Notes

Greek States, -political patterns established during the classical time continue to have an influence on the modern world. -cultural traditions and customs shaped the arts for centuries. -development of major world religion: Christianity. -extensive trade brought new ideas and products.

Persian Empire
-550 BCE
-Cyrus the Great, first conqueror, expanded territory to include most of Southwest Asia, - noted for tolerance of minorities. -Religion, Zoroastianism, ephasized rewards in the afterlife for living a good life, or punishment for leading a bad life. -Technology: ironworking which spread throughout the empire, Public works: extensive road system (The Persian Royal Road) to link all parts of an empire. -Trade: with West, Phoenicians, Greeks, and East India, China, Southeast Asia.

Greek polis, greeks adopt alphabet from Phoenician traders. city-states, polis in Greek. Athens and Sparta were two of the largest and were also rivals. Sparta: aristocratic government; focus on strong military; slave labor; emphasis on agriculture. Athens: development of democracy; many achievements in math, science, the arts, and philosophy; emphasis on trade; slave labor.

The persian wars: alliance of athens and sparta to defeat invading persians, after greek city states, athens dominates all greek city states. Distrust for athenian rule led to peloponnesian wars in which the city states of Greece allied with either Athens or sparta; spartan victory couple coupled with widespread plague led to a deterioration of the power Greek city-states. -Trojan War.

Rome started as a republic, and changed into an empire. development of christianity. political patterns had an influence on the modern world. use of slave labor ultimately led to decline in economic expansion. 1-8, 15