Thursday, September 15, 2011
Agenda
 Bell Assignment
 Notes: The Peloponnesian Wars and
Greek Golden Age
 Philosophers of Greece: Socrates,
Plato, Aristotle
TEST: Wednesday, September 22, 2011
Bell Assignment
 Read the following speech by an
Athenian leader, Pericles. After reading
the speech, find three values. Please
write the value and the quote.
 Ex. Patriotism – “We alone regard a man
who takes no interest in public affairs,
not as harmless but as a useless
character.”
Peloponnesian Wars
and the Golden Age
of Athens
Ch. 5 Sections 3 and 4
9/15/2011
After the Persian Wars. . . .
 After the Persian Wars, Greece was
divided.
 Many polises chose to side with the
Delian League (Athens), while others
sided with the Spartan Confederacy
(Sparta).
 Did it the division of Greece preserve
peace or cause war?
Greece after the Persian Wars
Peloponnesian Wars
 The Peloponnesian Wars were wars
between Athens and Sparta.
 Causes:
 Sparta’s fear and paranoia of Athens’
dominance
 Athens’ forceful tactics to control city
states in Greece
 Tension that has always existed
between Athens and Sparta.
End Result of Peloponnesian
Wars
 Sparta defeats Athens.

Persia becomes an ally with Sparta.
 Greece was left so weak from the war
that the Greeks were easily conquered
by Macedonia.
The Greek Golden Age
 Despite war and political turmoil, Greece
(specifically Athens) enjoyed a Golden
Age.
 One of Athens most notable leaders
during the golden age was Pericles.
Pericles
 The following are changes that Pericles
made in Athens during the golden age:
 He made Athenian democracy a direct
democracy. Under Pericles, more
Athenians participated in the assembly
than any other time in Athens' history.
 He organized the construction of the
Parthenon.
Parthenon
 The Parthenon was a
temple built to show
the power and wealth
of Athens. It was
dedicated to the
goddess Athena.
 Some scholars
believe that it would
cost over over 5
billion dollars today.
Parthenon
Philosophers of Greece
 During the Peloponnesian Wars,
philosophy gained popularity.
Philosophers were teachers, who
searched for truth.
 There are three main Greek philosphers:
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.
Socrates
 Socrates was a philosopher that lived during
the Peloponnesian Wars.
 He taught using a method known as the
Socratic method.

Socratic Method – A series of questions are posed
to truly understand the issue at hand.
 Socrates was put on trial and executed for
questioning the government and religion of
Athens. He was also accused of corrupting the
youth of Athens through his teachings.
Death of Socrates
Plato
 Plato was a student of Socrates. He
recorded all of the works of Socrates in a
book known as The Republic.
 Plato rejected democracy, because he
believed democracy killed his teacher.
 Plato believed that the government
should regulate all aspects of a citizen’s
life. He believed society should be ruled
by a philosopher king.
Aristotle
 Aristotle was a student of Plato. He also
rejected democracy. (as well as,
monarchy, oligarchy, and aristocracy)
 He favored a government ruled by a
strong, virtuous leader.
 He believed that people should lead a
good life by pursuing the golden mean,
the moderate course between two
extremes. (Not too strict but not too
relaxed).