Greece The Rise of Sparta Activity
The Top of the Charts
Instructions: For this activity, use the reading from your lesson and the government comparison chart below to complete the Athens - Sparta Daily Life graphic organizer.
Daily Life in Athens and Sparta
The GREAT Debate
Debate in the Agora:
Ancient Greek city-states were known for different things. Some were best known for trade, others for farming. Still others made their name by exploring the seas and colonizing distant lands.
Among all of the ancient Greek city states, however, two city states were continuously among the most admired, the most respected, and often the most feared. Those two city states were Athens and Sparta. Sometimes, in times of war, Athens and Sparta cooperated, but more often they considered one another rivals.
Ancient Greek city-states were known for different things. Some were best known for trade, others for farming. Still others made their name by exploring the seas and colonizing distant lands.
Among all of the ancient Greek city states, however, two city states were continuously among the most admired, the most respected, and often the most feared. Those two city states were Athens and Sparta. Sometimes, in times of war, Athens and Sparta cooperated, but more often they considered one another rivals.
Sparta (left) and Athens (right) had different ideas about government and what it meant to be a citizen. Spartans were warriors who valued unity within a group and did not tolerate dissent. Athenians believed that individual opinion mattered and that agreement could be reached through a discussion of competing viewpoints. When a majority reached agreement, the minority was obligated to follow.
Life in Athens and in Sparta was very different. While both Sparta and Athens were admired, the values held by each of the two city states differed greatly. Athens was large, with its population numbering in the hundreds of thousands. At its largest, Sparta never had a population greater than 9000. Fond of showing off their cultural wealth, Athens welcomed foreigners to their city. By contrast, Sparta was suspicious of enemies and friends alike, and their strict adherence to the “Spartan way” meant that not many Greeks willingly visited Sparta.
Athens and Sparta both valued education, but the things taught were very different. Athens wanted to educate “citizens,” while Sparta wanted to build a strong army. The Athenians were concerned with a broad liberal arts education. They believed in the value of each individual and their democratic form of government depended on the debates that occurred between the unique perspectives of individuals. By contrast, the Spartans were only concerned with military service and believed in the values found in a strong, cohesive group. They valued unity. They were a team. While all Spartan citizens could participate in government, policy was directed by their kings and a small group of oligarchs who came from their military. Both Sparta and Athens had much to be proud of. Athens had great culture, wealth, and a radical new form of government called democracy. Sparta was recognized throughout Greece for their strict military code, and they were feared for their ruthless treatment of their enemies.
As different as Athens and Sparta were, each was GREAT! In the following activity, you will debate which city-state was the GREATEST.
Athens and Sparta both valued education, but the things taught were very different. Athens wanted to educate “citizens,” while Sparta wanted to build a strong army. The Athenians were concerned with a broad liberal arts education. They believed in the value of each individual and their democratic form of government depended on the debates that occurred between the unique perspectives of individuals. By contrast, the Spartans were only concerned with military service and believed in the values found in a strong, cohesive group. They valued unity. They were a team. While all Spartan citizens could participate in government, policy was directed by their kings and a small group of oligarchs who came from their military. Both Sparta and Athens had much to be proud of. Athens had great culture, wealth, and a radical new form of government called democracy. Sparta was recognized throughout Greece for their strict military code, and they were feared for their ruthless treatment of their enemies.
As different as Athens and Sparta were, each was GREAT! In the following activity, you will debate which city-state was the GREATEST.
Your Assignment:*
For this activity, I want you to imagine that you are an ambassador representing either Athens or Sparta. As such, you are given the responsibility of promoting your city-state. At the same time, you must do so while demonstrating diplomatic tact and ruffling as few feathers as possible.
For this debate, you will be given a number in class. That number corresponds to the topic that you must write about. The topics are listed below.
This assignment is an opportunity for you to reflect on the Greek city states of Athens and Sparta and to consider how certain aspects of the way they were organized and were ruled led to their eternal greatness.
