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 High School World History Curriculum Resource & Lesson Plans
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Ch 9: Hellenism & Athenian Achievement High School World History Lesson Plans

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About This Chapter

The Hellenism and Athenian Achievement chapter of this course is designed to help you plan and teach the influence of Hellenistic culture in your classroom. The video lessons, quizzes and transcripts can easily be adapted to provide your lesson plans with engaging and dynamic educational content. Make planning your course easier by using our syllabus as a guide.

Weekly Syllabus

Below is a sample breakdown of the Hellenism and Athenian Achievement chapter into a 5-day school week. Based on the pace of your course, you may need to adapt the lesson plan to fit your needs.

DayTopicsKey Terms and Concepts Covered
Monday Athenian democracy
Pericles, the Delian League and the Athenian Golden Age		Overview of the work of Solon and Celisthenes and democracy in Athens;
Biography of Pericles, his work and the Athens of his time
Tuesday Greek theater
Peloponnesian War		Sophocles, Aseshylus and Euripides and their tragedies, information on Greek comedies;
The work of historians Thucydides and Herodotus;
History of the Peloponnesian War
WednesdaySocrates
Plato
Aristotle		 Biography of Socrates and a look at his teachings ;
Overview of Plato's ideas;
Aristotle's concepts and influence on philosophy
Thursday Alexander the Great
The Library of Alexandria 		Biography of Alexander and the birth of Hellenism;
A look at the library, information on Euclid and Ptolemy
FridayAlexandrian Hellenistic philosophers
Myth of Jason and the Argonauts		Euclid, Archimedes and Ptolemy
Synopsis of the Argonautica

12 Lessons in Chapter 9: Hellenism & Athenian Achievement High School World History Lesson Plans
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Athenian Democracy: Solon and Cleisthenes

1. Athenian Democracy: Solon and Cleisthenes

Although Athens is remembered for creating the first democracy, it took many years and multiple leaders to develop the system we think of today. Learn about who took control, what reforms they made and how the people revolted against the old system.
Pericles, the Delian League, and the Athenian Golden Age

2. Pericles, the Delian League, and the Athenian Golden Age

This lecture covers the formation of the Delian League, its development into the Athenian Empire and the peculiar place of Pericles in the midst of it all, turning the city of Athens into the seat of an empire.
Greek Theatre: Tragedy and Comedy

3. Greek Theatre: Tragedy and Comedy

This lecture examines the function of theatre in Greek culture and religion, with special focus on the Athenians. It then explores the three different sorts of Greek theatre: satyr plays, comedy and tragedy, citing specific examples. Finally, we study the impact of theatre on Western civilization.
Peloponnesian War and Thucydides

4. Peloponnesian War and Thucydides

This lecture covers the Peloponnesian War. First we enumerate the causes of the war. Then we examine Pericles' plan to win it. We see how Pericles' plan eventually fell apart and how the Athenians struggled without leadership until their eventual destruction at the hands of the Spartans.
Socrates: Life, Death and Philosophy

5. Socrates: Life, Death and Philosophy

This lecture is a whirlwind tour through the life of Socrates. It begins with an explanation of the Socratic problem, followed by an examination of his philosophy. The lecture ends with a summary of Socrates' legacy.
Platonic Idealism: Plato and His Influence

6. Platonic Idealism: Plato and His Influence

This lecture examines the philosophy and legacy of Plato. It covers the Allegory of the Cave, the Realm of Forms and Plato's views on politics and the soul. Finally, it shows Plato's enduring legacy in modern science.
Aristotelian Logic: Aristotle's Central Concepts and Influence

7. Aristotelian Logic: Aristotle's Central Concepts and Influence

This lesson will explore the life of the famous philosopher Aristotle. It will highlight his life in Northern Greece and Athens, as well as his interactions with Alexander the Great. It will also explain the main tenants of Aristotelian logic.
Alexander the Great and the Birth of Hellenism

8. Alexander the Great and the Birth of Hellenism

This lesson describes Alexander the Great's mighty empire. Beginning with a brief account of his father Philip, the lecture then turns to an enumeration of Alexander's conquests. Next, Alexander's methods are explored. Finally, we will discuss Alexander's legacy of Hellenization.
The Library of Alexandria & The Benefits of Hellenization

9. The Library of Alexandria & The Benefits of Hellenization

This lecture begins by examining the spread of the Greek language and alphabet during the Hellenistic period and noting the implications of a universal language. Next we look at four factors that combined to make Alexandria the heart of Hellenistic scholarship: common language, a convenient alphabet, papyrus and climate.
Euclid, Archimedes & Ptolemy: Alexandrian Hellenistic Philosophers

10. Euclid, Archimedes & Ptolemy: Alexandrian Hellenistic Philosophers

This lecture recounts the achievements of the many great minds that called Alexandria home. We will look at Euclid, Ptolemy, Archimedes, Aristarchus, Herophilos, Erasistratus and Eratosthenes.
The Argonautica Plot Synopsis: The Myth of Jason and the Argonauts

11. The Argonautica Plot Synopsis: The Myth of Jason and the Argonauts

This lesson offers a complete plot synopsis of 'The Argonautica' by Apollonius of Rhodes. Discover the main characters of this romantic twist of a classic Greek myth and learn the similarities between this and 'The Odyssey.'
Schools of Philosophy in Antiquity: Cynics, Epicureans & Stoics

12. Schools of Philosophy in Antiquity: Cynics, Epicureans & Stoics

In this lesson, we will study three schools of philosophy in antiquity: the Cynics, the Epicureans, and the Stoics. We will discuss the founder of each school, as well as its major characteristics.
Chapter Practice Exam
Chapter Practice Exam
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Practice Final Exam
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