Video about the Greeks

Lo1: To track the progression of Athenian Greek development from the advent of Democracy in Athens through the Persian Wars and the Greek Golden Age.


 The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization

Directions: Answer the following questions based on the movie. The questions are listed in the order they appear in the film. IMPORTANT: The Crucible of Civilization is a two part film. This is part 1 and you will also watch part 2 of the film to get a more complete story of the rise and fall of the ancient Greeks.

1. What was the situation in Athens in 508 BC?  The common people revolted.

2. What class did Cleisthenes come from and what kind of power did this group exercise over Athenians? He was an Athenian noble man. He grew up in an elite family and was an aristocrat.

3. How did Aristotle describe life for most Athenians in the 6th century BC?  The aristocrats controlled everything that happened in Athens.

4. Where were the great civilizations in Cleisthenes day and how was Greece geographically different than these? The acropolis and the waterways. Greece has many mountains and terrain.

5. What Greek city seemed the most likely to dominate all others politically during Cleisthenes lifetime?  Sparta

6. What specific stories inspired Cleisthenes and his fellow Greeks? The illiad and odyssey

7. Describe Arete, the Greek ideal or vision of a hero. To seize power and victory for himself.

8. What surprising political move did the ruler Pisistratus make in order to consolidate power in Athens?  He would have to fin allies in order to remain in power and pass it down. He introduced loans to Athenians.

9. What was Athens' most valuable trading commodity? Olives and olive oil

10. What Athenian product that was almost worthless at the time now commonly fetches millions of dollars on the Antiquities market? What were the artisans who made these products main motivation in doing such good work? They made vases and were motivate by

11. How was Hippias a different ruler than his father Pisistratus? What did he do to his father's reforms? Hippias ruled as a tyrant. He tortured one of the wives that her husband murdered the brother of Hippias. He started executing.

12. What did Cleisthenes do in 510 BC? How was Greek society in Athens changing at this time? He put together a group to overthrow the tyrant and he took over. Every Athenian was important now.

13. How had the Olympics changed from their founding to the days of Cleisthenes and how did this festival influence ordinary Greeks? The Olympics back then were a chance for someone to display their heroic ability. Women were prohibited from the event.

14. Who did Isagoras turn to in 508 BC to help him overthrow Cleisthenes?  He turned outside Athens to Sparta.

15. What happened in Athens while Cleisthenes was in exile? What did this do for Cleisthenes? The Athenians revolted against Isagoras and the Spartans.

1. What did Cleisthenes carve out from the hillside that was near the Acropolis and why did he do this? What was this the beginning of? A meeting place (Agora) which is a way for people to hold the power. This was the beginning of Democracy.