c. 650 B.C.Tyrants overthrownobles in city-states

594 B.C.Solon takes power in Athens

508 B.C.Cleisthenes reforms Atheniangovernment

GREECE

PELOPONNESUSAthens

Sparta

700 B.C. 600 B.C. 500 B.C.700 B.C. 600 B.C. 500 B.C.

344 CHAPTER 7 • The Ancient Greeks

HistorySocial ScienceStandardsWH6.4 Studentsanalyze the geographic,political, economic,religious, and socialstructures of the earlycivilizations of AncientGreece.

Looking Back,Looking AheadAlthough Greek city-states devel-

oped the idea of citizenship, they hadmany different types of government.This section describes their differentgovernments and compares the best-known city-states, Athens and Sparta.

Focusing on the • Tyrants were able to seize power

from the nobles with the support of Greek farmers, merchants, andartisans. (page 345)

• The Spartans focused on militaryskills to control the people they conquered. (page 346)

• Unlike Spartans, Athenians weremore interested in building a democracy than building a militaryforce. (page 348)

Locating PlacesSparta (SPAHR•tuh)Athens (A•thuhnz)

Meeting PeopleSolon (SOH• luhn)Peisistratus (py•SIHS•truht•uhs)Cleisthenes (KLYS•thuh•NEEZ)

Content Vocabularytyrant (TY•ruhnt)oligarchy (AH• luh•GAHR•kee)democracy (dih•MAH•kruh•see)helot (HEH• luht)

Academic Vocabularyenforce (ihn•FOHRS)participate (pahr•TIH•suh•PAYT)

Reading StrategyCompare and Contrast Use a Venndiagram to compare and contrast lifein Sparta and Athens.

Sparta Both Athens

Spartaand Athens

WH6.4.2 Trace the transition from tyranny and oligarchy to early democratic forms of government and back to dictatorship inancient Greece, including the significance of the invention of the idea of citizenship (e.g., from Pericles' Funeral Oration).

Tyranny in the City-StatesTyrants were able to seize power from

the nobles with the support of Greek farmers, mer-chants, and artisans.Reading Connection How do you feel when someonemakes a decision that affects you without asking foryour opinion? Read to find out how ancient Greeks whowere shut out of governing made their voices heard.

As you read in the last section, kingsruled the first Greek communities. However,by the end of the Dark Age, the nobles whoowned large farms had seized power fromthe kings.

Rule by the nobles would also be short-lived. The first challenge to their rule camefrom the owners of small farms. Thesefarmers often needed money to live on until

they could harvest and sell their crops.Many borrowed money from the nobles,promising to give up their fields if theycould not repay the loans. Time and timeagain, farmers lost their land. Then theyhad to work for the nobles or become labor-ers in the city. In desperate cases, they soldthemselves into slavery.

By 650 B.C., owners of small farmsbegan to demand changes in the powerstructure. Merchants and artisans alsowanted to share in governing. Both groupshad become very wealthy from the tradebetween city-states. Because they did notown land, however, they were not citizensand had no say in running the polis.

The growing unhappiness led to the riseof tyrants. A tyrant (TY • ruhnt) is someonewho takes power by force and rules with

50 kilometers0Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection

50 miles0

20°E

38°N

24°E

24°E

20°E

P E L O P O N N E S U S

Sparta

Olympia

Athens

N

S

W E

Sparta and Athens c. 700 B.C.

1. Location How many miles apartwere Sparta and Athens?

2. Place Which city-state’sgeography might make it moreopen to attack in a militarybattle? Explain.

Atheniancoin

Territory controlled by SpartaTerritory controlled by Athens

KEY

The

Art

Arc

hive

/E.T

. Arc

hive

WH6.4.6 Compare and contrast life in Athens and Sparta, with emphasis on their roles in the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars.

total authority. Today the word describes aharsh, oppressive ruler. Most early Greektyrants, though, acted wisely and fairly.

During the 600s B.C., tyrants managed tooverthrow the nobles because they had thebacking of the common people. Key sup-port came from the hoplites in the army,many of whom were also farmers.

Tyrants made themselves popular bybuilding new marketplaces, temples, andwalls. However, rule by one person was theopposite of what most Greeks wanted. Theylonged for rule by law with all citizens par-ticipating in the government.

By 500 B.C., tyrants had fallen out offavor in Greece. Most city-states becameeither oligarchies or democracies. In an oligarchy (AH • luh • GAHR • kee), a few peoplehold power. In a democracy (dih•MAH•kruh•see), all citizens share in running the government. The oligarchy of Sparta (SPAHR•tuh) and the democracy of Athens (A • thuhnz)became two of the most powerful govern-ments of early Greece.

