SocStud reviewer on Greece

• Greece

  • Peninsula
  • Thousands of islands
• Peloponnesus


  • Southern tip of Greece, a second peninsula
• Isthmus


  • Narrow strip of land linking Peloponnesus to the rest of Greece
• Geographic features of Greece

  • Mountainous
  • No large rivers
  • Mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers
• Crops grown in Greece

  • Grain on open plains
  • Olive trees on plain edges
  • Grapevines on lower hill slopes
• Livestock in Greece

  • Sheep and goats grazed on rocky, infertile land
• Greece


  • Long coastline, most places less than 100 miles from coast
  • Many cities built directly on harbors
• Seas around Greece

  • Mediterranean Sea to the south
  • Ionian Sea to the west
  • Aegean Sea to the east
• Impact of geography on Greece

  • Greeks became skilled sailors and shipbuilders
  • Greece did not produce much grain but had surplus olive oil, wine, wool and pottery for trade
• Minoans


  First civilization to arise in the region that later became Greece, they were not Greeks
• The Minoan civilization suddenly disappeared, possibly due to undersea earthquakes causing giant waves
• Mycenaeans


  Originally from central Asia, invaded Greek mainland around 1900 BC and conquered the people living there
• Things the Mycenaeans learned from the Minoans

  • Working with bronze
  • Building ships
  • Using sun and stars for navigation
  • Worshipping the Earth Mother goddess
• The years between 1100 BC and 750 BC were difficult for the Greeks, with overseas trade slowing and poverty taking hold
• Phoenicians


  An important trading people who lived on the eastern Mediterranean coast
• Things the Greeks learned from the Phoenicians

  • Invented the world's first written alphabet
  • Greeks adapted the Phoenician alphabet to suit their language
• Polis


  A Greek city-state, an independent state with its own laws, customs, political system, military and currency
• Greek citizenship

  Only free native-born men who owned land could be citizens, with rights to vote, earn property and protect themselves in trials
• Types of Greek city-state governments

  • Autocratic (ruled by one)
  • Oligarchic (ruled by a few)
  • Democratic (ruled by all)
• Sparta


  • Strong military, every male Spartan had to join the army
  • Ruled by two kings and an oligarchy
  • Valued discipline and strength, trained children from age 7
• Spartans would leave babies to die if they had facial deformities or looked weak
• Athens


  • Emphasis on arts, architecture and literature
  • Citizens had duties like obeying laws, serving military, running the city, paying taxes, serving on juries
• Spartans did as they were told while the Athenians loved their freedom
• The island that lies in the southeast of the Greek mainland

  Crete