History of the Peloponnesian War

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/history-of-the-peloponnesian-war

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the key historical source?Thucydides' 'History of the Peloponnesian War'
2. What is the catalyst for spartan intervention?Fear of Athenian imperial expansion and growing power
3. What was the Great Greek War?It was a long war from 431 to 404 BCE between Athens and Sparta, two big Greek city-states that wanted to be the boss of Greece.
4. Why did Athens and Sparta fight each other?Athens had a powerful navy and was making its allies pay, which made Sparta and its allies scared and angry. Sparta wanted to stop Athens from becoming too strong.

Hegemony: Leadership or dominance, especially by one state or social group over others.
Hoplite: A heavily armed foot soldier of ancient Greece, typically fighting in a phalanx formation.
Oligarchy: A form of government in which power rests with a small number of people.
Political Realism: A theory in international relations that views states as the primary actors, driven by self-interest and power.