Classical Greece
Natalie, Rainey, Matt, John, Tara
Introduction
Big Idea Questions
How does religion impact lives in the modern world (USA)?
Religion impacts lives in the modern world because it is an important part of culture. Religion decides what your beliefs are and can decide what you do. For example, if you are Catholic, you can not eat meat on Fridays during Lent. Most religions mean you go to church, temple, etc. to pray and worship God. It also might mean you go to special events or holidays at a certain time and place. Religion can also make holidays. Jewish people have their own holidays that people like Catholics and other Christians don’t believe in. It may also influence how you act to other people.
How does our modern world reflect the innovations of Classical Greece?
Our modern world reflects the innovations of Classical Greece such as the Iliad and the Odyssey written by Homer. Homer created the Greek stories and myths of Classical Greece. Without Homer, we wouldn’t have any myths and Greek stories. Another innovation that the modern world reflected was, the Greeks built a device called the astrolabe. The astrolabe was an instrument to calculate the distance of planets, which lead up to the telescope. Lasty, an innovation is columns. Because of columns, many buildings are able to stand up and can withstand forces and natural disasters.
Writing- Natalie (Boxes and Bullets)
Greece was the best Civilization because of its Literature.
Homer wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey which are two of the best known Classical pieces of literature in the world today.
The Odyssey contains many well known legends and myths including the Legend of the Trojan Horse and The Myth of Pandora’s Box. Some of these stories are still used today as teachings in the modern world.
The Iliad was written during the tenth and final year of the Trojan war and contains information about the plagues that struck the Greeks along with other well known stories. Some familiar stories include the story of Achilles Heel.
The Iliad and the Odyssey are translated into languages that are used all around the world including Dutch and Italian. These two poems are two of the few pieces of writing known internationally.
The Iliad and the Odyssey are one of the few sources that can tell historians about the Trojan War. If the Greeks had not kept records, we would not know what happened. The Greeks were more advanced than the other civilizations because they kept written records of important events to their society.
Greek literature has been so influential throughout history because it teaches the world lessons of courage, love, and bravery.
The Greeks kept documents of how their democratic government was run. Today, many countries have developed and use the same form of government that was created by the Greeks. Without the influence of the Greeks, we would not have a form of government that so many people live by everyday.
Greek language and literature has also influenced many of the common spoken languages that people of the world use today. Today, many of the language is known as “Greek roots and suffixes.” Some of these commonly used roots include anthrop, arch, and bio. The Greek roots are also used throughout the Metric System, which is used everyday throughout the world.
Greek Literature has also inspired scientists to wonder about the world beyond our eyes including the other planets and stars. It also inspired us to to be curious and determined to find an answer for everything. Because we created answers for many “Why?” questions, we have been able to develope into a more sophisticated world.
We formulate answers the same way that the Ancient Greeks did. The myths that were told in the ancient poems were more like something that we would call a “hypothesis” today. Because we were determined to answer their questions, were now know that Poseidon does not control the waves of the ocean but that gravity is really the one controlling it.
The Greeks created a way for their writing to shared. They allowed their literature to be performed as comedies and plays, read as poetry, and create history.
Acting and performing have become a large part of society throughout the world. Something as simple as listening to a speech is a way that people throughout the world perform their writing. Comedy is also a method of writing that is used in every movie and most plays. Performing and sharing writing has turned into a method of communication.
Poets in Greece were known to be blind because then they could see beauty that others couldn’t. Poetry is still like that today, poets may not be blind but they show the world that there is beauty among the most random things. Some people use poetry as a way of relaxing. Without the Greeks and specifically Homer writing some of the first “epic poems”, poetry would not be the same as it is today.
Greeks created history with their writing because it could be shared with others of later generations. It has impacted our government, language, and way of life.
Because Greece had the first democracy and was able to share it with us through writing, our governments are the way they are today. We follow in Greece’s footsteps by having a democracy. The way that our government is run effects everyone. With a democracy, people are able to have more freedom of speech, and are able to have their say in government without actually being a part of it.
Language is a big part of history because it has influenced the sides that people take in arguments. People who share a similar culture generally share a language. As languages changed culture also changed, influencing the sides people took in arguments and wars. The different arguments made history and shaped how the world is today.
Greek Gods- Tara
This google drawing represents one of many of the Greeks beliefs, the gods. The Greeks believed in many gods. Everyday the Greeks would pray to the gods. They also made sacrifices to please the gods and goddesses. The middle represents Zeus and his wife, and the rest represents his family. Each cloud is one of Zeus’s children or brothers and a description. Every god helped to control the world. One example is how Poseidon controlled and caused the storms at sea. There are over 300 Greeks gods that the Greeks prayed to. The gods impact the modern world because of the myths. Because of myths, the Greeks wanted to know everything which started scientific discoveries. Without gods there wouldn’t be stories and myths that have to do with gods.The gods were created, thanks to Homer. Homer make the gods in the stories and myths. So,without the Greeks belief of the gods, the world would be different.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Greece is the best out of all the civilizations because of how it impacted our modern world. It had great leaders, architecture, gods, stories and myths, and military. Greece’s aspects of culture were very unique and found in no other civilization. First, Greece’s leaders created the form of government called a democracy which many governments use today. Secondly, Greece’s architecture inspired many artists and created many innovations. The Greek Gods were the base of many religions that built off of eachother. Greece military was very powerful and inspired the technique of surprise starting the the Trojan War. Lastly, the Myths in Greece were used to explain things that are uncontrollable. This inspired science and teaches us many things today. Greece also helped architecture to be very different because many artists use Greek architecture as inspiration. Also, without Greece’s stories and myths writing would be very different because myths were the start of beliefs and stories. Ancient Greek religion was one of the first religions which lead to many of the religions that people practice today. Altogether Greece was a building block to what the modern world is today.