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Was Alexander the Great really that great? - Stephanie Honchell Smith
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Presented as a courtroom debate, this TED-Ed video examines whether Alexander the Great deserves his legendary title. Learners will encounter rich historical vocabulary including 'Macedon,' 'demigod,' 'cavalry,' 'regent,' and 'Hellenistic Age,' while practicing how to follow persuasive arguments from multiple perspectives. An engaging way to build both history and debate vocabulary at the B1 level.
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Subtitles (54 segments)
DownloadOrder, order! Who do we have on the stand today?
Alexander... the Great, eh? Well, what’s so great about him?
Your honor, the better question is, what's not great about him?
He was the King of Macedon and considered a living demigod by Egyptians and Greeks alike.
He conquered Persia when it was one of Earth's largest empires.
And he was a thoughtful student of Aristotle, creative enough to untie the impossibly tight Gordian knot by cutting it in half.
The Gordian knot is a myth— just like the countless other stories invented to enhance Alexander’s legend!
Calling him “great” just plays into this propaganda and glorifies his ruthless military ambitions, such as his unprovoked invasion of Persia.
Alexander invaded Persia to free Greeks!
A century before his time, Persia had sacked Athens and conquered countless Greek lands.
So after Alexander’s father Philip expanded Macedonian control over much of Greece, he planned a final campaign to liberate those still under Persian rule.
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Key Vocabulary (13)
Power refers to the ability to do something or to control people and things. It also means the energy, like electricity, used to make machines, lights, and heaters work.
excellent
Honor is a feeling of high respect or great pride for someone or something. In school, it often refers to a special award or title given for doing very good work.
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