Evaluate Why were tyrantspopular in the city-states?

346

SpartaThe Spartans focused on military skills

to control the people they conquered. Reading Connection What would it be like to leavehome when you were only seven? Read to learn howSpartan boys faced this challenge.

As you read in the last section, Spartawas founded by the Dorians—Greeks whoinvaded the Peloponnesus in the Dark Age.Like other city-states, Sparta needed moreland as it grew, but its people did not set upcolonies. Instead, they conquered and en-slaved their neighbors. The Spartans calledtheir captive workers helots (HEH • luhts).This name comes from the Greek word for“capture.”

Why Was the Military So Important?Spartans feared that the helots might some-day rebel. As a result, the governmentfirmly controlled the people of Sparta andtrained the boys and men for war.

At age seven, boys left their family tolive in barracks. They were harshly treatedto make them tough. The Greek historianPlutarch describes life for Spartan boys:

After they were twelve years old,they were no longer allowed towear any undergarment; they hadone coat to serve them a year; . . .They lodged together in littlebands upon beds made of thereeds [grasses] . . . which theywere to break off with their handswithout a knife.

—Plutarch, “Spartan Discipline”

At age 20, Spartan men entered the reg-ular army. The men remained in militarybarracks for 10 more years. They ate all theirmeals in dining halls with other soldiers.

Spartan WarriorSpartan Warrior

Spartan boys and menspent many years training for war.At what age did Spartan boys leave their families for themilitary?

Foto Marburg/Art Resource, NY

CHAPTER 7 • The Ancient Greeks 347

A typical meal was a vile-tasting dish calledblack broth—pork boiled in animal blood,salt, and vinegar.

Spartans returned home at age 30 butstayed in the army until age 60. They con-tinued to train for combat. They expected toeither win on the battlefield or die, butnever to surrender. One Spartan motherordered her son to “Come home carryingyour shield or being carried on it.”

Girls in Sparta were trained in sports—running, wrestling, and throwing thejavelin. They kept fit to become healthymothers. Wives lived at home while theirhusbands lived in the barracks. As a result,Spartan women were freer than other Greekwomen. They could own property and gowhere they wanted.

What Was Sparta’s Government Like?The Spartan government was an oligarchy.Two kings headed a council of elders. Thecouncil, which included 28 citizens over age60, presented laws to an assembly.

All Spartan men over age 30 belongedto the assembly. They voted on the coun-cil’s laws and chose five people to beephors (EH • fuhrs) each year. The ephorsenforced the laws and managed tax collection.

To keep anyone from questioning theSpartan system, the government discour-aged foreign visitors. It also banned travelabroad for any reason but military ones. Iteven frowned upon citizens who studiedliterature or the arts.

The Spartans succeeded in keeping con-trol over the helots for nearly 250 years.However, by focusing on military training,the Spartans fell behind other Greeks intrade. They also knew less about scienceand other subjects. However, their soldierswere especially strong and swift. TheSpartans would play a key role in defend-ing Greece.

Cause and Effect Why didthe Spartans focus on military training?

Spartan boys began training for the military at age 7. Why did theSpartan government want its young people to be physically fit?

Spartan girls weretrained insports.

(l)Bettmann/CORBIS, (r)Michael Holford

WH6.4.2 Trace the transition from tyranny and oligarchy to early democratic forms of government and back to dictatorship inancient Greece, including the significance of the invention of the idea of citizenship (e.g., from Pericles' Funeral Oration).

WH6.4.6 Compare and contrast life in Athens and Sparta, with emphasis on their roles in the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars.

Athens Unlike Spartans, Athenians were more

interested in building a democracy than building amilitary force.Reading Connection When visiting a new city, doeseverything feel strange to you? Spartans who visitedAthens probably felt the same way. Read to find out why.

Athens lay northeast of Sparta, at least atwo-day trip away. The two city-states werealso miles apart in their values and systemsof government.

What Was Life in Athens Like? Atheniancitizens raised their children very differ-ently from Spartans. In Athenian schools,one teacher taught boys to read, write, anddo arithmetic. Another teacher taught themsports. A third teacher taught them to singand to play a stringed instrument called thelyre. This kind of instruction created well-rounded Athenians with good minds andbodies. At age 18, boys finished school andbecame citizens.

Athenian girls stayed at home. Theirmothers taught them spinning, weaving,

348 CHAPTER 7 • The Ancient Greeks

In today’s Olympicgames, both men and womencompete. These athletes come from

all over the world. They may competein either individual or team sporting

events. Olympic athletes strive to wingold, silver, or bronze medals. What did

ancient Greek Olympic winners receive? Whatdo present-day Olympic winners receive?

