Amina Rehman

The Greeks made long-lasting contributions in the areas of art, architecture,

philosophy, math, drama, and science. Ancient Greece started around 1750 B.C.E. and

ended in 323 B.C.E. The Greeks were located in a very mountainous region. This area

divided people into different valleys. Making a huge empire would be too difficult

because of the geography, so they had many different city-states. The Mediterranean and

the Aegean Sea also surrounded Greece. They had a great coastline that provided them

with trade and cultural diffusion. Greek made many contributions to western civilization

such as philosophy, Architectures, Math, Olympics, and Government.

One of the Greece’s greatest contributions to the western world was philosophy.

One of the first Greek philosopher was Socrates. (Doc 1). Socrates was a philosopher

who suggested people to think on their own and think about the purpose of life. Since

Socrates believed this way and tried to influence people to think, he was executed for

“corrupting” the mind of the next generation. Aristotle who was another philosopher that

believed that a life guided by human reason was greater than any other. (Doc 2) These

philosophers both had a thing in common, that people should go by what they believe in.

Plato was a philosopher who emphasized importance of reason. Philosophy from the

Greeks has been a great contribution that has shaped the Western civilization.

One of their great Architecture is Parthenon in Athens. (Doc 7) The Parthenon

created a new feature of buildings that was used in the United States called columns.

Columns were large pillars that held up the things above it. Along with being able to

support a lot, columns could be off or not even strait, yet they still had the appearance of
being at perfect ninety degree angles. The trick was that the columns got narrower as they

went up. After all, architecture was another contribution from Greek that has affected the

Western civilization.

There are some elements which were written by Euclid, a mathematician.(Doc 5)

This is a proposition, or theorem by Euclid that stated that “If two straight lines cut one

another, the vertical, or opposite, angles shall be equal.” With this theorem life is much

simpler because if a person knows one of the angles then they know all of them. Another

mathematician was Pythagoras who created the Pythagorean Theorem which is used

today to calculate distance in space and used to prove right triangles. Therefore,

mathematics is another contribution from the Greeks to the Western civilization.

One of the Myron’s famous marble sculptures of The Discus Thrower which

represents an Olympic event, discus. (Doc 8) The Greeks valued physical fitness. Also

that they liked to compete in being physically fit, hence the creation of the Olympics.

Physical fitness is another contribution form Greek that has affected the Western

civilization. Also, there were fewer events, and only those who could speak Greek and

were free men could compete, instead of today where any athletes from any country who

qualify can join. The Olympic Games are a great opportunity for cultural diffusion to

cultivate and to represent what good sportsmanship is. We hold our own Olympic Games

today, summer and winter, every two years.

Another great achievement that has contributed to the Western world was

democracy. Pericles described democracy at a Funeral Oration. His expectations were

that all people should give their opinion in government (Doc. 3). Pericles died very

suddenly but he accomplished many important ideas. Pericles ruled during the Golden
Age and founded direct democracy. A direct democracy is where all citizens can vote on

every issue. Citizens were given the freedom on speech and voice in making laws.

Pericles not only let the rich vote and participates in government, but he let the common

people speak, too. This democracy is still used today.

Greek made many contributions to western civilization such as philosophy,

Architectures, Math, Olympics, and Government. Socrates was the first philosopher who

suggested people to think on their own and think about the purpose of life. One of their

architecture was the Parthenon in Athens. Euclid was a mathematician who invented the

Pythagorean Theorem. The Greeks valued physical fitness. Also that they liked to

compete in being physically fit, hence the creation of the Olympics. Pericles described

democracy at a funeral oration and wanted people to give their opinions in the

government. Ancient Greek has definitely made many contributions to the western

civilization.