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Ch 4 Sec 2 The Rise of Greek City-States

I. Geography Shapes Greece

The Mediterranean and Aegean seas were as central to the development of Greek civilization as the Nile was to the Egyptians. The Greeks absorbed many ideas and beliefs from the ancient Mesopotamians and Egyptians but also developed their own unique ways. Rose in the fertile river valleys where strong rulers organized irrigation works that helped farmers to produce the surpluses necessary to support large cities

A. Landscape Defines Political Boundaries Greece is part of Balkan Peninsula which extends southward into the eastern Mediterranean Sea 1. Mountains divide the peninsula into isolated valleys 2. The Greeks who farmed the valleys or settled on the scattered islands did not create a large empire like the Persians or Egyptians 3. They built many small city-states, cut off from one another by mountains or watera.) Each included a city and its surrounding countrysideb.) Greeks fiercely defended the independence of their small city-states, and endless rivalry often led to war B. Life by the Sea The Seas provided a vital link to the world outside 1. The Greeks became skilled sailors and carried cargoes of olive oil, wine, and marble to parts throughout the Mediterranean2. They returned not only with grains and metals but also with ideas, which they adapted to their own needs a.) The Greeks adapted the Phoenician alphabet which resulted in the basis for all later Western alphabets3. By 750 BC, rapid population growth forced many Greeks to leave their own overcrowded valleys4. Since fertile land was limited, the Greeks expanded overseas a.) Gradually, a scattering of Greek colonies took root all around the Mediterranean from Spain to Egypt

C. Governing the City-States The Greeks evolved a unique version of the city state, the polis 1. The polis was made up of a major city or town and its surrounding countryside 2. Typically, the city itself was built on two levels a.) acropolis stood on the top of a hill with its great marble temple dedicated to different gods and goddesses b.) On the flatter ground below lay the walled main city with its marketplace, theater, public buildings, and homes

3. The population of each city-state was fairly small, which helped the citizens, or free residents share a sense of responsibility for its triumphs and defeats 4. Free men spent much time outdoors in the marketplace, debating issues that affected their lives5. The whole community joined in festivals honoring the citys special god or goddess6. The rights of citizens were unequal and male landowners held all political power

D. Types of Government Evolve Between 750 BC and 500 BC, different forms of government evolved 1. At first, the ruler of the polis was king. A monarchy is a government in which a hereditary ruler exercises central power 2. Slowly, power shifted to a class of noble landowners a.) Because only they could afford bronze weapons and chariots, these nobles were also the military defenders of the city-states b.) At first, these landowners defended the king but in time they won power for themselves 1. resulted in an aristocracy rule by a hereditary landholding elite

3. As trade expanded, a new middle class of wealthy merchants, farmers, and artisans emerged in some cities that challenged the landowning nobles for power a.) They came to dominate in some city states 1. resulted in an oligarchy power in the hands of a small, wealthy elite

E. New Warfare Methods Shape Greece Changes in military technology increased the power of the middle class1. By about 650 BC, iron weapons replaced bronze ones which allowed ordinary citizens to afford iron helmets, shields, and swords2. A new method of fighting emerged the phalanx a massive tactical formation of heavily armed foot soldiersa.) It required long hours of drill to master and shared training created a strong sense of unity among the citizen-soldiers

3. By putting defense of the city-state in the hands of ordinary citizens, the phalanx reduced class differences4. The new type of warfare led to the two most influential city-state Athens and Sparta to develop very different ways of life5. While Sparta stressed military virtues and stern discipline, Athens glorified the individual and extended political rights to more citizens

II. Sparta: A Warrior Society Dorian invaders from the north conquered Laconia, in the southern part of the Peloponnesus. The Dorians settled her and built the city-state of Sparta. The invaders turned the conquered people into state-owned slaves, called helots, and made them work the landThe Spartans set up a brutal system of strict controlThe Spartan government included two kings and a council of elders who advised the monarchsAn assembly of all citizens approved major decisionsCitizens were male, native-born Spartans over the age of 30The assembly also elected five ephors, or officials, who ran day-to-day affairs A. Daily Life Ruled by Discipline From childhood, a Spartan prepared to be part of a military state1. Officials examined every newborn and sickly children were abandoned to die2. Spartans wanted future soldiers and the future mothers of soldiers to be healthy3. At the age of 7, boy began training for a lifetime in the military a. they moved to the barracks where they ate a coarse diet, had hard exercise, and rigid discipline b. to develop cunning and supplement their diet, they were encouraged to steal food but they were severely beaten if they were caught 4. At the age of 20, a man could marry but he had to live in the barracks for another 10 years and eat there for another 40

B. Women of Sparta Girls also had a rigorous upbringing 1. Expected to produce healthy sons for the army and had to exercise and strengthen their bodies2. Had to obey fathers and husbands but had right to inherit property3. Some women ran the familys estate since the men were often at war

C. Sparta Stands Alone Isolated themselves from other Greeks1. Looked down on trade and wealth and forbade their citizens to travel and had little use for new ideas or the arts2. Other Greeks admired Spartan military skills but no other city-state imitated them a. Spartans are willing to die for their city because they have no reason to live.

