Olive branch

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/olive-branch

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 botanical classification?A ramus (twig) of the Olea europaea tree
2. What is the historical context of origin?Ancient Greece and Rome, integral to Mediterranean Basin customs
3. What is an olive branch and why does it mean peace?An olive branch is a small twig from an olive tree. People have used it for thousands of years to show they want to stop fighting and talk kindly.
4. Where did the olive branch first become a peace symbol?Ancient Greece and Rome used it first. They gave it to gods and to other people when they wanted to make peace.

Olea europaea: The scientific binomial nomenclature for the common olive tree, the source of the symbolic branch.
Supplication: The act of humbly or earnestly asking for something, often in a religious or diplomatic context.
Mediterranean Basin: The geographical region surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, historically a cradle for olive cultivation and associated symbolism.
Semiotics: The study of signs and symbols and their interpretation.