Italian city-states

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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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/italian-city-states

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. Where is Italian city-states?Italian Peninsula, encompassing numerous independent urban centers
2. What is the capital/main city examples?Venice, Florence, Milan, Genoa, Pisa, Siena, Naples
3. Why were some city-states on the coast stronger in trade?Coastal towns like Venice and Genoa had ships that could travel across the Mediterranean, so they could trade spices and silk from faraway places.
4. How did city-states make money?They grew rich by trading goods, making money in banks, and producing things like wool and metal.

Oligarchy: A form of government where power rests with a small number of people, often wealthy elites.
Humanism: An intellectual movement emphasizing human potential, reason, and classical learning.
Patronage: The financial support provided by wealthy individuals or institutions to artists, scholars, and writers.
Maritime Republics: Independent city-states, primarily on the Italian coast, that dominated sea trade and naval power.