Indiana Social Studies WH.2.2
The Standard
Examine the development of Greek civilization, including differing political and social structures and major conflicts.
2026 Indiana Academic Standards: K-12 Social Studies
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students trace the growth of Greek city-states and compare how Athens and Sparta governed. They examine who held power, who was left out, and how two major wars changed the balance of power.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students can compare Athens's assembly with Sparta's kings, council, and assembly. They can describe differences in daily life and political rights, then explain Athens's rise after the Persian Wars and its defeat in the Peloponnesian War.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think everyone in Athens could vote, including women, enslaved people, and resident foreigners. They may think Sparta had no assembly or mix up the Persian Wars with the war between Athens and Sparta.
How to Assess It
- On an exit ticket, ask: How did Athens and Sparta govern differently, who lacked political rights, and what happened to Athens after the Peloponnesian War?
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs cards naming rulers, assemblies, citizens, and excluded groups; have them build separate government diagrams for Athens and Sparta.
Ask: Why might Athens and Sparta favor different ways to fight Persia? Have students use one fact about each city-state.
Run a timeline relay with cards for the Persian Wars, Athens's growing influence, and the Peloponnesian War; have teams explain one connection.
Compare a local election voter eligibility page with a short description of Athens's assembly; have students list who could vote in each.
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Printable WH.2.2 Worksheet
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Related Standards
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Examine the development and characteristics of early empires, such as Assyria, Persia, Israel, Minoan, and Zhou.
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Examine the significant achievements of the Greeks and Romans and their impact on the modern world.
- 6.H.3
Identify and explain the development and organization of political, cultural, social, and economic systems in Europe and the Americas.
- WH.2.6
Examine the origins, developments, and major achievements of civilizations in India, such as the Mauryan and Gupta empires. Compare and contrast the influence o...
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