Ancient Greece Question Notes
Answer the following questions from the book. (Chapter 5) You are allowed to work in groups, but DO NOT copy
answers. It will not help you and Greece has a LOT of information.
Geography of Ancient Greece
1. What are the 3 main seas that surround Greece?
2. Where did the Greeks live theoretically speaking and why was this the case?
3. Why did the Greeks have to depend on the seas for travel and trade?
4. About what percent of Greece was covered by mountains?
5. What did it do to the people and cities of Greece? What was the effect of this on the unification of Greece into a
single empire?
6. How could you compare this to the high schools of Loudoun County today?
7. What percentage of Greek lands could be farmed? How did this affect the population of Greece?
8. What was the general climate of Greece and how did it allow the Greeks to live?
9. What types of activities did they take part in on a daily basis due to this lifestyle?
10. Is there a time of year when we are able to do many of these types of activities?
Early People of Greece
11. What group first settled the area of Greece around 2000 BCE and what city were they from?
12. Who do we owe for many of the Greek core practices in their lives?
13. What was the Trojan War and when was it fought?
14. What was the reason for the war and do you know any of the famous characters?
15. Read the story of the Trojan War provided to you in the packet and answer the questions. Do this now, and then
continue with your questions. It’s a good story!
16. What happened to the Mycenaean empire following the Trojan War?
17. Who were the next people to settle the area of Greece and how did they compare to the Mycenaeans?
18. Who was Homer and what is he best known for?
19. What is an epic and list some examples? Also what are myths and how do they incorporate with one another?
20. Who are the following gods or goddesses and what are they the gods of? May need to look up at home.
a. Zeus
b. Hera
c. Athena
21. If the Greeks believe in so many gods and myths, what type of religion would we say they practice?
The Greek City States
22. What is a polis and what makes up the polis?
23. What would be comparable to a polis in today’s society? Think of the definition you just wrote and see if you can
think of some examples.
24. What is the agora?
25. What would be comparable to an agora today? (Where do people go to meet and discuss things?)
26. What is an acropolis and what is a “fortified hilltop?”
27. What were the 4 different ways to rule a Greek polis? (One is in a later paragraph). Define each style.
28. Who was expected to defend the polis?
29. What is a phalanx? Describe it as best as possible
Spartan Society
30. Where were the Spartans located and what type of state did they create?
31. When did the Spartans begin expanding their polis and what happened to the people they conquered?
32. While Sparta’s government was considered an oligarchy, what was the name of the group that voted on major
issues and who ran the military?
33. What were the social classes of Sparta and what separated the groups?
34. What were Spartan education and daily life based around?
35. At what age did this lifestyle begin for Spartan children and where did they live?
36. What was the purpose of this type of education for the children?
37. How was education similar and different for Spartan women?
38. For older women, what was their role in daily society and what were allowed and not allowed to do it society?
39. How did the roles of women differ between Athens and Sparta?
40. How would the Spartan army be ranked and what did they value most?
41. What did Spartans think of the arts and artistic expression?
Athenian Government and the Dawn of the Democracy
42. Where was Athens located in relation to Sparta?
43. How did the Corinthian ambassador describe the two areas?
44. How did Athens solve the growing political problem between the rich and the poor in society?
45. What is a democracy and who was allowed to participate in Athens?
46. Who was considered to be a citizen of Athens and who was NOT considered a citizen?
47. What was one thing that Sparta and Athens did have on common in their societies?
48. What was the main role of women in Athens?
49. Who is Draco and why is he important to Athenian history?
50. How did his laws work and what did they promote as a punishment?
51. Who is Solon and why is he important to Athenian history?
52. What did Solon fail to do for the Athenians and what was the result?
The Persian Wars
53. Who was threatening to attack the Greeks and who was their leader?
54. How did the Persian Wars begin and who won the first minor battle of the war?
55. In what year did the Persian ships come to attack Greece and where did they land?
56. Who won the Battle of Marathon and what did they use to defeat them?
57. Who was the soldier sent to alert Athens of victory and to fight for Athens and what happened to him? How far
did he run?
58. Who was the final victor in the Battle of Marathon?
59. Who is the leader of the Persians when they return in 480 BCE to the Battle of Termopylae?
60. What is different about the Greek soldiers between the Battle of Marathon and the Battle of Thermoplyae?
61. Who won the Battle of Thermoplyae and how did they do it? What happened to the Spartans?
62. What was the Athenian plan to defeat the Persians and where did they set it up?
63. Who won the Battle of Salamis and the Battle of Plataea?
64. What were 3 major outcomes of the Persian Wars?