Kevin’s Cards about Athens

Question 1

Athens was girded by what geographical features

Answer 1

Athen was girded by hills and was on the edge of the Aegean Sea

Question 2

How did the Athenians feel about their city-state

Answer 2

Athenians we’re proud of their city-state and believed their polis was a favorite of the gods

Question 3

What did the Athenians tell stories of

Answer 3

Athenians told stories of how Athens became so glorious, of how her people came to show such genius

Question 4

What did Athens become

Answer 4

Athens became the largest and most populous of the Greek city-states, a great center of arts, learning, and trade

Question 5

What were the Athenians known for

Answer 5

Their energy and zest for life

Question 6

Although Athens is known as the city of Athena, it stilled owed much to which god

Answer 6

Poseidon

Question 7

Which geographical features sheltered Athens from its rivals

Answer 7

Athens was sheltered from its rivals by the mountains to the north, and on the other directions due to the Aegean Sea

Question 8

What did the Athenians use the Aegean Sea for

Answer 8

The Aegean Sea was not only for protection, but it also supplied the Athenians with a channel of communication

Question 9

What did the Aegean Sea bring to the Athens (culturally)

Answer 9

The Aegean Sea brought a constant flow of people and their ideas

Question 10

What made the city of Athens prosper

Answer 10

Trade, due to the Aegean Sea, made Athens prosper

Question 11

In the ways of thinking, how were the Athenians different from the Spartans

Answer 11

Unlike the Spartans, the Athenians embraced new ways of thinking about the world

Question 12

What did the Athenians enjoy (Unlike Sparta)

Answer 12

The Athenians were free-speaking and the freedom-loving, they enjoyed nothing better than debating ideas, declaring their views, and arguing politics

Question 13

What did the un-laconic Athenians love to do

Answer 13

The un-laconic Athenians loved to tell anyone, who would listen, just what was on their minds

Question 14

In Athens early history, what was the government like

Answer 14

In its early history, similar to other city-states, Athens was ruled by rich aristocratic landowners

Question 15

What happened as oversea trade increased in Athens during the 17th century B.C.

Answer 15

As oversea trade increased in the 17th century B.C., the new wealth often went to men who were outside the ruling classes, causing these rich merchants, craftsmen, and bankers to want some political powers for themselves

Question 16

What was Athena’s symbol

Answer 16

An olive tree and an owl

Question 17

What was unique about Athena’s birth

Answer 17

Athena was born and adult, dressed in armor, from the head of Zeus

Question 18

What did the Greeks call themselves

Answer 18

The Greeks called themselves Hellenes and their land was Hellas

Question 19

Where were the Greeks located (countries and regions)

Answer 19

Greeks were in Italy, Sicily, Turkey, North Africa, and France

Question 20

What was the way of life of early Greek settlers

Answer 20

Hunter-gatherers or farmers, they had a simple life

Question 21

What was the first Greek civilization

Answer 21

The Minoans were the first Greek civilization, located in Crete (2200 B.C — 1450 B.C)

Question 22

Which civilization came after the Minoans

Answer 22

After the Minoans came the Mycenaean Civilization in the Greek mainland

Question 23

Mycenaean Description

Answer 23

The Mycenaean were fine builders and traders , but they were also fierce warriors, known for the Battle of Troy

Question 24

After the Mycenaean Age ended (in c.1100 B.C) what did Greece enter

Answer 24

After the Mycenaean age ended (in c.1100 B.C) Greece entered a Dark Age. It is known as the Dark Age since nobody knows much about what happened-all written language and art disappeared

Question 25

What was happening in Greece in 800 B.C

Answer 25

In 800 B.C., Greek civilization slowly emerged again

Question 26

What happened in the Greek Archaic Period

Answer 26

In the Archaic Period, the Greeks started trading more with the outside world, held the first Olympic Games, fought off the invading Persian army, and were ruled by king-like figures in city-states

