Assignment #1
 

Sources:
 

Questions/
Activities:
 
  1. Label the map of "Ancient Greece & the Aegean World" as indicated below:
    regions {black ink]:
         Thrace, Attica, Macedonia, Thessaly, Peloponnesus, Asia Minor, Laconia.
    bodies of water [blue ink]:
         Mediterranean Sea, Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, Black Sea, Hellespont,
         Gulf of Corinth, Bosphorus Strait.
    mountains/peaks [brown ink]:
         Dinaric Alps, Balkan Alps, Mt. Olympus.
    islands [green ink]:
         Crete, Rhodes, Ithaca
    cities [red ink]:
         Athens, Sparta, Delphi, Piraeus, Corinth, Thebes, Olympia, Troy, Sardis,
         Knossus, Byzantium.
    peninsulas [purple ink]:
         Balkan Peninsula, Anatolian Peninsula.
  2. Identify two dominant topographical features of the Greek [Balkan] Peninsula.
  3. What types of climate, vegetation, and agricultural cultivation is found in the Aegean region?
  4. What advantages and disadvantages does the geography pose for the ancient Greek peoples?
  5. From your knowledge of Global Studies, how did the areas settled by the Greeks differ from the early settlements of the Fertile Crescent region, the Nile River Valley, the Indus River Valley, and ancient China?
  6. List the ways that geography and climate shaped Greek life and possibly Greek history?
 

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  Assignment #2
 

Sources:
 

Questions/
Activities:
 
  1. What were the major geographic features of the island of Crete?
  2. How did their geography affect the development of early Minoan culture?
  3. From the pictures of Minoan artifacts in the PowerPoint, what clues do they give you
    about the culture of the Minoan people [lifestyle, government, religion, social structure, etc.]?
  4. Why did the Minoan civilization decline by 1450 BCE?
  5. How did the Mycenaeans develop a strong culture led by wealthy warrior-kings?
  6. What aspects of Minoan civilization were preserved and spread by the Mycenaeans?
  7. What were the mythical AND the real causes of the Trojan War?
  8. What role did Homer's epics play in Greek culture?
  9. What were the effects of the Dorian migrations on Greek civilization?
 

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  Assignment #3
 

Sources:
 

Questions/
Activities:
 
  1. What is a polis?    Identify some of its general characteristics.
  2. Identify the different ways that a polis could be governed.
  3. How did the Spartans achieve the domination of the Peloponnesus?
  4. Why did the city-state of Sparta develop into a military state?
  5. You are a social scientist trying to understand the culture, values, and society of the
    polis of ancient Sparta.  As a social scientist, you want to know the following about
    this city-state:
            * geographic location and physical environment [geographer]
            * social classes [sociologist]
            * government structure and laws [political scientist]
            * diplomacy/foreign policy [historian/political scientist]
            * military capabilities [historian]
            * commerce and trade [economist]
            * education system [sociologist/anthropologist]
            * art/architecture [archaeologist]
             * ideals and values of the society [sociologist/anthropologist]
    As you go through the reading above, take good notes on these categories so that you will be able to intelligently analyze ancient Sparta in class.
    6.
 

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  Assignment #4
 

Sources:
 

Questions/
Activities:
 
  1. Fill in the chart by bulleting a list of reforms made by each of the four Athenian leaders.
  2. Answer the following questions as you do the reading:
         * What skills were required of an Athenian citizen?
         * What subjects were taught to Athenian boys?    Athenian girls?
         * What were the military requirements for Athenian boys/men?
         * What were the characteristics of the "Greek Ideal?"
  3. So far, how are Athenians different from Spartans?  Any similarities?
 

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  Assignment #5
 

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Questions/
Activities:
 
  1. Write your own personal definition for the word "democracy."  Now go to a dictionary
    and get a formal definition.
  2. Answer these questions as you do the reading:
         *     According to Pericles, what precisely makes Athens great?
         *     How does this compare to other city-states?
         * What is Pericles’ definition of democracy?
         * What are the responsibilities of Athenian citizenship?
         * Why does Pericles need to defend the Athenian system?
         * In what ways does way of life in Athens differ from other Greek city-states?
         * What problems do you see in Pericles’ description of Athens?
         * Where does Pericles directly or indirectly make verbal attacks on Sparta?
         * How do we in the United States today define democracy?  Is it the same
            way as Pericles’ definition?
         * Is a funeral oration a reliable source for information about a culture?  Why or why not?
  3. What were the causes and effects of the Persian Wars on the Greek city-states?
 

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  Assignment #6
 

Sources:
 

Questions/
Activities:
 
  1. Do reading #1 and answer these questions:
         * Make a list of the major characteristics/beliefs of the religion of the ancient Greeks.
         * How was it different in emphasis from Judaism?  from Confucianism?  from Christianity?
         * What was the ancient Greek view of the afterlife?  How did it change over time?
  2. Do reading #2 and answer these questions:
         * What does it mean when something is called a "classic?"
         * Make a list of the major characteristics of classical Greek art and architecture.
         * In your opinion, what three words could be used to describe the values of the ancient
           Greeks that are reflected in their art and architecture?
         * What is meant by the "Golden Mean," according to the ancient Greeks?
         * How did Greek art and architecture [especially that of Athens] reflect the values of
           classical Hellenic culture?
 

