How Did Geography Influence the Development of Democracy in Ancient Greece?

This video aligns with the Alberta Grade 6 outcome, "Greece developed city-states that each had their own government, laws, and army, because of its mountainous landscape."

It is the first video in a series of eight. At the five minute mark the students will be asked these four questions:

1. How do you think the mountains helped create so many independent city-states like Athens and Sparta? Could this have happened in a flat country? Why or why not?

2. Why do you think Athens, surrounded by the sea, was better able to trade ideas and goods with other cultures compared to landlocked places? How might this have helped Athens create democracy?

3. If the people of Greece had lived in one large, united kingdom instead of separated city-states, how do you think their government might have been different? Why might democracy have been harder to create?

4. What challenges do you think the ancient Greeks faced in trying to govern themselves when they had so many different ideas and opinions? How do you think they overcame these challenges?