Comprehension Check: Lesson 19: Section Intro - Section 1

Section Introduction: (Part 1)

Two of the most significant Greek city-states, Athens and Sparta, had contrasting forms of government. Their citizens also had very different ways of life. Athens was a walled city near the sea. Close by, ships came and went from a busy port supporting trade. Inside the city walls of Athens, talented master potters and sculptors labored in workshops. Wealthy Athenians and the people they enslaved strolled through the marketplace. Free men enjoyed citizenship. Most women remained at home to educate their sons and daughters, but others had jobs.

Section Introduction: (Part 2)

Sparta was located in a fertile farming area on an inland plain. No walls surrounded the city, and its buildings were simple compared with those of Athens. The same was true about the clothes the people wore. Spartan soldiers wore stern expressions behind their bronze helmets as they marched in columns through the streets. Military training was a major factor in each Spartan’s life. Men and women of Sparta were fiercely devoted to physical strength and power. Even a casual visitor in these cities would have noticed that Athens and Sparta were quite different from each other. Taking a closer look at the way people lived in these two city-states will help you examine each city’s government, economy, education, and treatment of women and people who were enslaved to discover exactly how they differed.

Section 1: Comparing Two City-States (Part 1)

Despite a distance of only 100 miles separating these two Greek cities, Athens and Sparta were as different as they could be. But why did one contrast the other so greatly? Part of the answer is geography. Since Athens is only four miles from the Aegean Sea, its location encouraged Athenians to look outward toward the world beyond the city. Athenians enjoyed traveling and were eager to spread their own ideas and to learn from others. They encouraged artists from other parts of Greece to come and share their knowledge of art and architecture. Athens developed strong relationships with other city-states, and it flourished through trade. Additionally, a great fleet made it the leading naval power in Greece.

Section 1: Comparing Two City-States (Part 2)

In contrast, Sparta was more isolated because it was located on a narrow plain on a peninsula in southern Greece known as the Peloponnesus. Mountains surrounded Sparta on three sides, and its harbor was about 25 miles away. Spartans were suspicious of outsiders and their ideas. They could already grow much of what they needed in the fertile soil around Sparta, but what they could not grow, Sparta’s powerful armies would often steal from their neighbors. While Athenians boasted of their art and culture, Spartans valued simplicity and strength. They taught their sons and daughters to fight and were proud to produce soldiers rather than artists and thinkers. For most of their histories, these two city-states were bitter rivals. As you continue reading, you will notice the major differences between Athens and Sparta reflected in almost every part of life.