The Olympics

In ancient Greece, only men could participate in and view the Olympic games.Athletes competed by themselves, not aspart of a team. Contests included running,jumping, wrestling, and boxing. Eachwinning athlete won a crown of oliveleaves and brought glory to his city.

A warrior’s race in the ancient Olympics

Modern Olympic athletes

(l)Tom Lovell/National Geographic Society Image Collection, (r)Dan Helms/NewSport/CORBIS

and other household duties. Only in somewealthy families did girls learn to read,write, and play the lyre. When they mar-ried, women stayed home to keep houseand to teach their own daughters.

A Budding Democracy Early Athens, likeother city-states, was ruled by landowningnobles during the 600s B.C. An assembly ofall citizens existed, but it had few powers.Actually, the government was an oligarchy,as in Sparta.

Around 600 B.C., the Athenians began torebel against the nobles. Most farmersowed the nobles money, and many soldthemselves into slavery to pay their debts.Over and over, farmers demanded an endto all debts, along with land for the poor.

In 594 B.C. the nobles turned to the oneman both sides trusted: a noble named Solon(SOH • luhn). Solon canceled all the farmers’debts and freed those who had becomeslaves. He also allowed all male citizens toparticipate in the assembly and law courts. Acouncil of 400 wealthy citizens wrote thelaws, but the assembly had to pass them.

Solon’s reforms were popular among the common people. However, the farmers

continued to press Solon to give away thewealthy nobles’ land. This he refused to do.

After Solon, there were 30 years of tur-moil. Finally, a tyrant named Peisistratus(py •SIHS • truht •uhs) seized power in 560 B.C.He won the support of the poor by dividinglarge estates among landless farmers. He alsoloaned money to poor people and gave themjobs building temples and other publicworks.

CHAPTER 7 • The Ancient Greeks 349

Token used to select jurors for Athenian courts

The city of Athens was named for the goddess Athena.What group ruledAthens duringthe 600s B.C.?

Web Activity Visit ca.hss.glencoe.com and click on Chapter 7—Student Web Activityto learn more about ancient Greece.

(t)Nimatallah/Art Resource, NY, (b)The Brooklyn Museum, Charles Wilbour Fund

http://ca.hss.glencoe.com

Reading SummaryReview the • The support of wealthy mer-

chants and artisans helpedtyrants seize power from noblesin the city-states.

• Sparta was a powerful city-state.It created a military state tocontrol the people it conqueredand to prevent uprisings.

• Athens was a powerful demo-cratic city-state. Athenians weremore involved in government,education, and the arts than theSpartans.

1. Who were the helots?

2. Why did tyrants fall out offavor with the Greeks?

Critical Thinking3. Persuasive Writing Athenians

chose officials by lottery. Writean essay arguing for or againstthis idea.

4. Classifying InformationDraw a diagram like the onebelow. In each oval write a factabout the Spartan oligarchy.

5. Explain How did Greek noblesgain power?

6. Analyze Why was Solon pop-ular among some Athenianfarmers and unpopular amongothers?

7. To ensure stability,the Athenians set up their gov-ernment to keep one personfrom gaining too much power.How did they do this?

8. Expository Writing Imaginethat you are a 28-year-old manliving in Sparta in 700 B.C. Writea letter to your 6-year-oldnephew telling him what toexpect when he leaves home on his next birthday. CA 6WS1.1

CA 6RC2.4

CA HR5.

CA 6RC2.0

CA 6RC2.4

CA 6WA2.5

What Did You Learn?

350 CHAPTER 7 • The Ancient Greeks

The most important leader afterPeisistratus died was Cleisthenes (KLYS• thuh•NEEZ). When he came to power in 508 B.C., hereorganized the assembly to play the centralrole in governing. As before, all male citizenscould belong to the assembly and vote onlaws. However, members had new powers.They could debate matters openly, hear courtcases, and appoint army generals.

Most importantly, Cleisthenes created anew council of 500 citizens to help theassembly carry out daily business. Thecouncil proposed laws, dealt with foreigncountries, and oversaw the treasury.

Athenians chose the members of thecouncil each year in a lottery. They believedthis system was fairer than an election,which might favor the rich.

Cleisthenes’ reforms did not bring all Athenians into the political process.

Noncitizens, which included all women,foreign-born men, and slaves, were stillexcluded. Nonetheless, Cleisthenes iscredited with making the government ofAthens a democracy.

Explain How didCleisthenes build a democracy in Athens?

Oligarchy

This stonecarving showsDemocracycrowning afigure thatsymbolizesAthens. Whatleader iscredited withmaking Athensa democracy?

