Ancient Greek Contributions

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Ancient Greek Contributions

• What were the contributions to Western
  Civilization from the Ancient Greeks?

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Document 1

• The unexamined life is not worth living
• Who was Socrates, and what was he suggesting in
  this quote?
• Socrates was a Greek Philosopher. He was
  suggesting that a life without knowledge is not
  worth living.

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Document 2

• Since Human Reason is the most godlike part of
  human nature, a life guided by human reason is
  superior to any other For man, this is the life
  of reason, since the faculty of reason is the
  distinguishing characteristic of human beings.
• Who was Aristotle, and what did he believe about
  human nature?
• Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, and the
  student of Plato, he believed that a humans
  ability to think set them apart from other beings
  (animals).

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Document 3

• Our plan of government favors the many instead
  of the few that is why it is called a
  democracyAs for social standing, advancement is
  open to everyone, according to ability. While
  every citizen has an equal opportunity to serve
  the public, we reward our most distinguished
  citizens by asking them to make our political
  decisions. Nor do we discriminate against the
  poor. A man may serve his country no matter how
  low his position on the social scale.

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Document 3 continued

• What type of government was Pericles describing?
  What were his expectations for his citizens in
  this type of government?
• Pericles was describing a democratic type of
  government. His expectations were that all
  citizens serve their country.

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Document 4

• I will follow that treatment which, according
  to my ability and judgment, I will consider for
  the benefit of my patients, and abstain from
  whatever is harmful. I will give no deadly
  medicine to anyone if asked, nor suggest any such
  advice
• Who was Hippocrates, and what was he promising to
  do?
• Hippocrates is the Father of Medicine he
  promised to treat all of his patience the same
  and not harm any of them purposely.

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Document 5

• Proposition 15, THEOREM If two straight lines
  cut one another, the vertical, or opposite,
  angles shall be equal.
• Who was Euclid, and what has been the impact of
  his work?
• Euclid was a Greek mathematician and the impact
  of his work was the foundation of mathematical
  formulas.

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Document 6

• Creon And still you dared to overstep these
  laws?
• Antigone For me, it was not Zeus who made that
  order. Nor did I think your orders were so strong
  that you, a mortal man, could overrun the gods
  unwritten and unfailing laws I know I must
  diesbut if I left my brother dead and unburied,
  Id have cause to grieve as now I grieve not.
• What values are expressed in this Greek play?
• The values that are expressed are that the gods
  are above the law, and that burial is sacred.

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Document 7

• The Parthenon
• How have specific features of this building
  influenced Western Civilization?
• The architectural style such as the columns have
  been used in western government buildings

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Document 8

• What does this statue reveal about Greek values?
• A strong human body was valued in Greek culture
• How did the Olympics influence later
  civilizations?
• The Olympic tradition was passed on to later
  cultures.

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Aristotle

• Background info Aristotle was a Greek
  Philosopher. He was the student of Plato.
  Aristotle was not originally from Athens. He was
  not from a rich family. He was the tutor of
  Alexander the Great.
• Major Ideas/ Beliefs Aristotle was more
  interested in science than Socrates or Plato,
  maybe because his father was a doctor. He wanted
  to use Socrates' logical methods to figure out
  how the real world worked therefore Aristotle is
  really the father of today's scientific method.
  He specialized in classifying plants and animals.

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Plato

• Background Info When Plato was a young man, he
  went to listen to Socrates, and learned a lot
  from Socrates about how to think, and what sort
  of questions to think about. Plato began to write
  down some of the conversations he had heard
  Socrates have. Practically everything we know
  about Socrates comes from what Plato wrote down.

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Plato

• Major Ideas/ Beliefs
• The Republic Plato thought that most people in
  society were not educated so the best people to
  rule were the rich. Plato came from an
  aristocratic family. He believed that philosopher
  kings should rule Greece.
• Society has three classes Philosophers,
  Soldiers, and Workers

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Pericles

• Background Info He was a General and Statesmen-
  often called the first Athenian Citizens. He was
  a general during the Peloponnesian war.
• Major Ideas/Beliefs strengthen Athenian
  democracy, expand Athenian Empire, Glorify Athens

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Socrates

• The first of the Greek Philosophers. Questions
  on the nature of life, wisdom, and Logic.
• Major Beliefs Humans have the gift of reason.
  People should examine their beliefs. The
  Socratic Method- Questioning.
• Killed by the state for corrupting the youth of
  Athens

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Thucydides and Herodotus

• Greek Historians
• Thucydides reported history with reason and not
  entertainment. Rational explanations of events.
  Human nature is the cause of human events
• Herodotus was known as the father of history.
  Wrote extensively on the ancient world.

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