Ancient Greece
Greco-Persian
Wars
Essential Standards
• 6.C&G.1 Understand the development of
government in various civilizations, societies
and regions.
Clarifying Objectives
• 6.C&G.1.1 Explain the origins and structures of
various governmental systems (e.g., democracy,
absolute monarchy and constitutional monarchy).
• 6.C&G.1.2 Summarize the ideas that shaped
political thought in various civilizations, societies
and regions (e.g., divine right, equality, liberty,
citizen participation and integration of religious
principles).
Essential Questions
• How is a DEMOCRACY different from an
ABSOLUTE MONARCHY or a CONSTITUTIONAL
MONARCHY?
• What was the POLITICAL IDEA/THOUGHT
behind democracy?
Greco-Persian Wars
• Persian Wars are a series
of battles between the
mighty Persian Empire &
Ancient Greece
• There are 3 very
important battles that
help decide the fate of
Ancient Greece
① Battle of Marathon
② Battle of Thermopylae
③ Battle of Salamis
Greco-Persian Wars
• Persian War happened
for two main reasons…
① Persian Empire
Expansion
② Revenge against the
Greeks
Persian Empire Expansion
• Persian Empire had expanded
under the benevolent leader
Cyrus the Great
• Darius connected the Empire
by building the Royal Road
• But he soon was set on
expanding the empire
• Xerxes wanted to take over the
world
Greek Iona
• Iona was a tiny Greek city
state that was ruled by a
mean tyrant named
Miltiades
• The people of Iona hated
him because he was so
mean
• One day Cyrus the Great of
Persia (benevolent ruler)
came and claimed Iona as
Persia
Ionian Revolt
• About 50 years before
the Battle of Marathon
the Greek city state of
Ionia was conquered by
Cyrus the Great
• When his son Darius
became the Persian
ruler the Ionians led a
revolt against the
Persians
General Miltiades
• The Ionian Revolt was led
by Athenian General
Miltiades
• Since Ionia was so small
Ionia called on the
Athenians from Athens to
assist them
• The Ionians & Athenians
defeated a small group of
Persian forces and
temporarily won their
independence from Persia
Burn Athens
• Darius quickly suppresses the
Ionian Revolt but is very mad
• This made Persian ruler Darius
extremely mad at Athens and
he vowed to burn Athens to
the ground before he died
• In fact every night at dinner
Emperor Darius had a soldier
whisper in his ear “Remember
Athens” as a reminder to
himself
Miltiades Escapes
• Miltiades escapes back to
Athens and tells the
Athenians that the
Persians are coming to
burn Athens
• Athenians make Miltiades
a general
• This sets up the beginning
of the Great Persian War
Ancient Greece vs. Civilization of Persia
Persia was the largest empire in the
world at the time and consisted
of millions & millions of people
Ancient Greece with all of its city
states is about 500,000-600,000
total people
It was truly a David vs. Goliath battle
• It is a small town compared to the
Mighty Parisian Civilization
created by Cyrus the Great,
Darius, & Xerxes
Ancient Greece vs. Civilization of Persia
• It is a small town
compared to the Mighty
Parisian Civilization
created by Cyrus the
Great, Darius, & Xerxes
• It would be like every
state in the United States
taking all of its citizens
and making an army and
attacking Rhode Island
Athens & Sparta
• Athens & Sparta had been
fighting for hundreds of
years
• When the Athenians told
the Spartans of Ancient
Persia’s plan to conquer all
of Greece Spartans &
Athenians UNITED as one
• They now fought not for
Athens or for Sparta but for
GREECE
Athens must decide what to Do
• Athens government
leaders must get together
and decide what to do
• They need to decide
whether they will…
① Go and meet the Persians
on the battlefield
② Hide behind the walls of
Athens and defend it
from there
Athenian Democracy
• The city of Athens had the
first Democracy
• http://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=1_Xr4u8mofU
• People had the right to
vote whether to meet the
Persians head on or hide
behind the city walls
• 11:08-15:30
• Their final vote led to the
Battle of Marathon
between Ancient Persia &
Ancient Greece
Essential Questions
• Get with a partner and answer….
• How is a DEMOCRACY different from an
ABSOLUTE MONARCHY or a CONSTITUTIONAL
MONARCHY?
• What was the POLITICAL IDEA/THOUGHT
behind democracy?
10 Years Later
• Ten years after the Battle of
Marathon another great
battle between Ancient
Greece & Ancient Persia
took place
• New Persian leader Xerxes
took the mighty Persian
Army to fight the Greeks
• This battle was called the
Battle of Thermopylae
1 Year Later
• A year later one more
final major battle was
fought between the
Greeks & Persians
• This was a huge Naval
battle
Important Wars
• The Greco Persian War
led to many important
events…
① Democracy
② Phalanx
③ Ancient Greece
UNIFICATION
④ Architecture
Important Points
• 6.C&G.1.1 (Democracy) • 6.C&G.1.2 (Political
Ancient Greece is the
Thought) Ancient
birthplace of democracy
Greeks shaped their
where the
government on the
people/citizens vote on
ideas of FREEDOM &
decisions
EQUALITY