Ancient Greece Study Guide
Vocabulary: polis – Greek word for city-state acropolis – a fortress atop a tall hill in the city-states peninsula – land surrounded by water on 3 sides democracy – type of government in which people rule themselves mythology
Aesop
– stories about gods and heroes that explain how the world works fables – short stories that offer lessons on life
– author of the world’s most famous fables
Sappho – most famous woman poet in Ancient Greece aristocrats citizens
Homer –
– rich landowners
– people with the right to participate in the government famous poet who wrote epic poems

Key Ideas:
 Greece is located on a peninsula
 Ancient Greeks became shipbuilders and sailors because of their location near the water
 City-states were built around a fortress on top of a hill called an acropolis
 City-states were created for protection and security from their enemies
 Ancient Greece was first ruled by kings, then aristocrats before becoming a democracy
 Ancient Greeks used mythology to explain natural events
(thunderstorms, sunrise)
 Greek writers created many famous stories; many of the stories are still around today and read by many people
Many of our words, expressions and place names today come from the
Ancient Greek language