mSUMMARY

that was Greece

5.4 The Glory

Greek thinkers used reason and observation to explain

everything and discover the laws that governed the universe,
these thinkers were called PHILOSOPHERS or LOVERS OF
WISDOM.
Their areas of study were sciences like physics, math, logic or
rational thinking, ethics or moral behavior, government.
In Athens, a group of philosophers who believed success to be
more important than moral truth, were the SOPHIST. They
encouraged their followers to develop skills in rhetoric or the
art of skillful speaking and to reject traditional values. A
outspoken critic to the Sophist was SOCRATES.
Socrates (469 B.C to 399 B.C) believed in examining ones
deepest beliefs and ideas, be true to the truth. He taught
through Question and Answer to get to the truth. He never
wrote his teachings PLATO his student did. His method of
teaching is known as SOCRATIC METHOD
Socrates was put on trial and condemned to death by poison,
he was accused of corrupting the youth with his ideas about
finding the truth. He was 70 yrs old
PLATO, Socrates student . Plato believed: in the
importance of reason to find unchanging values,
perfect beauty and organize an ideal society. His most
known work The Republic which describes an ideal state.
Government should not be a democracy but ruled by the
wisest philosopher-king and society should be divided into
three groups workers, soldiers, and philosophers. He believed
men were superior to women but some women were talented
enough to be part of the ruling elite.
ARISTOTLE, Platos most famous student. He promoted reason
as guiding force for learning. He studied the best government
and concluded the best was the one ruled by a strong virtuous
leader, democracy for him can end up being a mob rule. He
created the LYCEUM, a school for all the branches of

knowledge ( left studies on politics, logic, ethics, biology,

literature,
physics inspiration to the first universities in
Europe 1,500 yrs later)
1.- What do philosophers used to study the laws of the
universe?
2.-What are philosophers called?
3.-Which school of philosophy studied believed that success
was more important than truth?
4.-What were Sophist followers encouraged to do?
5.-What did Socrates believed in?
6.-What method of teaching did Socrates Create?
7.-Why was Socrates sentenced to death?
8.-What did Plato believed in?
9.-What is the name of Platos best known work and what is it
about?
10.-For Plato what was the best government?
11.-How did Plato divided society?
12.-For Aristotle what was the best tool to learn?
13.- Who was the best ruler for Aristotle?
14.- What did Aristotle think about democracy?
15.-What did Aristotle founded and why is it so important?
16.-Write the names of the philosophers studied in this section
in CRONOLOGICAL order (earliest to latest)

Ch 5.5 ALEXANDER AND THE HELLENISTIC AGE

Philip II King of Macedonia, was raised in Thebes and he
admired Greek culture. He defeated the allied, Athens and
Thebes , in 338 B.C. at the battle of Chaeronea then the rest

of Greece came under his control. He wanted to conquer the

Persian empire but he was murdered before going after the
Persians.
Philips son, Alexander student of Aristotle and only 20 yrs old
when he took over the throne. His idol was Achilles and for the
next 12 years he earned the title of Alexander the Great.
He went after the Persians in 334 B.C. , he had victory after
victory. The Persian emperor Darius III was weak and his
satraps (governors) were not loyal. Darius is murdered by one
of his satraps before Alexander gets to him. Now most of
Persia was under his control, he continued into India were his
soldiers demanded to go back home tired of the long
campaign. They never lost a battle. In Babylon he died 323
B.C., victim of a sudden and mysterious fever. His empire had
no heir (heredero), after years of disorder three generals
divided his empire Greece and Macedonia for one, Egypt for
the 2nd, and most of Persia for another.
ALEXANDERS LEGACY
His most lasting achievement the spread of Greek culture
across the Mediterranean world and the Middle East.
As he conquered new cities this people absorbed Greek
culture and customs and Alexanders soldiers absorbed the
customs of the conquered people. Alexander had married a
Persian woman to encourage his soldiers to accept other
cultures.
After Alexanders
death a new culture emerged,
HELLENISTIC CIVILIZATION a blend of Greek, Persian, Egyptian
and Indian influences.
The city of Alexandria , Egypt was the heart of the Hellenistic
world. The Museum, a center of learning was built with
laboratories ,zoo, library, lecture halls but it was destroyed in
a fire.

Education even for women was encouraged, women could

work outside their homes, the arts were supported and armies
of artists and architects were employed.
During the Hellenistic Age
Stoicism ( created by Zeno), school of philosophy focused on
avoiding desires and disappointments and accept whatever
life brought
In Math, Pythagoras derived the formula to calculate the
relationship between the sides of a right triangle, Euclid wrote
The Elements the basis for modern geometry
Archimedes, mastered the use of the lever and pulley
Hippocrates, studied the cause of illnesses and looked for
cures. He created the Hippocratic oath, ethical standards for
doctors, doctors todayt take a similar oath.

1.-Which Macedonian king conquered the Greek?

2.-What is the name of the battle and the year in which Philip
conquered Greece?
3.-How old was Alexander when he came to power?
4.-Which philosopher was Alexanders teacher?
5.-What did Alexander do that Philips death prevented him
from doing?
6.-What title did Alexander earn because of his military
brilliance and who was his idol?
7.-When did Alexander started his campaign against the
Persians and who was ruler of the Persian at this time?
8.- Did Alexander kill the Persian Emperor?

9.- Give two reasons why Alexander had it so easy conquering

the Persian
10.-Did Alexander lost a battle?
11.-What was Alexanders legacy to the world?
12.-When, where, and how did Alexander die?
13.-How was Alexanders empire divided after his death?
14.-From where to where did Alexanders empire extended?
15.-Because of Alexanders efforts to spread his culture what
civilization emerged years after his death and it is a blend of
what cultures?
16.What city was the heart of the Hellenistic world?
17. What achievements of the Hellenistic Age have influenced
our times?