4.13 Golden Age of Greece Lesson for Kids

There was a time in ancient Greece when the cities were at peace. The government was strong and people were encouraged to follow their passions. Here you will learn about this important time in Greece’s history.

What is the Golden Age?

Imagine living somewhere in a time of peace and happiness. There is no war. The government is supportive and encouraging, and almost all opinions are heard. There are beautiful paintings and sculptures around the city, and entertaining plays and poets can be seen on the streets and in theaters.

About 2,400 years ago, that’s pretty much what it was like in Greece. This time is known as the Golden Age, and Athens was the main city where it occurred. Pericles was the leader of Athens during this successful time in Greece’s history. From around 460 BCE – 429 BCE, Pericles put money into the city of Athens and its people which allowed them to enjoy daily life and create the base of many ideas that we use in our country today. Athens became so important that it is now the capital of Greece.

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1. Main points:

The text describes the Golden Age in Greece, approximately 2,400 years ago, highlighting Athens as the epicenter of this peaceful, culturally rich, and politically stable period, led by Pericles.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: Who was the leader of Athens during the Golden Age, and what did he do for the city?
• Contextual Analysis: When did the Golden Age in Greece occur, and how does that timeframe influence its significance?
• Socio-cultural Analysis: What types of cultural activities were prevalent in Athens during this time?

3. Further Discussion:

How do you think our lives would be different if we lived during the Golden Age of Greece?

4. Answers:

• The leader of Athens during the Golden Age was “Pericles,” who put “money into the city of Athens and its people which allowed them to enjoy daily life and create the base of many ideas.”
• The Golden Age in Greece occurred “around 460 BCE – 429 BCE,” which makes it significant as it shaped many ideas that “we use in our country today.”
• During this time in Athens, there were “beautiful paintings and sculptures around the city, and entertaining plays and poets could be seen on the streets and in theaters.”

Wow, wouldn’t it be something to live during a time when everything was peaceful, and you could walk around and see artists and poets right in the streets? What do you think you’d enjoy the most if you lived back then? 🎨🎭

Architecture

During a previous war, one of the most popular and largest buildings in Athens was destroyed. The Parthenon sits on the Acropolis, which is the highest part of the city. Pericles paid workers to rebuild the Parthenon using beautiful columns made of marble. He also hired artists to paint murals on the outside and inside of the building. All of this hard work made the Parthenon even better than it was before and turned it into one of the most famous buildings in Greece.

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1. Main points:

The Parthenon, once destroyed in a war, was rebuilt by Pericles with improvements like marble columns and murals, making it one of Greece’s most famous buildings.

2. Questions:

– Content Analysis: What happened to the Parthenon during a previous war?
– Contextual Analysis: Where is the Parthenon located in Athens?
– Socio-cultural Analysis: Who was responsible for rebuilding the Parthenon and what materials were used?

3. Further Discussion:

Why do you think the Parthenon became one of the most famous buildings in Greece after it was rebuilt?

4. Answers:

– What happened to the Parthenon during a previous war?
“During a previous war, one of the most popular and largest buildings in Athens was destroyed.”

– Where is the Parthenon located in Athens?
“The Parthenon sits on the Acropolis, which is the highest part of the city.”

– Who was responsible for rebuilding the Parthenon and what materials were used?
“Pericles paid workers to rebuild the Parthenon using beautiful columns made of marble.”

Isn’t history cool, kids? What else do you wonder about famous buildings and their stories?

Arts

Around the city of Athens, painters and sculptors used their talent to make the city look beautiful. There were paintings on buildings and sculptures of gods and goddesses. If you ever visit Washington D.C., you will notice columns and paintings on many of the buildings. These are ideas we got from Greece.

Pericles didn’t want his citizens to be bored either, so he hired writers, play directors, and philosophers to entertain people throughout the city. People who loved to read enjoyed books such as Homer’s The Iliad. There were plays that were funny, known as comedies, and plays called tragedies, that didn’t have such a happy ending. Philosophers are people who study knowledge, values, and ideas about life. Socrates was a famous philosopher who lived during the Golden Age.

