I need one page within 5 hours

Chapter Three – Summary

Greek, and therefore Western, civilization was introduced by the inhabitants of ancient Crete. These people, the Minoans, were a seafaring people whose trade and economic activities necessitated their use of a type of writing that forms the foundation for later development of the Greek language. Though the Minoan civilization has been largely erased from recorded memory, they serve as a transitional civilization to the subsequent rise of the Mycenaeans, the precursor Hellenic civilization. The Mycenaeans were a militaristic conglomeration of independent communities. With the destruction of Pylos around 1200 B.C.E., the Mycenaean civilization declined and a Dark Age ensued. Classical Greek civilization emerges some four or five hundred years later, and though these intervening years are seen as dark, they were not without significance. The framework for Greece’s signature civilization, the Hellenic era, was being formed. The rise of the polis and the development of the hoplite infantry were key factors in shaping Greek civilization. Sometimes Greek civilization is divided into two camps: Spartan and Athenian culture. The Spartans developed a militaristic society that enabled them to achieve stability and impressive power. Athens, on the other hand, was characterized by political, intellectual, and artistic innovation and growth. At the same time as the Greek civilization was experiencing tremendous success, the Persian empire was maturing under Cyrus the Great and later Darius I. The Greeks and the Persians came into conflict. The Greeks were ultimately victorious, seemingly a resounding conformation of their belief in their cultural superiority.

Review Questions

1. The discovery in 1899 of a large structure in Knossos is the most significant architectural evidence of which civilization?

a. Phoenician

b. Minoan

c. Greek

d. Mycenaean

2. Which goods did the Egyptians import from the Minoans and Phoenicians?

a. Grain

b. Stone and gems

c. Iron and precious metals

d. Wood and olive oil

3. Which of the following was proven to be an early from of Greek?

a. Linear A

b. Linear B

c. Cuneiform

d. Heiroglyphs

4. The first Greek civilization is known as:

a. Minoan

b. Classical

c. Mycenaean

d. Hellenic

5. Tholoi were most likely:

a. Repositories of official records and documents

b. Mounded burial sites for slaves

c. Above ground temples for the worship of gods

d. Shrines for the worship of ancestors

6. Soon after the destruction of Pylos:

a. All the Mycenaean kingdoms collapsed and a Dark Age descended on he Aegean

b. The Mycenaean regained their former degree of influence and power

c. The Greeks emerged from a Dark Age of cultural decline

d. Linear B emerged as the most widely used form of communication and official record-keeping

7. Troy was a particularly strategic city because:

a. It was located at the convergence of several major land routes

b. It was built overlooking a wide and fertile valley

c. It was situated on the waterway providing access to the Black Sea

d. It was defended by cliffs on one side and the sea on the other

8. The Homeric king of the Mycenaean Era:

a. Held vast authority over many cities

b. Was first among equals in a band of military companions

c. Exercised absolute power over a highly trained group of loyal warriors

d. Was more of a figurehead rather than an authority

9. Between 750 and 500 B.C.E., the Greeks:

a. Scattered colonies across the Mediterranean region

b. Underwent a period of decline that reduced their influence

c. Were conquered by nomadic tribes in a series of devastating waves

d. Remained stagnant culturally during a period known as the Dark Age

10. Pan-Hellenic shrines and festivals:

a. Helped to galvanize foreign resistance to Greek cultural influence

b. Were the cause of Greek decline because of their expense

c. Served to maintain ties among colonists and spread Hellenism

d. Had little influence upon Greek culture or civilization

11. The “polis”:

a. Was a failed experiment in social engineering

b. Was an attempt to create model citizens

c. Essentially created a military state

d. Can best be imagined as a loose confederation of states

12. Humanism:

a. Regarded humans as god-like

b. Encouraged citizens to look toward the state or protection and direction

c. Was incompatible with the “polis”

d. Maintained that the world was a rational place

13. A hoplite was:

a. A citizen without land

b. A merchant

c. A landed citizen with voting rights

d. A soldier

14. A phalanx was:

a. A military formation based upon strength and momentum

b. A military strategy that took advantage of innovations in military equipment like chariots

c. A slow moving, heavily armored division of soldiers

d. A defensive military strategy

15. Hoplite culture considered women to be:

a. Valued equals in the community

b. Able contributors to the general good, though somewhat subservient to men

c. Inferior and unfit for public life

d. Worthy of worship because of their link to the goddesses

16. The Spartans are best known for:

a. Their innovations in agriculture

b. Their interest in literature and art

c. Their able political and philosophical theories

d. Their intimidating military power

17. Spartan women:

a. Were given freedom and responsibility

b. Had little freedom outside their own home

c. Were distrusted and considered a threat to patriarchal power

d. Were considered as little more than domestic slaves

18. The Spartan Gerousia was:

a. A committee of equals whose job it was to advise the king

b. A council of elders who set policy

c. A kind of supreme court that decided all debates and suits

d. A collection of the best military minds

19. The decline of the Spartans might have been a result of:

a. Their inferior military

b. Neglect of agriculture

c. Their unbalanced concentration on military matters

d. Growing unrest among the peasant class

20. The Areopagus was:

a. A committee of leaders from aristocratic families

b. A military tribunal

c. A kind of school or university encouraging debate

d. An early league of nations developed to negotiate trade and implement treaties

21. On “oligarchy” is:

a. A democratic form of governing

b. A government dominated by the rich and well-born

c. Rule by an individual who seizes power

d. Bureaucratic governing with numerous committees

22. Tyranny is:

a. A democratic form of governing

b. A government dominated by the rich and well-born

c. Rule by an individual who seizes power

d. Bureaucratic governing with numerous committees

23. What was the result of Cylon’s coup?

a. He successfully ousted the aristocratic government and replaced it with a democratic committee

b. He was unable to raise an army to join him

c. The support he was able to gain convinced the governing authorities that more open dialogue with citizens was necessary

d. His revolt was put down, but his influence was felt

24. The intent of Draco’s code of laws was to:

a. Reform some of Athen’s harshest laws and make justice more merciful

b. Codify the law and make enforcement more uniform

c. Impose capital punishment for a variety of offenses

d. Gain the loyalty of those who felt that Athenian law was prejudicial

25. To whom did the Athenian politicians grant absolute authority in 594 B.C.E.?

a. Hippias

b. Cleisthenes

c. Peisistratus

d. Solon

26. Which of the following won control of Athens and supported rites honoring Dionysus?

a. Hippias

b. Cleisthenes

c. Peisistratus

d. Solon

27. Which of the following reduced the political advantage of aristocratic families and divided Attica into counties or “demes”?

a. Hippias

b. Cleisthenes

c. Peisistratus

d. Solon

28. Which of the following conquered Lydia and subdued Ionia?

a. Darius

b. Cleisthenes

c. Miletus

d. Cyrus

29. After the death of Darius, Xerxes:

a. Planned and implemented Persia’s response to the loss at Marathon

b. Returned Greek lands seized during his father’s reign

c. Retreated to Persia’s original borders without further military action

d. Negotiated a lasting and mutually beneficial treaty with the Attic states

30. Which event seemed to confirm the Greek belief that their institutions were superior to all others?

a. The birth of Greek drama

b. The Pan-Hellenic games

c. The establishment of the oracle at Delphi

d. The victory over the Persians