Ancient Greece :
Geography and Early Greeks
Key Terms:
Polis
Acropolis
What countries
and bodies of water surround Greece?
Greece is
located in
Europe.
The Geography of
Greece
• Greece is a peninsula
with many smaller
peninsulas branching
off the mainland.
• Greece is also made up
of many islands.
• Much of Greece is
dominated by
mountains that run to
the sea.
Rocky coasts made farming difficult and made people settle in villages
that were isolated from one another.
Trade with Greece
• Greeks took to the sea
for transportation and
communication.
• The Greeks became
skilled shipbuilders
and sailors.
• As the Greeks traveled,
they found sources of
food and other
products they needed
to survive.
How is the way the Greeks found food to survive different with that of the
Mesopotamians, Egyptians, or Indians?
What do you notice about the Minoan pottery?
The Minoans
• The Minoans were
one of the first
cultures to develop
in Greece.
• It developed on the
island of Crete.
• Minoans traded
wood, olive oil, and
pottery for copper,
gold, silver, and
jewels.
The Minoan
culture collapsed
when a giant wave
flooded Crete.
Minoans aren’t
considered to
be Greek.
The Mycenaeans
• The Mycenaeans were
the first people to
speak Greek.
• Mycenaeans built
fortresses all over the
Greek mainland.
• They were aggressive
and often attacked
other kingdoms to get
what they needed.
The Mycenaeans culture declined when
earthquakes destroyed many cities.
Greeks Create CityStates
• After the fall of the
Mycenaeans, the
Greeks began to join
together for protection.
• They formed polis, or
city-states.
• A city-state is a
political unit that
consists of a city and
the surrounding
countryside.
Life in a City-State
•
The city-states were built
around a strong fortress
called an acropolis.
• The town around the
acropolis was surrounded
by walls for protection.
• Life in the city was
focused around the
marketplace, or agora,
where goods were sold,
meetings were held, and
religious assemblies took
place.
City-state
residents
were EXPECTED
to take part in its
economy and
government.
Greeks and city-states traded olives, wine, copper, and iron.
Greeks Colonize Greece
• Greeks became worried
and curious and began to
branch out all over
Europe.
• Some cities around the
Mediterranean Sea that
exist today began as
Greek colonies.
• These cities include
Istanbul, Marseille, and
Naples.
City-states
became
richer through
trade.