Essay Day 3

Today in class we finished our essay about Homer. We only had a little bit to do but we added more paragraphs and cleaned up grammar. After that, we started watching the video and preparing for tomorrow's test. I don't think I need to study the big things but I need to study the powerpoint and the small details that we didn't spend that much time on. I think this project helped me prepare for the test tomorrow.

Essay Day 2

Today in class, Alayna, Kacey, and I continued working on our essay. We are almost done because we did about 2 pages last night and a page today. We each wrote about that we did our slides on but we needed to add more so we started to research some new topics and topics we already had. We should we finishing tomorrow and starting to study for our test.

Essay

Yesterday in class, we started working on our essays. Kacey, Alayna and I did about half of our essay on Homer. I thought it was difficult because we needed more information that what was in our powerpoint but I think we are doing good so far. We aren't done yet, but we will be done by Monday's class. Hopefully, next week will just be editing the essay and studying for our test.

More on Greek Powerpoint

Fighting Spartans

• Greeks were war-like - Especially Spartans 
• Spartans were known for their tough, ruthless infantry 
• Spartan boys started training at the age of seven 

Naval Power

• Athens had a great infantry but nothing compared to their navy 
• Most effective weapon: Trireme 
• technological marvel
• fastest ship in the world at the time
• rowed by about 170 men on 3 levels
• could be used as a battering ram
• agile; fast

Phalanx: Close-ranked, dense grouping of warriors

• armed with long spears and interlocking shields 
• soldiers advanced slowly toward their enemy until they broke through their ranks

Philosopherlapalooza - Socrates

• looked at science and logic (not gods) for explanation about the world
• the socratic method fostered critical thinking
• socrates was charged with serious crimes: 
• impiety (disrespecting the gods)
• corrupting the youth
• he described himself as a stinging gadfly, and the Athens as a lazy horse
• did not deny what he did
• found guilty; sentenced to death by drinking hemlock

Plato

• student and follower of socrates 
• wrote socrates' teachings 
• republic was socrates' discussion

Aristotle 

• student of Plato 
• Helped foster Athens as an intellectual destination
• his school focused on cooperative research 
• didn't invent the internet but had a dream of the idea
• tutored Alexander the Great

More Greek Powerpoint

Today in class we took more notes on the Greek Powerpoint:

• With Hippias gone, Isagoras and Cleisthenes (aristocrats) got in a power struggle
• Isagorus had support from other aristocrats and Sparta
• Cleisthenes had support from most Athenians 
• Isagorus wins: He ostracizes Cleisthenes 
• They trap Isagorus on the acropolis for two days - on the third day he fled and was banished
• Cleisthenes - A member of the elite
• Very rich
• Insulated from the "hoi polloi" 
• A crafty politician 
• Saw the value of tapping into the talents of the non-aristocrats

Gods and Goddesses 

• Poseidon (god of the sea) interfered with Odysseus trying to return home
• Aphrodite (goddess of love) had lovers of both gods and men
• Dionysus (god of wine) was son of Zeus (Greek god) and Semele (Human princess) 
• Zeus - ruler of heaven and earth; Had a temper and tended to throw thunder bolts
• Athena - Goddess of war, battle, and wisdom; Born from Zeus; The patron of Athens; A special patron of heroes
• Apollo - god of music (moon); Twin sister Artemis (sun); Zeus was his father
• Poseidon - god of water; brother of Zeus
• Aphrodite - goddess of love, beauty, desire, and sexuality
• Demeter - god of grain, and harvest; Zeus's sister

Presentations

Today in class we finished the group presentations and talked about the essay we have to write. Kacey, Alayna and I presented our powerpoint on Homer's Life and Teachings. The other groups that presented today were "Three Great Philosophers", and "warfare land and sea". After the presentations, Mr. Schick explained that we would have 3 days in class to work on the project with our groups.

Tyranny

Transformation of Government

• During the 6th and 7th centuries BCE, the aristocrats were in charge of Greece
• Aristocracy is a rule by aristocrats
• Aristocrats attended meetings where men enjoyed wine, poetry, performances, and the company of hetaeras (courtesans/escorts) while talking about politics

An exclusive club

• In the club there were no:
•  women (except entertainment)
• middle class
• slaves
• certain people who had been kicked out or angered other aristocrats 

Tyrants seize control

• Some aristocrats formed alliances with hoplites (well-armed soldiers), and set up an alternative form of government called tyranny
• Tyrant: someone who rules outside the framework of the polis
• Modern meaning of tyrant: An abusive or oppressive leader
• Greek meaning of tyrant: Someone who seized power 

Clash of the tyrants

• Hippias was a tyrant who ruled from 527 to 510 BCE 
• His brother was murdered and his rule became harsh
• He was expelled from Athens (ostracized) 
• In revenge, he began with the Persian King Darius I, helping them invade Marathon