Ancient Greece

By Christi Winkelmann

And

Linda Wheatley

Location of Greece

• The country of Greece is part of the continent of Europe.

Ancient Greece• The land of the ancient Greeks included what is now

central and southern Greece as well as parts of Italy and Turkey. Greece also had colonies in India, Portugal, and Sudan.

Geography of Ancient Greece

• Peninsula– Area of land with water on

3 sides.• Mountains• Hills• Valleys• Plains

– Areas of flat land for farming

• Islands– More than 1,400

• Seas– Ionian, Mediterranean,

Aegean

Climate of Greece

• Greece is located in the northern hemisphere near the equator. This means long, hot summers with mild winters.

People of Ancient Greece(The Men)

• Most men in ancient Greece lived and worked on farms. They also went hunting and fishing.

• Businessmen would go to the agora, or marketplace, where food and other goods were sold in open-air markets. The market place was also a meeting place for men who wanted to discuss politics and make decisions about how the city should be run.

• War played an important role in ancient Greek culture. All men were expected to fight with the army.

People of Ancient Greece(The Women)

• Women stayed home and did the housework.

• They also cooked, cared for the children, and wove cloth.

• Some homes had servants. The women were in charge of the servants.

People of Ancient Greece(The Children)

• Boys from wealthy Greek families were sent to school.

• Poor boys were taught a trade by their fathers.

• Boys wrestled with their friends, played with tops, toy sailboats, pull carts, and toy chariots. They pretended to have sword fights.

• Girls were taught at home, if at all.

• Girls were expected to help their mothers around the house.

• Girls played with dolls and little houses made with clay furniture. They also played a game like jacks, using knuckle bones from animals.

Clothing of the Ancient Greeks

• The ancient Greeks wore a garment called a chiton.

• The Greeks went barefoot at home, and wore boots or leather sandals when traveling.

• Cleanliness and beauty were very important to the Greeks.

• Wealthy women wore very fancy jewelry. They also wore make-up.

Ancient Greek Homes

• Most Greek homes were built of bricks made with mud. They had tile roofs.

• Most houses were built around a courtyard.

• Men and women used separate parts of the house. Men used the public rooms. Women gathered and worked together in the more private parts of the house.

Olympics• The Olympic games were

first held in Greece. • They were held in honor

of the god Zeus every four years.

• Events included running, wrestling, boxing, and chariot and horse races.

• First prize was a crown made out of olive leaves.

Myths

• Myths are stories passed on by people over many years.

• The ancient Greeks created stories about their gods and goddesses.

• They told myths to explain mysteries of nature and also provide entertainment.

Technology• Webquest

– A little advanced for most second graders, but a great link to ideas and information.

– http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Subway/6560/index.html• Trackstar

– Link to numerous tracks on various aspects of ancient Greece.– http://trackstar.4teachers.org/trackstar/ts/searchByKeyword.do?

keywords=Ancient+Greece&subjectNameArray=Social+Sciences&gradeNameArray=Primary+%28K-2%29&gradeNameArray=Intermediate+%283-4%29

• Daily Life in Ancient Greece– Lots of useful information.– http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/Greeklife.html

• Other Sites– http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/searchkids.pl?

keywords=Ancient+Greece&searchtype=all– http://search.yahooligans.yahoo.com/search/ligans?

p=Ancient+Greece