Rachel's Western Civ Blog

Reading Guide:  1. The geography helped the development of Rome because it was midway between the Alps and Italy's southern tip. This could make it easy for trade or travel between Italy and it was also at the midpoint of the Mediterranean which was helpful for the growth of plants and crops. 2. The Etruscans influenced the development of Rome because they were metalworkers and engineers. They boosted the system of writing, architecture and the use of the arch. 3. The three main groups who fought for power were patricians, plebeians, and tribunes. 4. The Twelve Tables established the idea that all free citizens had a right to the protection of law. 5. The main cause was the conflict between the existing Carthaginian Empire and the expanding Roman Republic. 6. Scipio devised a plan that would force Hannibal to retreat. 7. Rome's victories in the Punic Wars gave it dominance over the Western Mediterranean. Assessment:  republic - a state in which supreme power is...

Reading Guide:  Astronomy:  - Aristarchus of Samos discovered that the sun was at least 300 times larger than the earth - he also proposed that the earthen other planets revolve around the sun - Ptolemy placed earth at the center of the solar system Mathematics:  - Archimedes accurately estimated the value of pi Physics:  - Archimedes invented the Archimedes screw, a device that drew water from the ground Philosophy:  - Stoics proposed that people should live in harmony with the will of god or the natural laws that God established to run the universe - he preached that human desires, power, and wealth were dangerous and should be checked - Epicurus taught that gods who had no interest in humans ruled the universe Section Assessment :  Hellenistic - relating to Greek history, language and culture from the death of Alexander the Great to the defeat of Cleopatra and Mark Atony by Octavian in 31 BC Alexandria - the chief port of Egypt ...

Chapter 5 Section 3 Reading Guide:  1. To strengthen the democracy, he increased the number of public officials who were paid salaries. This means that any Athenian, rich or poor, could serve in office if elected or chosen by lot. 2. To strengthen the empire, he took all of the money from the Delian League to make the Athenian Navy the strongest in the Mediterranean. To glorify Athens, he persuaded the Athenian assembly to vote high sums of money to buy gold, ivory, and marble to beatify Athens. 3. Common themes in tragedies were love, hate, war, and betrayal. 4. The fact that Athenians could listen to criticism about themselves showed the freedom and openness of public discussion that existed in democratic Athens. 5. In his ideal society, people would fall under the three categories of farmers and artisans, warriors, and the ruling class. Each category would have a philosopher-king. The person with the greatest insight and intellect from the ruling class would be the phil...

Lo1: Define the Greco - Persian Wars Lo2: Identify causes and outcomes of the Persian Wars Lo3: Create a timeline of important people, terms, and events relative to the wars  The Greco - Persian Wars : a series of conflicts between the Achaemenid Empire of Persia and Greek city - states that started in 499 BC and lasted until 449 BC Causes:  - Cyrus the Great conquered the Greek inhabited region of Ionia in 547 BC Outcomes: 

Lo1: What was the situation in Athens in 508 BC?  Pandemonium roamed the streets. This caused ordinary citizens turned on their leaders in search of freedom and escaping repression. What class did Cleisthenes come from and what kind of power did this group exercise over Athenians?  Cleisthenes was an aristocrat, the social class that ruled Athens. He was brought up to be a ruler. How did Aristotle describe life for most Athenians in the 6 th century BC?  The country was ruled by a few people and normal people had no say in the decisions regarding their society.   Where were the great civilizations in Cleisthenes day and how was Greece geographically different than these?  Greece was divided into different city-states. It had many mountains and small islands. What Greek city seemed the most likely to dominate all others politically during Cleisthenes lifetime?  Sparta seemed the most likely to dominate all ot...

Lo1: Define polis, acropolis, demos, monarchy, oligarchy, aristocracy, tyranny Lo2: Compare the different models of government used in Ancient Greece Lo3: Compare lifestyles in the two main city states Athens and Sparta Lo1:  polis - a city state in ancient Greece acropolis -  a citadel or fortified part of an ancient Greek city, typically built on a hill demos- the common people of an ancient Greece city state monarchy - a form of government with a monarch at the head oligarchy - a small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution aristocracy - a form of government in which power is held by the nobility tyranny - cruel and oppressive form of rule Lo2:  Monarchy - one single monarch or king/queen, usually involves one family Aristocracy - a hereditary concept, statures based concept of your family by birth, owned land and passed it down through their family Oligarchy - ruled by a small group, two or more people Tyranny - tyr...