Question 27

What happened in the Classical Greek Period

Answer 27

In Classical Greek Period, the Greeks entered a Golden Age that lasted for 200 years (begun in 480 B.C) in which the Greeks built fantastic temples, made scientific discoveries, wrote plays, and founded the first proper democracy

Question 28

What happened in the Hellenistic Period of Greece (last period)

Answer 28

The Hellenistic Period (last period) of Greece lasted from 323 B.C to 30 B.C , when the Romans took control over Greece. The Romans did not destroy Greek life though, for they copied and respected many things about Greek culture, including their buildings, beliefs, and clothes

Question 29

What was the downfall of aristocratic rule in Athens, and why did powerful leaders rise up, challenging it

Answer 29

The poor in Athens were discontent and restless; struggling farmers who went into debt risked being sold into slavery; and riots often erupted.

Question 30

Due to the problems of aristocratic rule, what did the Athenians do in 594 B.C

Answer 30

Due to the problems, the rulers of Athens knew that the pressure for change was too great to be ignored. So in 594 B.C, they charged one of their own, a wise aristocrat named Solon, with the task of reforming the government

Question 31

What did Solon set about doing

Answer 31

Solon set about weakening the aristocracy’s stranglehold on power. He permitted the wealthy merchants of Athens to hold positions in government; he said all citizens were entitled to participate in a body to decide the laws, which became known as the Assembly; he set up people’s courts with juries; and to ease the plight of the poor farmers, he ended the practice of enslaving debtors

Question 32

What did Solon do (jobs)

Answer 32

Solon was a statesman and a great traveler, who helped develop the fruits of Athenian democracy

Question 33

What is one of the most popular stories of Solon, according to Herodotus

Answer 33

Once, according to Herodotus, Solon met with Croesus, a king in Asia, in his court. During his stay, Croesus, who was the richest man in the world, asked who is the most fortunate man he had ever met, and Solon said, immediately: “Tellus of Athens”, since Tellus had been a free citizen in Athens; had brave and honest sons , who gave him many fine grandchildren; and after his happy life, died on the battle field, defending his country

Question 34

True or False: Solon fixed every problem in Athens

Answer 34

False; Though Solon reformed the government, Athens still had problems (aristocratic rulers continued to own most of the land)

Question 35

True or False: Solon was a noble who thought power should not be with nobles alone

Answer 35

True

Question 36

Who was Solon friends with

Answer 36

Solon was friends with the “demos”, the Greek word for the “common people”

Question 37

After decades of turmoil, following Solon’s death, which leader appeared

Answer 37

After decades of turmoil, following Solon’s death, another Greek statesman, named Cleisthenes (sometimes spelled Clisthenes), made important changes

Question 38

How was Cleisthenes’ childhood

Answer 38

Cleisthenes, like Solon, had a noble birth, yet his family had experienced exile and hardship due to other powerful aristocratic clans

Question 39

What did Cleisthenes believe the secret to a better Athen was

Answer 39

Cleisthenes believed the secret to a better Athens was fewer powerful families and more powerful citizens

Question 40

What did Cleisthenes do in 508 B.C.

Answer 40

In 508 B.C., Cleisthenes designed for Athens its first democratic constitution

Question 41

What is Cleisthenes regarded as

Answer 41

Cleisthenes is regarded as the “Founder of Athenian Democracy”

Question 42

What did Cleisthenes want to make sure each citizen had

Answer 42

Cleisthenes wanted to make sure every citizen had a voice in the Assembly and other governing bodies of Athens

Question 43

True or False: Democracy was a wonderful fruit for the Athens

Answer 43

True

Question 44

What were the Persians doing in the 5th century B.C

Answer 44

In the 5th century B.C., the armies of the powerful Persian Empire were moving west

Question 45

Who were allowed to join the Assembly, Vote, or hold Public Office in Athens

Answer 45

Only men, not women, slaves, and foreigners