According to your number assigned in class, you need to consider the role that your topic played in making Athens or Sparta unique, even great. You should consider what it was about their government, their education, or the responsibilities of the citizens that made living in Athens or Sparta a wonderful place to be. Consider the distinctive heritage and legacy of each place and the pride citizens of each city-state felt about their home. You should then develop a well thought out statement about how your topic benefits the city state assigned and helps maintain its distinct cultural identity. By "statement," I mean a short, 3 - 5 sentence paragraph. Make every word count. Remember, Athenians and Spartans were each very proud of their culture.
After you have posted your thoughtful statement about how your topic benefits your city state or how it makes it great, you need to thoughtfully reply to your ambassadorial counterpart. If you are Spartan, you reply to an Athenian ambassador. If you are Athenian, you reply to a Spartan. You need to post replies in the two categories that were not assigned to you.
Forum Topics:
1. Post a statement concerning the benefits of Athenian education.
2. Post a statement concerning the benefits of Spartan education.
3. Post a statement concerning the benefits of Athenian government.
4. Post a statement concerning the benefits of Spartan government.
5. Post a statement concerning the benefits of citizenship and the obligations of citizenship in Athens (for this post, you may consider the role of women).
6. Post a statement concerning the benefits of citizenship and the obligations of citizenship in Sparta (for this post, you may consider the role of women).
Remember, you must post your positive statement before you may post a response or a reply to someone else’s statement.
For this activity, I want you to imagine that you are an ambassador representing either Athens or Sparta. As such, you are given the responsibility of promoting your city-state. At the same time, you must do so while demonstrating diplomatic tact and ruffling as few feathers as possible.
For this debate, you will be given a number in class. That number corresponds to the topic that you must write about. The topics are listed below.
This assignment is an opportunity for you to reflect on the Greek city states of Athens and Sparta and to consider how certain aspects of the way they were organized and were ruled led to their eternal greatness.
According to your number assigned in class, you need to consider the role that your topic played in making Athens or Sparta unique, even great. You should consider what it was about their government, their education, or the responsibilities of the citizens that made living in Athens or Sparta a wonderful place to be. Consider the distinctive heritage and legacy of each place and the pride citizens of each city-state felt about their home. You should then develop a well thought out statement about how your topic benefits the city state assigned and helps maintain its distinct cultural identity. By "statement," I mean a short, 3 - 5 sentence paragraph. Make every word count. Remember, Athenians and Spartans were each very proud of their culture.
After you have posted your thoughtful statement about how your topic benefits your city state or how it makes it great, you need to thoughtfully reply to your ambassadorial counterpart. If you are Spartan, you reply to an Athenian ambassador. If you are Athenian, you reply to a Spartan. You need to post replies in the two categories that were not assigned to you.
Forum Topics:
1. Post a statement concerning the benefits of Athenian education.
2. Post a statement concerning the benefits of Spartan education.
3. Post a statement concerning the benefits of Athenian government.
4. Post a statement concerning the benefits of Spartan government.
5. Post a statement concerning the benefits of citizenship and the obligations of citizenship in Athens (for this post, you may consider the role of women).
6. Post a statement concerning the benefits of citizenship and the obligations of citizenship in Sparta (for this post, you may consider the role of women).
Remember, you must post your positive statement before you may post a response or a reply to someone else’s statement.
*Individuals:
If you are working independently, rather than as part of the class, you should carry on this debate by writing the script for a short stage play.
The setting is a state dinner. You can make it a formal sit-down affair or a pot-luck with each ambassador bringing a dish that represents their city-state.
Your goal is to write dialogue that meets the debate requirements posted above. As a playwright, you will be responsible for writing from both the Athenian and the Spartan perspective and you must cover all three debate categories.
If you are working independently, rather than as part of the class, you should carry on this debate by writing the script for a short stage play.
The setting is a state dinner. You can make it a formal sit-down affair or a pot-luck with each ambassador bringing a dish that represents their city-state.
Your goal is to write dialogue that meets the debate requirements posted above. As a playwright, you will be responsible for writing from both the Athenian and the Spartan perspective and you must cover all three debate categories.