Kevin’s Cards about Athens Flashcards
Athens was girded by what geographical features
Athen was girded by hills and was on the edge of the Aegean Sea
How did the Athenians feel about their city-state
Athenians we’re proud of their city-state and believed their polis was a favorite of the gods
What did the Athenians tell stories of
Athenians told stories of how Athens became so glorious, of how her people came to show such genius
What did Athens become
Athens became the largest and most populous of the Greek city-states, a great center of arts, learning, and trade
What were the Athenians known for
Their energy and zest for life
Although Athens is known as the city of Athena, it stilled owed much to which god
Poseidon
Which geographical features sheltered Athens from its rivals
Athens was sheltered from its rivals by the mountains to the north, and on the other directions due to the Aegean Sea
What did the Athenians use the Aegean Sea for
The Aegean Sea was not only for protection, but it also supplied the Athenians with a channel of communication
What did the Aegean Sea bring to the Athens (culturally)
The Aegean Sea brought a constant flow of people and their ideas
What made the city of Athens prosper
Trade, due to the Aegean Sea, made Athens prosper
In the ways of thinking, how were the Athenians different from the Spartans
Unlike the Spartans, the Athenians embraced new ways of thinking about the world
What did the Athenians enjoy (Unlike Sparta)
The Athenians were free-speaking and the freedom-loving, they enjoyed nothing better than debating ideas, declaring their views, and arguing politics
What did the un-laconic Athenians love to do
The un-laconic Athenians loved to tell anyone, who would listen, just what was on their minds
In Athens early history, what was the government like
In its early history, similar to other city-states, Athens was ruled by rich aristocratic landowners
What happened as oversea trade increased in Athens during the 17th century B.C.
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
What was Athena’s symbol
An olive tree and an owl
What was unique about Athena’s birth
Athena was born and adult, dressed in armor, from the head of Zeus
What did the Greeks call themselves
The Greeks called themselves Hellenes and their land was Hellas
Where were the Greeks located (countries and regions)
Greeks were in Italy, Sicily, Turkey, North Africa, and France
What was the way of life of early Greek settlers
Hunter-gatherers or farmers, they had a simple life
What was the first Greek civilization
The Minoans were the first Greek civilization, located in Crete (2200 B.C — 1450 B.C)
Which civilization came after the Minoans
After the Minoans came the Mycenaean Civilization in the Greek mainland
Mycenaean Description
The Mycenaean were fine builders and traders , but they were also fierce warriors, known for the Battle of Troy
After the Mycenaean Age ended (in c.1100 B.C) what did Greece enter
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
What was happening in Greece in 800 B.C
In 800 B.C., Greek civilization slowly emerged again
What happened in the Greek Archaic Period
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
What happened in the Classical Greek Period
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
What happened in the Hellenistic Period of Greece (last period)
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
What was the downfall of aristocratic rule in Athens, and why did powerful leaders rise up, challenging it
The poor in Athens were discontent and restless; struggling farmers who went into debt risked being sold into slavery; and riots often erupted.
Due to the problems of aristocratic rule, what did the Athenians do in 594 B.C
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
What did Solon set about doing
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
What did Solon do (jobs)
Solon was a statesman and a great traveler, who helped develop the fruits of Athenian democracy
What is one of the most popular stories of Solon, according to Herodotus
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
True or False: Solon fixed every problem in Athens
False; Though Solon reformed the government, Athens still had problems (aristocratic rulers continued to own most of the land)
True or False: Solon was a noble who thought power should not be with nobles alone
True
Who was Solon friends with
Solon was friends with the “demos”, the Greek word for the “common people”
After decades of turmoil, following Solon’s death, which leader appeared
After decades of turmoil, following Solon’s death, another Greek statesman, named Cleisthenes (sometimes spelled Clisthenes), made important changes
How was Cleisthenes’ childhood
Cleisthenes, like Solon, had a noble birth, yet his family had experienced exile and hardship due to other powerful aristocratic clans
What did Cleisthenes believe the secret to a better Athen was
Cleisthenes believed the secret to a better Athens was fewer powerful families and more powerful citizens
What did Cleisthenes do in 508 B.C.
In 508 B.C., Cleisthenes designed for Athens its first democratic constitution
What is Cleisthenes regarded as
Cleisthenes is regarded as the “Founder of Athenian Democracy”
What did Cleisthenes want to make sure each citizen had
Cleisthenes wanted to make sure every citizen had a voice in the Assembly and other governing bodies of Athens
True or False: Democracy was a wonderful fruit for the Athens
True
What were the Persians doing in the 5th century B.C
In the 5th century B.C., the armies of the powerful Persian Empire were moving west
Who were allowed to join the Assembly, Vote, or hold Public Office in Athens
Only men, not women, slaves, and foreigners
