How did the ancient Greeks come to believe in various gods?

Question

I'm doing a research paper on the Greek mythology

Answer 1

Most cultures back then had various gods (polytheism). The ancient Indians and the ancient Egyptians are two other examples. People believed that the different gods all had their tasks. I guess people back then thought the world was to big to be handled by only one god. But when Christianity and Islam "defeated" most of these old religions, people started believing in one almighty god instead. Except that the Catholics and (I think) the Ortodox Eastern Christians have saints, which are very similar to be ancient pagan gods.  

Answer 2

Pretty much to help understand the ways of the world better. I wouldn't use yahoo answer for research paper work though

Answer 3

When something bad happened or something good they would say it was because a certain god or goddess was mad, happy, or even sad about something. For example when winter came they said it was because mother earth was sad that her daughter was in the under world with her husband, but when spring came they said it was because mother earth was happy that her daughter had returned to her. To explain what we cannot explain.

Answer 4

My opinion, the same way every other religion and belief system got started. People started looking to their leaders and elders for answers. Like rain. Socrates was asked by another Greek how does the rain move, surely Zeus carries and drops it over the crops and vegetation over the land. His reply, obviously it's the clouds, because there is no rain without them. The other guy asked him how the clouds get there without someone moving them. His reply, the wind. So it's the elders that come up with stories to help ease the minds of other people and explain the seemingly unexplainable.