Random History

Question A

After Sparta was almost defeated in the Messenia revolt the Spartans re-did their whole political system. They turned into military state. Sparta was all about war. Their entire culture revolved around raising warriors and the survival of the state. The Spartans knew that in order to survive they had to be above all strong. The most important factor in the rise of Sparta’s power was there obsession with war and being strong. Every male was trained from age seven to fight and be strong. It was this need to be strong that allowed the Spartans to dominate Greece with military power. The Spartans set up alliances with most of their neighbors in southern Greece and wielded enormous power.

Athens started to emerge as a power by the 8th century B.C. Athens had fertile land, and easily defended acropolis and access to the sea. The most important factor in Athens rise was there political structure. The Athens formed a democracy that allowed all citizens to have a say in government. The reforms of Solon furthered the rise of democracy and he tried to ease class tensions. The Athenians developed a powerful navy and traded all over the place.

Question B

There are a few main factors that allowed the Greeks to defeat the Persians. The Greeks were fighting for their very survival. They were driven by the need to survive. The Greeks had an intimate knowledge of the territory. The Persians were invaders in a strange land. They did not know the territory at all. The Greeks were able to move around better and faster then the Persians because they knew where they were going. The Greeks had access to better supplies cause they were at home the Persians had to get supplies from home. The Greeks also had the powerful Greek hoplites. The Greek hoplites were powerful armored solders that could take a beating and also dish one out.

Question C

The Greeks at Thermopylae defended a pass to stop the Persians from moving forward. There were about 300 Spartans under the leadership of King Leonidas and a few Greek allies. The Spartans with there superior training and skill held the Persians at the pass for a few days. The Persians greatly out numbered the Greeks but the Spartans training and skill allowed them to inflict massive casualties on the Persians. Frontal assault after frontal assault failed. It was only when the Persians discovered a secrete pass and encircled the Greeks that the Persians were able to defeat them. Even though the Greeks were wiped out at the Thermopylae they stalled the Persians long enough so a large Greek army could get ready to fight.