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  Assignment #7
 

Sources:
 

Questions/
Activities:
 
  1. Why was Herodotus called the "Father of History?"
  2. Why could it be argued that Thucydides more rightly deserved that title?
  3. What was the origin of the Greek drama?  What was its original purpose?
  4. How did Greek theater serve the same purpose as our media [television, movies, and
    printed news] does today?
  5. Do the reading and answer these questions:
         * Why does Antigone feel that she was justified in breaking the law?  Does an individual
           have a moral right to break laws that he/she thinks are unjust?  Defend your position.
         * Why did the playwright Sophocles think that this theme was important enough to
           base a play on?
         * How does this play reflect the status that women occupied in ancient Greece?
  6. Identify the two fundamental questions that only Greek philosophers wanted answered.
  7. How did the scientific philosophers Thales, Democritus, and Pythagorus attempt to
    answer that first fundamental question?
 

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  Assignment #8
 

Sources:
 

Questions/
Activities:
 
  1. What were the causes and effects of the Peloponnesian War on the Greek city-states?
  2. Why was Philip, ruler of a relatively less developed Macedon, able to conquer the classical cities of mainland Greece?
  3. Do reading #1 and answer these questions:
         * What were Socrates' most basic philosophical principles, as outlined by Plato
           in The Apology?
         * Why didn't Socrates write any of his ideas down himself?
         * What is the only thing that Socrates admits he "knows?"
         * List some of the basic ideas/principles of the Sophists.
         * Why does Plato feel that Socrates was a Sophist?
         * What is the definition given of the Greek work arête?  Why is it critical in doing the
           right think, according to Socrates?
  4. Do reading #2 and answer these questions:
         * Why does Socrates believe that it would be wrong for him to escape, even to save,
            his own life?
         * Compare Socrates' views with those of Antigone [in the last assignment].  What
           similarities/differences can you find?
         * Socrates stated that he had entered into a "contest" with the state.  What does he
           mean by this?  Why does he feel that he must "break" this contract?
         * Why does Socrates refuse to apologize for his "wrong-doing" and choose to die?
           Why does Socrates feel his decision is a great "service" to the city of Athens?
 

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  Assignment #9
 

Sources:
 

Questions/
Activities:
 
  1. Do reading #1 and answer these questions:
         * What does Plato mean when he talks about the world of Forms?
         * What is justice?  Who defines its meaning?
         * How does Socrates challenge this definition, according to Plato?
         * Into which groups does Plato divide human beings?      What is Plato’s criteria for
           this division?
         * Who rules this ideal society?
         * Why does Plato feel that a democracy is not the ideal form of government?
  2. Do reading #2 and answer these questions:
         *     According to Aristotle, how do we know that something is “true?”
         * What method does Aristotle use to approach a problem?
         *     Where does Aristotle feel that complete certainty is not possible?  Why does he take that view?
         *     What are the four things that cause motion and change in the universe, according to Aristotle?
         * Why does Aristotle feel it is harder to be certain about the truth of major ethical principles?
         * How does Aristotle resolve this problem?
         *     How was Aristotle’s philosophy fundamentally different from Plato’s thinking?
    3.

 

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  Assignment #10
 

Sources:
 

Questions/
Activities:
 

  1. What advantages / disadvantages did Alexander the Great have as he began his career of conquests?

  2. Why were his men so loyal to Alexander?

  3. How did Alexander the Great defeat the Persians?

  4. Why do you think that Alexander killed Bessus?

  5. Why did Alexander abandon his eastward expansion in 326 BCE?

  6. What immediately happened to Alexander the Great’s empire?

  7. Why did Alexander’s empire ultimately collapse?

  8. What is meant by the term “Hellenism?”  Where was it most influential in the ancient world?

  9. Identify some of the effect that Alexander’s conquests had on the Greek peoples?

  10. Why can it be said that the Age of Alexander the Great marked the first truly international culture in history?
 

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  Assignment #11
 

Sources:
 

Questions/
Activities:
 
  1. What cultural role did Alexandria in Egypt play during this period in history?
  2. List some of the characteristics of "Hellenistic" culture.
  3. Create a CHART that shows the differences between "Hellenic" and "Hellenistic" culture in the following areas:  cities,  art,  art,  architecture,  religion,  philosophy.
  4. Briefly describe the beliefs of the following Hellenistic schools of philosophy:  the Cynics,  the Skeptics, and the Epicureans.
  5. Create a WEB [or other graphic organizer of your choice] that shows the major achievements of the most famous scientists of the Hellenistic era.
 

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