Comparison Question:
How did Athens begin to act similarly to the Persian Empire it had previously fought? Explain.
As the economic and political power of Athens grew, other city-states, especially Sparta, became alarmed. Politically and socially, Sparta and Athens were quite different. Neither trusted the other. Both wanted to be the major power in the Greek world.
Sparta became the leader of an alliance of city-states opposed to Athens. In 433 b.c., Athens began interfering with some of Sparta’s allies. These allies pressured Sparta to attack Athens. War broke out in 431 b.c. and continued until 404 b.c. The possibility of future cooperation among the Greek city-states disappeared as a result of this conflict. Historians call this conflict the Peloponnesian War because Sparta was located in the Peloponnesus.
Think-Pair-Share
Why did Sparta feel threatened by Athens?
Compare
What was one major difference between Sparta and Athens?
During the war’s first winter, Athens held a public funeral to honor soldiers. Afterward, Pericles delivered a famous speech called the Funeral Oration. He talked about the greatness of Athens and the strength of its government.
"Our constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people. When it is a question of settling private disputes, everyone is equal before the law. . . ."
Citizen Profile
List the rights and responsibilities mentioned by Pericles:
Rights:
Responsibilities:
Sparta surrounded Athens, knowing they could defeat them in open battle. Pericles kept his people within the city walls, relying on the navy for supplies. However, a deadly disease broke out in the overcrowded city, killing a third of the people, including Pericles.
Finally, Sparta made a deal with the Persian Empire. Sparta gave Persians territory in Anatolia; in return, Sparta received gold to build its own navy. In 405 b.c., Sparta's new navy destroyed the Athenian fleet and placed a blockade around the city.
Internal Crisis
How did disease affect Athens?
External Deal
Why was the deal with Persia a "game-changer"?
Final Defeat
What role did the blockade play?
The war brought disaster. Governments were weak, many were dead, and farms were destroyed. Sparta ruled harshly, which angered its allies. Eventually, Thebes ended the Spartan empire. While the city-states fought, they failed to notice the growing threat from the kingdom of Macedonia to the north.
Critical Thinking
Why couldn't Greece stop Macedonia?
Prompt: Why do governments change? Use at least TWO examples from the reading (Athens, Sparta, or Persia).
Claim (Your Answer):
Evidence (Two specific facts):
Reasoning (Connecting evidence to claim):
Section 1 (Control):
Demanding loyalty/payments, insisting on Athenian coins/measures, moving the treasury, sending troops to help commoners rebel.
CER Sample Response:
Claim: Governments change because of extreme stress like war, disease, and the loss of resources.
Evidence: Athens lost its democracy twice during the Peloponnesian War due to starvation and unrest. Sparta gained a navy only after making a deal to give up territory to Persia for gold.
Reasoning: When a government can no longer provide basic needs or security (like food during a blockade), the people often overthrow it or it collapses under the weight of its enemies.
