It can be argued that Greece has one of the richest histories in the world. Historians believe the Minoan culture, which inhabited the Greek island of Crete as far back as 2700 BC, is one of the oldest known civilizations to exist. The Minoans were known for being far ahead of their time. Excavations in Crete show that that many of their dwellings contained indoor plumbing which is an amazing feat for a civilization that existed 4,700 years ago. Historians believe that what is referred to as Ancient Greece began around 1000 BC and ended around 323 BC with the death of Alexander the Great. The period following Ancient Greece is referred to as the Hellenistic Period .
Ancient Greece can be credited with many achievements which are still very important today. Greece is credited with developing philosophy (Socrates), medicine (Hippocrates), drama and theater, the concept of states within a country, math and science, the Olympic games, and democracy. Democracy is one of the most important contributions to the modern world and many of the principles and concepts are still used today by many countries including Greece. In fact, some of the core democratic principles and ideas developed in Ancient Greece are still used today. For example there are two main principles that are still followed today in modern Greece. The first principle is that all members of the society have equal access to power and the second that all members enjoy universally recognized freedoms and liberties .
Starting in the sixteenth century, Greece was occupied by the Ottoman Empire, formerly Turkey, however Greece gained its independence in 1830. During World War I and World War II, Greece fought on the side of the Allies. Greece is c ...