Geography and Early Greek Civilization SWBAT: -Identify and explain the geographical advantages and disadvantages of Greece. -Compare and contrast Greek geography to the geography of Ancient River Valley Civilizations. Greece is mountainous. Greece is a mountainous peninsula with islands. The Geography of Greece • Ancient Greece consisted of a large mountainous peninsula and islands in the Aegean Sea. • Its hilly terrain made farming difficult • Its location encouraged trade. Mountains separated Greek cities. The Effects of Mountains Greece’s mountainous terrain separated the ancient Greek cities. As such, the ancient Greeks never developed a unified system of government. The ancient Greeks developed the polis or the city-state. The Greeks lived in separate city-states. The Polis • Polis was the Greek word for “city-state”. • A polis was an independent city and its surrounding farmland. • Every polis had its own government and laws but the Greeks shared a common language and religion. The ancient Greeks farmed but it was difficult. Hills are not suited for farming. However, there is always the sea. Even today, the Greeks have access to the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea. The Seas • Greece is a peninsula and islands. • Seas surround parts of Greece. • The Seas allowed the Greeks to travel and trade. • Trade encouraged cultural diffusion. Trade and Cultural Diffusion • The seas allowed the Greeks to depend heavily on trade. • Trade encouraged cultural diffusion. • The Greeks were exposed to the Phoenician alphabet and Egyptian geometry. Questions for Reflection: • Why was it difficult to farm in ancient Greece? • Why did the Greeks depend heavily on trade? • List two geographic features and their effects on the Greeks. • Why did the ancient Greeks never develop a unified system of government? • Define polis. Map Activity Students will identify key regions of Greece and the surrounding areas to include: Asia Minor, Crete, Peloponnesus, Balkan Peninsula, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Mycenae, Athens, and Sparta to understand the relationship between Greek trading routes and Greek colonies. .