Study Guide Topics 11-16
Democracy- is a system of government where all of the citizens/people make all of the decisions
Monarchy- is a system of government, meaning “one,” such as the leadership in Persia
Oligarchy - is a system of government which is, by definition/root word, ruled by a few people
Sparta
Communism- where everything is owned by the government
Theocracy- government ruled by a religious authority
Dictatorship-one ruler by force
Republic- people elect/choose representatives to make decisions for them
Leonidas - Spartan king who led the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae
Darius- the first leader of Persia who attacked Athens in response to Athens supporting the
Ionian revolt
Xerxes- Darius’ son; who led Persia at Thermopylae returned to exact revenge on the Greeks
Helot- slave
Pheidippides- yelled “Nike” and died on the spot of exhaustion
Delian League-The organization developed by Athens after the Persian Wars to fight against a
common enemy
Themistocles – powerful politician made a lie about people going to attack Euboea: gets navy
built and without Athens could have been dead
Treason-A crime that Socrates was charged with by the government (he denied the gods and
corrupted youth)
Plato- was the writer of “The Republic” and Socrates’ best student
Aristotle -Teacher of Alexander the Great; initiated Scientific Method
A jury of Athenians sentenced Socrates to death
The flame/torch - existed in both Ancient Greece AND today’s modern Olympics (think Hestiafire)
*Look at similar events in modern and ancient Olympics –be able to name 2
Sparta
Boys taken from home at 7 for military training
Unhealthy and deformed children left to die at birth
Won the war between Athens and Sparta
Led the Battle of Thermopylae, 300 (Spartan) soldiers defending the mountain pass
Athens
Powerful navy
City burned down by Persia
Supported Ionia in 499 BCE, causing the Persian Wars
Had the final defeat of Persia; tricking them into a narrow strait of water
Both
Fought at some point in the Persian Wars
Fought in the Peloponnesian War
Led the Battle of Thermopylae, 300 soldiers defending the mountain pass (Sparta-army/Athensnavy)
Reasons why Athens and Sparta successfully turned away the Persian Empire in the Persian
Wars:
 People were not unified by the Persian Empire
 Soldiers in Persia were not as trained
 Sparta trained from age 7
 Sparta’s true family was Sparta
 Athens schooling at young age
Reasons why the Athenians lost the Peloponnesian War to Sparta.
 Athens underestimated Sparta and continued to expand
 A quarter of Athens died from plaque
 A bunch of Athenian soldiers left for Persia for more money
 Persia helped Sparta
Things that took place after the Persian Wars that caused tension between Athens and Sparta and
eventually caused the Peloponnesian War.
 Athens built a wall and lied to Sparta about it
 Sparta gave Athens bad soup
 Athens tried to help Sparta/ Sparta denied help
 Athens kept giving Sparta opinions on what to build

How does the Socratic Method work and how did the Socratic Method make Socrates notable in
Athens, but ultimately led to him being convicted?
Socratic Method- Socrates asked students questions in order to have them arrive at the answer,
having students think for themselves.
Socrates taught Plato who was known for creating the book called “The Republic” on how to
create the best form of government.
Socrates was not liked by everyone because his questioning methods led some of his students to
question Athens and Greek mythology too much. He was tried for treason to the government,
denying the gods, and corrupting the youth. He was sentenced to death by a jury of Athenians.
*Think how can the ways of people living during the Cold War (United States/ Soviet Union in
the 1900s) help people learn lessons from Ancient Greece.