The document provides background information on early Greece and its city-states. It describes the geography of Greece, including its location on the Balkan Peninsula with a coastline along the Aegean Sea. The mountains made farming difficult so the Greeks relied on fishing, sailing, and trade. This geography also led to the development of separate city-states rather than a large kingdom. Each city-state had its own government, laws, and identity. Democracy first developed in Athens, where only landowning men could vote. The document also summarizes aspects of religion, mythology, and daily life in ancient Greece.