Ancient Greece Study Guide
Vocabulary:
polis – Greek word for city-state
acropolis – a fortress atop a tall hill in the city-states
peninsula – land surrounded by water on 3 sides
democracy – type of government in which people rule themselves
mythology – stories about gods and heroes that explain how the
world works
fables – short stories that offer lessons on life
Aesop – author of the world’s most famous fables
Sappho – most famous woman poet in Ancient Greece
aristocrats – rich landowners
citizens – people with the right to participate in the government
Homer – famous poet who wrote epic poems
Key Ideas:
 Greece is located on a peninsula
 Ancient Greeks became shipbuilders and sailors because of their
location near the water
 City-states were built around a fortress on top of a hill called an
acropolis
 City-states were created for protection and security from their
enemies
 Ancient Greece was first ruled by kings, then aristocrats before
becoming a democracy
 Ancient Greeks used mythology to explain natural events
(thunderstorms, sunrise)
 Greek writers created many famous stories; many of the stories
are still around today and read by many people
Many of our words, expressions and place names today come from the
Ancient Greek language