Year 4 - History
Alexander's journey from boy to king
Ancient Greek civilisation: why is Alexander called 'The Great'?
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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 learn about the historical conflict between the Greek city-states and Persia. They then broaden their knowledge of this rivalry by learning about Alexander the Great's life. They end the unit by considering the reasons why Alexander has been called 'The Great'.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe how Alexander came to rule Macedon.
Key Notes
- During the wars between Greece and Persia the north-eastern Greek kingdom of Macedon had ended up under Persian control.
- Eventually the Greeks of Macedon pushed the Persians out and Alexander's father, Philip came to rule as King of Macedon.
- Philip built Macedon into a powerful kingdom, convincing other city-states to join him, creating the League of Corinth.
- Philip created the League of Corinth to defeat Persia once and for all, but he was murdered before he could achieve it.
- Philip's son Alexander, tutored by Aristotle from Athens, was now King of Macedon and led Greece against Persia.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Macedon: Macedon was a kingdom in the north east of Ancient Greece
- kingdom: a country or state that is ruled by a king or queen is a kingdom
- Persia: the civilisation that rivalled Ancient Greece to its east was Persia, sometimes called the Persian Empire
- league: a league is a group of people or places that have a shared interest
- murder: murder is a crime, and it is when a person or persons choose to end the life of another person
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- That the Kingdom of Macedon and the modern republic of North Macedonia are the same place.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
During the wars between Greece and Persia the north-eastern Greek kingdom of Macedon had ended up under Persian control. Eventually the Greeks of Macedon pushed the Persians out and Alexander's father, Philip came to rule as King of Macedon.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'Macedon'
Macedon was a kingdom in the north east of Ancient Greece.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: That the Kingdom of Macedon and the modern republic of North Macedonia are the same place. Correction: Although North Macedonia's name stems from Macedon, they are not exactly the same location. Most of North Macedonia was part of Macedon, but Macedon also covered large parts of what is now northern Greece, southern Bulgaria and eastern Albania.
More Lessons In This Unit
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