1. Main points:

The text highlights the cultural richness of Athens during the Golden Age, mentioning how Pericles promoted arts and philosophy, and the lasting impact it had, including influence on modern architecture like in Washington D.C.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: What kinds of art and entertainment were promoted by Pericles in Athens?
• Socio-cultural Analysis: How has ancient Athens’ artistic and philosophical influence been seen in modern times?
• Thematic Analysis: What are the key themes that the writers and philosophers focused on during the Golden Age?

3. Further Discussion:

If you could go back in time to meet one of the philosophers, writers, or artists from the Golden Age of Athens, who would it be and why?

4. Answers:

• Pericles promoted “painters and sculptors” to beautify the city and also “hired writers, play directors, and philosophers” to entertain the people.
• Ancient Athens’ influence can be seen today when you visit places like “Washington D.C.,” where you will notice “columns and paintings on many of the buildings. These are ideas we got from Greece.”
• The key themes focused on by writers and philosophers of the time were “knowledge, values, and ideas about life,” with works like “Homer’s The Iliad,” comedies, and tragedies.

So, isn’t it cool that even the architecture in places like Washington D.C. has been influenced by ancient Greece? If you had a chance, would you like to chat with Socrates or maybe watch one of those ancient plays? 🤔🎭

Government

The government of Athens during the time of the Golden Age was a direct democracy. In this type of government, every citizen votes for themselves instead of having someone else represent them. At the time, a citizen was considered any male whose parents were born in Athens, so long as they were 18 years or older, and had never been a slave. This democracy gave citizens more rights and responsibilities than they ever had before, which made them feel important, powerful, and proud of their city. This type of government is the base of what became the United States’ government.

1. Main points:

The text describes the direct democracy in Athens during the Golden Age, outlining who could be a citizen, and how this government system granted citizens more rights and is the foundational model for the United States’ government.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: What was the type of government in Athens during the Golden Age, and what did it mean for its citizens?
• Contextual Analysis: How does the direct democracy in ancient Athens connect to modern American government?
• Socio-cultural Analysis: Who was considered a citizen in Athens?

3. Further Discussion:

Do you think the definition of “citizen” in ancient Athens was fair? Why or why not?

4. Answers:

• The type of government in Athens during the Golden Age was a “direct democracy,” where every “citizen votes for themselves.” This gave citizens “more rights and responsibilities than they ever had before,” making them feel “important, powerful, and proud of their city.”
• The direct democracy in ancient Athens is the “base of what became the United States’ government.”
• A citizen in Athens was considered any “male whose parents were born in Athens,” as long as they were “18 years or older, and had never been a slave.”

Wow, isn’t it interesting to see how an old government system from thousands of years ago helped shape our government today? Do you think ancient Athens was on to something with their idea of direct democracy? 🤔🏛️

Military

Pericles made sure Athens had a very strong navy and had workers complete a wall around the city to keep armies out, which gave the people of Athens a feeling of security.

This feeling of security came to an end around 430 BCE when another city, Sparta, invaded Athens. At the same time, many of the people of Athens including Pericles, died from a disease. These two events caused the Golden Age to come to an end.

1. Main points:

The text discusses how Pericles provided a sense of security to Athens through a strong navy and protective walls, and how that security was shattered by Sparta’s invasion and a devastating disease, leading to the end of the Golden Age.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: What did Pericles do to give the people of Athens a feeling of security?
• Contextual Analysis: Why did the feeling of security in Athens come to an end around 430 BCE?
• Thematic Analysis: What are the main factors that led to the end of the Golden Age?

3. Further Discussion:

How do you think the people of Athens felt when their sense of security was suddenly lost? Can you relate it to anything you know or have experienced?

4. Answers:

• Pericles made sure “Athens had a very strong navy” and had workers complete a “wall around the city to keep armies out,” which gave the people of Athens a “feeling of security.”
• The feeling of security came to an end because “another city, Sparta, invaded Athens” and at the same time, “many of the people of Athens including Pericles, died from a disease.”
• The main factors that led to the end of the Golden Age were the “invasion by Sparta” and the “disease that killed many people including Pericles.”

Gee, it must have been a really tough time for the people in Athens, huh? One minute they’re feeling safe and the next, everything changes. Makes you think about how quickly things can turn, doesn’t it? 🤔

Lesson Summary

The Golden Age of Greece was centered in Athens. It was a period of time when learning and the arts thrived. Many of the ideas such as democracy, and architecture, such as columns on buildings, are used in our country today.