Sample file. Build. inventions, monuments, and works of art. Hands-On Activities. Learn. how the discoveries of ancient Greece affect us today

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1 Tools of the Ancient Greeks A Kid s Guide to the History & Science of Life in Ancient Greece Meet the people whose ideas changed the world Build inventions, monuments, and works of art 15 Hands-On Activities Explore the history of Greek civilization with hands-on activities Learn how the discoveries of ancient Greece affect us today Kris Bordessa

2 Other titles in the Tools of Discovery series: Tools of Navigation: A Kid s Guide to the History and Science of Finding Your Way by Rachel Dickinson Tools of Timekeeping: A Kid s Guide to the History and Science of Telling Time by Linda Formichelli and W. Eric Martin Tools of the Ancient Romans: A Kid s Guide to the History and Science of Life in Ancient Rome by Rachel Dickinson Tools of Native Americans: A Kid s Guide to the History and Culture of the First Americans by Kim Kavin Nomad Press A division of Nomad Communications Copyright 2006 by Nomad Press All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. The trademark Nomad Press and the Nomad Press logo are trademarks of Nomad Communications, Inc. Printed in the United States. ISBN: Questions regarding the ordering of this book should be addressed to Independent Publishers Group 814 N. Franklin St. Chicago, IL Nomad Press 2456 Christian St. White River Junction, VT

3 Contents Introduction... 1 Chapter 1: Ancient Greece and the Beginnings of Democracy... 3 Chapter 2: Farming, Trade, and the Greek Way of Life Chapter 3: The Arts of the Ancient Greeks Chapter 4: Greek Gods Chapter 5: Sports and the Olympics Chapter 6: Philosophy Chapter 7: Architecture Chapter 8: Science, Math, and Medicine Chapter 9: Mapping the World and the Stars Chapter 10: Warfare in Ancient Greece

4 INTRODUCTION hen we look at the modern world and try to figure out why we live the way we do, we find ourselves turning again and again to a small nation in the Mediterranean Sea, and to events that took place there more than 2,000 years ago. Much of the world around us has been heavily influenced by people we now call ancient Greeks. If you find that hard to believe, just look to the sky. Our constellations go by names like Orion, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, and Perseus. Those names come directly from ancient Greek mythology. Even one of America s space programs was named for the Greek god, Apollo. Some American cities sport Greek names Athens, Georgia, is one and Homer, Alaska, is another. Some of our most famous buildings feature sweeping colonnades and imposing

5 Tools of the Ancient Greeks columns elements that were prominent in ancient Greek architecture. The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., is just one example: it was modeled after the Greek Parthenon. From our democratic society to our theater, and from our architecture to our names for constellations, ancient Greek culture has influenced our lives today. When we measure, map, and mold the world, we use tools that were invented by the ancient Greeks. Even when we do something simple like argue or run a race, we have the ancient Greeks to thank for showing us how to do it best. Tools of the Ancient Greeks will take you through the intellectual triumphs and mechanical creations of this long-gone, but not-forgotten civilization and show how their world has influenced ours. Biology, astronomy, athletics, democracy, logic, and reason the Greeks laid the groundwork in nearly every field of learning you can imagine. With this book you can follow in their footsteps.

6 CHAPTER Learn the names and stories of the ancient Greek populations Explore ancient Greek philosophy and inventions Compare the ancient Greek government and way of life to your own 1 Ancient Greece and the Beginnings of Democracy hen we talk about ancient Greece, we are referring to the time period from about 800 BCE to 31 BCE. Those 800 years in ancient Greece produced some amazing ideas, inventions, discoveries, and beliefs, many of which we use in our daily lives today. But before we focus solely on those clever Greeks, let s take a quick look at how ancient Greece evolved. The First Greeks Situated on the Aegean Sea, ancient Greece is considered part of the Aegean world. The Aegean world includes all of the civilizations in this area. The Minoans were the first great civilization in the Aegean world. They lived a peaceful existence on the island of Crete, near mainland Greece. Although much information BCE? CE? As you read, you will notice dates with the letters BCE. This stands for Before Common Era. The beginning of the Common Era is marked by the birth of Jesus and begins with the year 1 followed by the letters CE. Events that occurred prior to the first year of the Common Era are classified as Before Common Era. The years BCE may seem backward, because as time passes, the years actually become smaller in number. A child born in 300 BCE, for instance, would celebrate his or her 10th birthday in the year 290 BCE. Think of it as a countdown to Common Era.