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The Rise of Ancient Greece
Section 1: The Rise of Greek Civilization
Greece’s Geographic Setting
Greece’s geography encouraged the Greeks to become traders and sailors. Greek communities
lived in areas separated by water and mountains. They developed different customs and beliefs,
yet shared a heritage, religion, and language.
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The Rise of Ancient Greece
Section 1: The Rise of Greek Civilization
Greek Beginnings
The Minoan people lived on Crete from about 3000 to 1100 B.C. They were sea traders and built
a grand palace in the city of Knossos. They were invaded by the Mycenaeans from the mainland.
They spread their culture through trade and conquest. Homer’s epic poems, the Illiad and the
Odyssey, tell heroic tales from the Mycenaean period.
The Dark Ages of Greece
After the Trojan War, the Greeks stopped writing and trading. This time from the early 1100s B.C.
to about 750 B.C. is known as Greece’s Dark Ages.
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The Rise of Ancient Greece
Section 1: The Rise of Greek Civilization
City States Develop
Around 750 B.C., city-states began to grow, ruled by aristocrats. The city-states grew rich from
trade, and the middle class wanted more power. Aristocrats were often replaced by tyrants.
Democracy in Greece
Many city-states replaced the tyrants with a democratic form of government. Solon, in Athens,
was a leader who advanced democracy and freedom there. Still, only 20 percent of Athenians
were granted the privileges of citizenship.
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The Rise of Ancient Greece: Section 1
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