Ancient Greece

Greeks began to settle a land that was rocky and dry. With mountains so tall, reaching the sky.

Greece is made of little islands and a main land. Surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea and its sand.

Europe is the continent that Greece calls home. Close to Egypt and not far from Rome.

Physical Characteristics

Vocabulary

• Peninsula--land almost surrounded by water, the main land of Greece
• Mountains--with low hills and narrow valleys, Mt. Olympus
• Soil--thin and rocky, farming was not easy
• Climate--the weather a place has over a long period of time--Greece's climate is is mild and dry
• Polis--independent community

People must adapt to fit their environment

Ancient Greeks lived in vallies

Ancient Greek Farming

• Valleys were too narrow and rocky
• Farmed on hillsides

Ancient Greek Trading

• Greeks could not travel over the mountains easily
• They traveled by Mediterranean sea on ships to trade.

Living in Ancient Greece

Goods and Services

• A good is something that is made to use to satisfy the needs or wants of others
• crops, ships, pottery

Untitled Slide

• A service is work that someone (a producer) does for someone else.
• Traders and soldiers

Using Resources

Natural Resources: Materials that come from nature.


Human Resources:
Workers who produce goods and services.

Capital Resources:
Goods made by people and used to produce other goods and services.

Farmers

• Made flat land for raising crops by building terraces.
• Terrace--flat area dug into the side of a hill or mountain.
• Crops--Wheat, grapes, and olives
• Animals--Sheep, goats, and pigs

Shipbuilders

• Ancient Greeks used wood from their forests to build ships.
• Fished, traveled, and traded among other islands

Traders

Contributions of Ancient Greece

Contribution

Gifts from Greece

• Government
• Architecture
• Art
• Learning
• Sports

Arcitecture

• The people of Athens wanted their buildings to be beautiful. They used stone from nearby mountains and carved columns to support the building's roof.
• We see columns today in Virginia's capital building and in Washington, DC

The Arts and Learning

• Mosaics--a picture made of small pieces of glass or stone
• Sculptures
• Plays and Poetry
• Philosophy

Democracy

• Direct Democracy--Citizens Rule
• Everyone (male and land owner) gets a vote
• Majority Rule
• Greece was known as the birthplace of democracy

Sports

• The greeks held a festival to honor the god Zeus. They all competed in athletic events to see who was the strongest and most athletic.
• We do the Olympic Games worldwide, today