History of Greece |
Name: ______________________________________ Subject: _______________________ Date: _______
Write on the right side what is missing.
Studying the history of Greece is like knowing the origins of our civilization. The Greek spirit has been the starting point for all the subsequent culture. Thus, we are their direct heirs.
We can distinguish several periods:
- The Period of invasions: There were three waves of people that arrived to Greece. the Ionians in 3000 B.C., then the Achaeans and finally the Dorians in 1200 B.C.
- The period of colonization: because of the pressure of the Dorians, in the VIII century B.C., many Ionians and Achaeans settled in Asia Minor, Sicily, Magna Graecia (Southern Italy), Marseille (South of France) and Ampurias (Spain).
- The period of splendor: Darius, the great Persian king, had three Greco-Persian wars against the Greek cities of the Peloponnese, which ended with a definitive triumph of Sparta. This period excelled with Pericles.
- The Hellenistic period: the King of Macedonia, Alexander the Great, easily defeated the weakened Greek cities. But the successors of Alexander fought each other for the succession to the throne and Rome conquered the entire Persian Empire in the II century B.C.
2. Indicate if these sentences refer to the invasions, to the colonization, to the splendor or to the Hellenistic period
The Greco-Persian wars |
|
They created Ampurias in Spain |
|
Alexander the Great conquered Greece |
|
The Ionians and Achaeans arrived |
|
Wars with Darius the Persian |
|
Rome conquered the Persian Empire |
|
The Dorians arrived |
|
They arrived to Marseille |
|
The Peloponnesian War |
3. Greek cities
Greece did not become a unified state. Each city was an independent nation. Athens and Sparta stood out.
- Athens was located in the Attica peninsula with a magnificent Port: the Piraeus. This helped that the Athenians were sailors and traders.
For over a hundred years, Greece was ruled by the archons, who were chief magistrates belonging to the nobility and overlords of the city administration.
Farmers and poor people revolted and entrusted to Solon the creation of a code of laws (594 B.C.). This code forbade debtors were sold as slaves and the Four Hundred was organized.
After another revolt, the power fell into the hands of Cleisthenes who was inventor of the Athenian democracy, by which all people (rich or poor) could occupy any public office, because all people were equal before the law and have the same rights.
- Sparta was located in the region of Laconia. The Spartan citizen was a soldier trained for war. The laws of Lycurgus were aimed at forging warriors who die for Sparta and women who were mothers of soldiers.
At the beginning, Sparta was ruled by two kings who were military, political and religious leaders of the city. Then the power fell into the hands of the five ephors and the Council of Ancients.
4. Indicate if these sentences refer to Athens or to Sparta:
It was located in Laconia |
|
In the Attica peninsula |
|
They were sailors and traders |
|
They were warriors |
|
It was ruled by two kings |
|
It was ruled by the Archons |
|
They had the laws of Lycurgus |
|
Solon create a code of laws |
|
They created the democracy |
|
The women were mothers of soldiers |
5. The Age of Pericles
After the victory of the Greeks against the Persians in Greco-Persian wars, the city that best used the win was Athens. An authentic maritime empire of Athens was formed (see the upper map).
The city was embellished with big monuments and philosophers and artists came from different places. Undoubtedly, Athens was the most beautiful and richest city in the world. These years (the second half of the V century B.C.) are known as the Age of Pericles.
He came from a noble Athenian family but he was not a king or a leader. He only was one of ten strategists, that is, he was an army general. He was tenacious, intelligent and eloquent and was elected strategist during fifteen consecutive years. All his views were taken into account by other strategists and magistrates. Therefore, we can say that he managed the Athenian politics.
6. Answer if these sentences are true or false:
Persians won the war |
|
Athens used the victory |
|
Philosophers and artists came |
|
Sparta was the most beautiful city |
|
Pericles came from a poor family |
|
He was a strategist |
|
Pericles was a great king |
|
He was elected during fifteen years. |
| Educational applications |
History |
In Spanish |
Interactive |
®Arturo Ramo García.-Record of intellectual property of Teruel (Spain)
No 141, of 29-IX-1999
Plaza Playa de Aro, 3, 1º DO 44002-TERUEL