MOUNTAINS AND SEAS
Classwork
• Use pages 271-275 of your textbook to
complete your assigned section!
I. The Land of Greece
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A. Present-day Greece is located in south-eastern
Europe on the Balkan Peninsula. A peninsula is a
stretch of land that is almost completely surrounded
by water.
Balkan Peninsula
The Land of Greece
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B. Greece’s southernmost tip reaches into the
Mediterranean Sea. To the west lie the Ionian Sea
and the Italian Peninsula while to the east is the
Aegean Sea.
C. The Balkan Peninsula curves south and east
toward a part of Asia called Asia Minor or “Little
Asia.” Today, Asia Minor is part of the country of
Turkey.
The Land of Greece

D. The Ionian and Aegean Seas almost separate
the southern part of Greece from the rest of the
mainland. Only a small strip of land called an
isthmus connects them. The southern part of
Greece is called the Peloponnesus.
Greece and Surrounding Area
Peloponnesus Region
The Land of Greece
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E. Mountains cover nearly three-fourths of
mainland Greece. The heavily forested Pindus
Mountains run north and south through the center
of Greece. Between the mountains lie narrow
valleys and small plains. Because the region is so
mountainous, much of the soil is thin and rocky.
Pindus Mountains
Soil in Crete
The Land of Greece

F. The jagged coastline of Greece is cut by many
inlets and is surrounded by as many as 2,000
islands. These islands are also part of present-day
Greece. The largest of the islands is Crete, located
southeast of the Peloponnesus, in the
Mediterranean. The early people of Greece also
settled on these small islands, as well as along the
coasts of northern Africa, Asia Minor, and what
are now parts of Spain and Italy.
Map of Greece
Inlets
Crete
Greek Coastline
Greek Coastline 2
Greek Coastline 3
II. Life Among Mountains

A. The ancient Greeks settled in the narrow valleys
among the mountains. As a result, the mountains
separated settlements, and each community
developed on its own. For many centuries, the
mountains kept the people of Greece from uniting
under one government.
Greece’s Mountains
Greek Mountains
Mount Olympus
Life Among Mountains

B. The rugged mountains made inland travel and
trade difficult. To travel by land from one
community to another, people had to hike through
the mountains on dirt paths. The rivers of Greece
were of no use for travel because they often dried
up.
Life Among Mountains

C. The mountainous land also affected agriculture.
Only about 20 percent of the land is good for
agriculture. Greece’s soil, for the most part, is poor
and rocky, and its climate is dry. There is little flat
land available for farming or raising large animals,
such as cattle and horses.
Life Among Mountains

D. The ancient Greeks found ways to adapt to their
rocky environment. They raised animals, such as
sheep, goats, and pigs, which are fairly small and
do not need large areas for grazing. From sheep
and goats, the Greeks obtained wool, hides, and
cheese. They ate very little meat, but when they
did, they preferred pork.
Greek Soil
Goats, Sheep, and Pigs
Life Among Mountains

E. The early farmers made the most of the region’s
dry climate and poor soil by planting crops wellsuited to the area, such as barley, wheat, olives,
and grapes. They ground the barley and the wheat
into flour for baking breads and cakes, which they
sweetened with honey.
Barley and Wheat
Greek Olives and Grapes
Life Among Mountains
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G. They ate olives and crushed them to make olive
oil for:
1. Cooking
2. Lamp Fuel
3. Bathing
4. Perfumes
H. They also ate grapes and pressed them together
to make wine.
III. Life by the Seas

A. The seas surrounding Greece provided an
abundance of fish and an easier way to travel than
hiking across mountains. For these reasons, the
ancient Greeks started most of their settlements
near the coast.
Life by the Seas
Life by the Seas



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B. The Greeks developed into a seafaring culture
of:
1. Fishers
2. Sailors
3. Traders
Life by the Seas

C. Greece has many fine natural harbors, or
sheltered places with deep water close to shore.
The ancient Greeks sailed close to the shoreline,
from one harbor to another.
Greek Harbor
Life by the Seas


D. Through sea travel, people in coastal settlements
had contact with one another. Over time, some
people migrated from one coastal village to
another, and others moved from the mainland to
the surrounding islands.
E. In the process, the early Greeks exchanged
ideas and religious beliefs.
Life by the Seas

F. The early fishers knew well the sea’s fearful
power. Sailing was dangerous, especially in the
winter, when the winds were strong and the waters
rough.
Life by the Seas

G. According to the ancient Greeks, the god
Poseidon ruled the seas and watched over sailors
and their boats. The ancient Greeks believed that
Poseidon expressed his moods through the sea. A
terrible storm rocking the sea was a sign that
Poseidon was angry.
Poseidon
Life by the Seas

H. Despite the dangers of the sea, the Greeks
depended on it for food and transportation. Sea
travel also connected the Greeks with other cultures
around the Mediterranean, resulting in an exchange
of ideas and goods across great distances.
IV. Exchange and Trade
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
A. The success of early Greek farmers made
exchange and trade possible.
B. Their discovery that olives, grapes, and grain
could be grown in the dry climate and rocky soil of
Greece was a powerful one.
Exchange and Trade


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C. Not only could they produce a steady food supply,
they could provide a surplus. The abundance of food
supported a growing population in Greek lands.
D. In time, farmers improved their tools and
techniques.
E. Not everyone was busy working in the fields or
helping herd goats, sheep, and pigs. Some people
began to specialize in new jobs.
Exchange and Trade

F. Craftworkers fashioned
1.
2.
3.
4.
Tools
Containers
Clothing
Decorative Objects
Exchange and Trade

G. They crafted these from natural resources such
as
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Wood
Clay
Bone
Wool
Stone
Metal
Exchange and Trade

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H. Weavers, metalworkers, and potters did not
grow their own food. Instead, they exchanged their
goods with farmers for food.
I. Olives and grapes could also be made into
valuable products as olive oil and wine. Both
products required new storage jars. Potters
devoted much of their time to making storage jars
from clay.
Exchange and Trade

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J. To get the goods and resources they lacked or
desired, the ancient Greeks began to trade with other
groups of people in the Mediterranean. For example,
Greek farmers could grow barley and wheat, but they
had less success in growing wheat, which made tastier
bread. Over time, this led the ancient Greeks to import
wheat from other places.
K. In exchange, the early Greeks exported their own
goods. These goods included wine, olive oil , pottery,
and wood.
Exchange and Trade
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L. Trade resulted in an exchange of ideas, too. The
sharing of ideas between cultures was an important
means of technological and cultural change. For
instance, using a process they learned from
civilizations in southwestern Asia, the people of
early Greece mixed copper and tin to make
bronze.
M. They then made weapons, tools, and bowls
from their new metal.