and unique country located on a peninsula, which means it is surrounded by water on three sides. The many islands near Greece and its long coastline made it easy for ancient people to trade and fish. The land is filled with mountains, and in between those mountains are flat areas called plains. These plains were perfect for farming, where people grew crops and raised sheep and goats. The mountains and seas played a big role in shaping ancient Greek culture and the way the Greeks lived.

Island Civilization: The Minoans

One important civilization in ancient Greece was called the Minoans, who lived on the island of Crete. In 1900, a British archaeologist named Arthur Evans discovered a fascinating palace at a place called Knossos.

• The palace was huge and had many rooms for storing food.
• There were also workshops where people created beautiful jewelry and vases.

The Minoans were great traders; they exchanged pottery and vases for valuable materials like ivory and metals from places like Egypt and Syria. Sadly, around 1450 B.C., the Minoan civilization came to an end, and historians still don’t know why.

Mainland Civilization: The Mycenaeans

Another significant civilization was the Mycenaeans, who lived in mainland Greece from about 2000 B.C. to 1100 B.C. The story of the Mycenaeans began when a German archaeologist named Heinrich Schliemann discovered a palace in Mycenae in the late 1800s.

• In the Mycenaean civilization, kings lived in palaces on hills.
• The palaces were the center of government and industry where people created goods like clothing, wine jars, metal swords, and leather shields.

By the mid-1400s B.C., the Mycenaeans had a strong military and even fought in the famous Trojan War. They took control of the Minoans and dominated the whole Aegean Sea region. However, internal conflicts and natural disasters, like earthquakes, caused their civilization to weaken, and by 1100 B.C., it had collapsed.

The Dark Age and the Spread of Greek Culture

After the Mycenaean civilization fell, a group called the Dorians invaded the mainland. This period became known as the Dark Age, lasting about 300 years. During this time, trade slowed down, and people struggled to produce enough food. Many fled to other areas, taking their Greek culture with them. However, by 750 B.C., things began to improve, and small independent communities formed.

These communities, filled with farmers who grew more food than they needed, started to trade again. They adopted an alphabet from the Phoenicians, which facilitated reading, writing, and storytelling.

Colonies and Trade

As the population grew after the Dark Age, some Greek communities could not grow enough food to support everyone. So, they began to establish colonies along the Mediterranean and Black Seas. These colonies were settlements that kept strong ties to their homeland and were vital for trade.

• Colonies sent grains, metals, timber, and enslaved people back to Greece.
• In return, they received wine, olive oil, and pottery.

The invention of coins around the 700s B.C. made trading easier, as coins were small and could be used to buy many different goods. This increased trade made both the Greek colonies and the homeland wealthier.

The Greek City-State (Polis)

The basic political unit of ancient Greece was called the polis, or city-state. At the heart of each polis was a fortress on a hill known as the acropolis, and the area below was called the agora, used for marketplaces and public gatherings.

• Each polis had its own government, where citizens (male landowners born in the city-state) could vote, hold office, and defend themselves.
• Women and children, however, did not have the same rights.

The citizens were soldiers known as hoplites, who fought in a close formation called a phalanx.

Conclusion

Although the polis fostered a sense of belonging among Greek citizens, it also created divisions between the different city-states. This lack of unity made it easier for outside forces to conquer Greece. Ancient Greece’s stunning geography, alongside its economic and political developments, laid the foundation for a civilization that would greatly influence future cultures.

Reading Check Answers

1. How did seas influence the way many ancient Greeks lived?

   • The seas provided trade routes and resources, allowing ancient Greeks to fish and engage in trade.

2. What did the discovery at Knossos reveal about the Minoans?

   • It showed they had a complex society with advanced architecture and engaged in trade.

3. Why were the Mycenaean palaces important places?

   • The palaces were centers of government and industry.

4. Name two things the Mycenaeans learned from the Minoans.

   • They learned about trade and advanced crafts like pottery and jewelry-making.

5. How did the Dorian invasion help spread Greek culture?

   • As people fled the Dorians, they carried their Greek culture to new areas.

6. How did the colonies affect trade and industry in the Greek world?

   • They increased trade, which boosted the economy and the exchange of goods.

7. Why were coins invented?

   • To make trading easier and more efficient.

8. What were the rights and responsibilities of Greek citizens?

   • Rights included voting and holding office; responsibilities involved serving in government and military.

9. List and describe the city-states in Greece.

   • Examples of city-states include Athens (focused on culture and democracy) and Sparta (known for military strength).

Diagram of a Typical City-State

• Label: Acropolis (fortress on a hill)
• Label: Agora (marketplace)
• Label: Residential areas (homes of citizens)
• Label: Farmlands (areas outside the city for agriculture)

This overview captures the essence of ancient Greek civilization and its profound impact on history!