III. Athens Evolves into a Democracy Located in Attica, north of Peloponnesus. Government evolved from a monarchy into an aristocracy.

By 700 BC, landholders held power and chose chief officials, judged major court cases, and dominated the assemblyA. Demands for Change Under the aristocracy, wealth and power grew but discontent spread among ordinary people 1. Merchants and soldiers resented the power of the nobles and argued that their service to Athens entitled them to more rights2. Foreign artisans were resentful that foreigners were barred from becoming citizens

3. Farmers demanded change and many were forced to sell their land to nobles during hard times a. A growing number even sold themselves and their families into slavery to pay debts4. As discontent spread, Athens moved slowly toward a democracy, government by the people

B. Solon Reforms Government Solon, a wise and trusted leader was appointed archon or chief official1. Outlawed debt slavery and freed those who had already been sold into slavery 2. Opened high offices to more citizens, granted citizenship to some foreigners, and gave Athenian assembly more say in important decisions3. Introduced economic reforms as well a. encouraged export of wine and olive oil which helped merchants and farmers to increase demand for their products

4. Citizenship remained limited and many positions were only open to the wealthy5. Widespread unrest led to the rise of tyrants, people who gained power by force a. Often won support from merchant class and poor by imposing reforms to help those groups b. Although Greek tyrants often governed well, the word tyrant has come to mean a vicious ruler

C. Citizens Share Power and Wealth Athenian tyrant Pisistratus seized power in 546 BC1. He helped farmers by giving them loans and land taken from nobles2. New building projects gave jobs to the poor a. By giving poor citizens a voice, he further weakened the aristocracy

3. In 507 BC, Cleisthenes broadened the role of ordinary citizens in government a. He set up the Council of 500 1. Members were chosen from among all citizens over 30 2. Council prepared laws considered by the assembly and supervised the day-to-day work of government 3. He made the assembly a genuine legislature lawmaking body that debated laws before deciding to approve or reject them

D. A Limited Democracy By modern standards, Athenian democracy was quite limited1. Only citizens could participate in government and citizenship was restricted to landowning men 2. Women were excluded along with merchants and people whose parents were not citizens 3. The tens of thousands of slaves lacked political rights as well as personal freedom 4. Athens still gave more people a say in decision making than any other ancient civilization E. Women in Athens Women had no share in political life1. Aristotle the man is by nature fitter for command than the female just as an older person is superior to a younger, more immature person. a. Most Greeks accepted the idea that women should be guided by men2. Women played their most significant public role in religion as participants in sacred ceremonies3. In well-to-do homes, women managed the entire household a. They spun and wove, cared for their children, and prepared food but lived a secluded existence and were rarely seen in public b. Their slaves or children were sent to buy food and to fetch water from the public well 4. Poorer women worked outside the home as spinners, weavers, or potters F. Educating the Youth Unlike girls who received little to no formal education, boys attended school if their families could afford it1. Besides learning to read and write they also studied music, memorized poetry, and studied public speaking because as citizens of a democracy they would have to voice their views2. Although they received military training and participated in athletic contests, Athens encouraged young men to explore many areas of knowledgeIV. Forces for Unity Strong local identification, an independent spirit, and economic rivalry led to fighting among the Greek city-statesDespite their divisions, Greeks shared a common cultureThey spoke the same language, honored the same ancient heroes, participated in common festivals, and prayed to the same gods

A. Mythology and Religion Greeks were polytheistic1. Gods lived on Mount Olympus in northern Greece2. In Greek myths, the most powerful Olympian was Zeus who presided over the affairs of gods and humans a. His children included Ares (god of war) and Aphrodite (goddess of love). Athena (goddess of wisdom) gave her name to Athens3. Honored their gods with temples and festivals which included processions, sacrifices, feasts, plays, choral singing, and athletic competitions 4. Consulted oracles, priests or priestesses through whom the gods were thought to speak a. Some Greeks thinkers came to believe that the universe was regulated not by the gods but by natural laws B. Greek View of Foreigners As trade and colonies expanded, the Greeks came into contact with people from foreign lands with different languages and customs1. Greeks called them barbaroi (people who did not speak Greek) and felt superior to them a. The English word barbarian comes from this Greek term b. These barbarians even included Phoenicians and Egyptians, from whom the Greeks borrowed important ideas and inventions2. This sense of uniqueness and superiority helped the Greeks when they were threatened by the mightiest power in the Mediterranean world, the Persian empire.