Blog Week 8 - 1

Greece

·     Trojan War - fought around 1200 BCE

·     part of Greek mythology - until the 19th cent. most historians thought it was fictional because gods and goddesses got involved 

·     The goddesses Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera were given the “apple of discord”

·     Paris judged Aphrodite as “the fairest”

·     Aphrodite made Helen (who was married) fall in love with Paris, who took her back to Troy

·     Dorians were far less advanced

·     The trade-based economy collapsed

·     Writing disappeared for 400 years

·    although fertile valleys cover one quarter of the peninsula, only about 20% is arable(suitable for farming)

·     Greek Diet consists of grains, grapes, olives & fish

·     Lack of resources most likely led to Greek colonization

·     Back then, temperatures usually ranged from mid 40s in the winter to low 80s in the summer - although it could get hot in the summer

·    Some City states were in war with each other

·     Polis - Fundamental political unit.

·       Monarchy - Rule by a single person.

·      Aristocracy -Rule by a group of noble, wealthy people.

·     Oligarchy - wealthy groups.

·      Tyrant - Powerful individual who seized control.