Warring City States Flashcards
Main Idea-Warring City States
The growth of city-states in Greece led to the development of several political systems, including democracy.
What is democracy?
A political system where the leaders are voted on.
What is monarchy?
A political system with hereditary kings and queens.
What is aristocracy?
A political system led by the highest hereditary class.
What is oligarchy?
A political system led by a small group of people. Not hereditary.
Relevance-Warring City States
Many political systems in today’s world mirror the varied forms of government that evolved in Greece.
What did Greece see by 750 BCE?
Rise of powerful city states.
What material was bronze replaced by in the warring city states? Why? What did this enable?
Iron. Harder, more common, and cheaper. This enabled a new kind of army, composed of commoners, possible.
What was the Hoplon shield? Why was it important?
Planks of wood covered with leather and bronze. 15 Ibs. It was defensive and offensive.
Who did Sparta conquer in 725 BCE?
Messenia
Who eventually revolted in Sparta?
Messenians
Who were the helots?
A state-owned serf of the ancient Spartans.
What unique position does Sparta have in Greek world?
Extraordinary power + prestige despite small population
What’s the secret of Sparta prosperity?
Obedience to law code set down by Lycurgus
How did the Spartans train their young women? What does this say about them?
Rigorous physical activity. They valued women’s strength more than other places, but Greeks valued women solely as mothers.
How did most city states train their young women to be mothers?
Scanty meats, little physical activity.
What must a society value in order to be democratic?
Free speech.
How did Athenians announce the birth of a girl?
Pinning sheep’s wool to front door as a sign of a life of domestic work.
How was Sparta ruled?
Oligarchy
How was Athens ruled?
Democracy
What did Spartans value?
Duty, strength, and discipline
What did Spartans encourage and discourage?
Encouraged women to play sports and exercise, discouraged all forms of imagination and curiosity
What were Spartans famous for?
Their warriors and warrior mindset
What did Athenians value?
Individuality, beauty, and freedom
What was Athens famous for?
Being intellectual center of world
What did Athens have and value that was unique at the time? (Hint: relates to their democracy)
Free speech, educated to think as free people with a voice that mattered
What age did Athenians begin education?
7
What happened to Athenians at age 18?
Graduated, and either chose to go to military school or higher education
What happened to Athenian students who chose higher education?
Chose either the academy or lyceum
What were the lives of Athenian women?
Centered around home and family
What age did Sparta begin military training?
7
What age did Spartans get married?
20
What age could Spartans leave the barracks?
60
What was the fortified hilltop in the center of athens called?
The acropolis
What could a spartan do at age 30?
Take his place in assembly
What did the Spartans do to the people that they conquered?
Made them give the Spartans a third of their crops