Study Central Need help comparing Athensand Sparta? Visit ca.hss.glencoe.com and click onStudy Central.

Ronald Sheridan/Ancient Art & Architecture Collection

http://ca.hss.glencoe.com

Discovering Our Past: Ancient CivilizationsTable of ContentsA Guide to California Content StandardsCorrelation to the California StandardsPreviewing Your TextbookScavenger HuntReading Skills HandbookNational Geographic Reference AtlasWorld: PoliticalWorld: PhysicalEurope: PoliticalEurope: PhysicalMiddle East: Physical/PoliticalAfrica: PoliticalAfrica: PhysicalAsia: PoliticalAsia: PhysicalNorth America: PoliticalNorth America: PhysicalMiddle America: Physical/PoliticalSouth America: PoliticalSouth America: PhysicalPacific Rim: Physical/PoliticalWorld's PeopleWorld: Land UsePolar Regions

National Geographic Geography HandbookHow Do I Study Geography?How Do I Use Maps and Globes?Understanding Latitude and LongitudeFrom Globes to MapsCommon Map ProjectionsParts of MapsTypes of MapsUsing Graphs, Charts, and DiagramsGeographic Dictionary

Tools of the HistorianMeasuring TimeOrganizing TimeHistory and GeographyWhat Is a Historical Atlas?How Does a Historian Work?Making Sense of the PastLinks Across Time

Unit 1: Mesopotamia, Egypt, and IsraelChapter 1: The First CivilizationsReading Skill: Previewing Section 1: Early HumansSection 2: Mesopotamian CivilizationSection 3: New EmpiresChapter 1 Assessment

Chapter 2: Ancient Egypt and KushReading Skill: SummarizingSection 1: The Nile ValleySection 2: Egypt's Old KingdomSection 3: The Egyptian EmpireSection 4: The Civilization of KushChapter 2 Assessment

Chapter 3: The Ancient IsraelitesReading Skill: Making ConnectionsSection 1: The First IsraelitesSection 2: The Kingdom of IsraelSection 3: The Growth of JudaismChapter 3 Assessment

Unit 1 Review

Unit 2: India, China, and the AmericasChapter 4: Early IndiaReading Skill: QuestioningSection 1: India's First CivilizationsSection 2: Hinduism and BuddhismSection 3: India's First EmpiresChapter 4 Assessment

Chapter 5: Early ChinaReading Skill: MonitoringSection 1: China's First CivilizationsSection 2: Life in Ancient ChinaSection 3: The Qin and Han DynastiesChapter 5 Assessment

Chapter 6: The Ancient AmericasReading Skill: Taking NotesSection 1: The First AmericansSection 2: The Mayan PeopleChapter 6 Assessment

Unit 2 Review

Unit 3: The Greeks and RomansChapter 7: The Ancient GreeksReading Skill: Comparing and ContrastingSection 1: The Early GreeksSection 2: Sparta and AthensSection 3: Persia Attacks the GreeksSection 4: The Age of PericlesChapter 7 Assessment

Chapter 8: Greek CivilizationReading Skill: VisualizingSection 1: The Culture of Ancient GreeceSection 2: Greek Philosophy and HistorySection 3: Alexander the GreatSection 4: The Spread of Greek CultureChapter 8 Assessment

Chapter 9: The Rise of RomeReading Skill: Making InferencesSection 1: Rome's BeginningsSection 2: The Roman RepublicSection 3: The Fall of the RepublicSection 4: The Early EmpireChapter 9 Assessment

Chapter 10: Roman CivilizationReading Skill: Making PredictionsSection 1: Life in Ancient RomeSection 2: The Fall of RomeSection 3: The Byzantine EmpireChapter 10 Assessment

Chapter 11: The Rise of Christianity Reading Skill: Identifying Cause and EffectSection 1: The First ChristiansSection 2: The Christian ChurchSection 3: The Spread of Christian IdeasChapter 11 Assessment

Unit 3 Review

AppendixWhat Is an Appendix?SkillBuilder HandbookCalifornia Standards HandbookGlossarySpanish GlossaryGazetteerIndexAcknowledgements and Photo Credits

Feature ContentsPrimary SourceAnalyzing Primary SourcesWorld LiteratureBiographySkillBuilder HandbookNational Geographic: History MakersLinking Past & PresentNational Geographic: The Way It WasYou Decide . . .Primary Source QuotesMaps, Charts, Graphs, and Diagrams

Student WorkbooksActive Reading Note-Taking GuideCalifornia Standards Practice WorkbookReading Essentials and Study GuideSpanish Reading Essentials and Study Guide

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