Year 4 - History
Sparta's rivalry with Athens
Ancient Greek civilisation: what do we know about ancient Greece?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils establish broad knowledge of ancient Greek civilisation. They learn about the geography and location of the ancient Greek city-states, Athens and Sparta's rivalry, and evaluate what ancient Greek myths can tell us about Ancient Greek culture.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to compare Sparta to Athens and tell the story of their rivalry.
Key Notes
- Sparta was very different to Athens. Sparta conquered nearby Messenia to gain farmland.
- Sparta's government was a council of 30 men: 28 elders who limited the power of two kings, who led the army.
- Between 431-404 BCE Sparta fought the Peloponnesian War against Athens to win power over Greece, with Sparta winning.
- Women and enslaved people did all the rest of the work; women could own land but could not vote.
- Spartan culture was militaristic; boys left home at an early age to train for the army which they only left aged 60.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Sparta: Sparta was a militaristic city in the southern part of Ancient Greece
- militaristic: a culture or society is described as militaristic when war and fighting are important to it
- council: a council is a group of people who gather to make decisions and discuss important things
- Peloponnesian War: the Peloponnesian War was a war fought between Athens and Sparta over who would dominate Ancient Greece
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- That all city-states in Ancient Greece had the same structure, and the people in each state had the same roles and values. That the city-states were peaceful and lived happily alongside each other.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
Sparta was very different to Athens. Sparta conquered nearby Messenia to gain farmland. Sparta's government was a council of 30 men: 28 elders who limited the power of two kings, who led the army.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'Sparta'
Sparta was a militaristic city in the southern part of Ancient Greece.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: That all city-states in Ancient Greece had the same structure, and the people in each state had the same roles and values. That the city-states were peaceful and lived happily alongside each other. Correction: Although there were some similarities across Ancient Greece, each individual city-state had differences. Societies in Athens and Sparta were very different. Sometimes, the city-states fought each other for the right to rule over all of the lands.
More Lessons In This Unit
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