Transcript question of the day

QUESTION OF THE DAY
What are the major religions of the
world and what do you know about
each one? (for the purposes of this
class there are 7)
YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES TO DISCUSS THIS
WITH THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU.
Origins of World Belief Systems
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Religion has always shaped the way people live
their lives. It has built and destroyed countries and
empires. It provides answers to those universal
questions: Where did we come from? What
happens when we die? Where did the universe
come from? For the purposes of unit one (8000
BCE – 400 CE) we will look at 7 world religions and
their impacts:
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2.
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6.
7.
Polytheism
Hinduism
Buddhism
Confucianism
Daoism
Judaism
Christianity
Polytheism
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8000 BCE – 600 CE
Nomadic and early agricultural
people held the belief of many
Gods and Goddesses
River valley civilizations
(Mesopotamia, Egypt, and
Indus valley) and early
Americans
Greek and Roman gods are
where we get the planets
names, days of the week, and
months of the year.
Animism – belief that gods
inhabited natural features
(Africa and the Pacific Islands)
Hinduism
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Came to India from Aryan invaders
NO SINGLE FOUNDER
Took the polytheistic gods of nature from
the Brahmins
Everything is part of a divine essence
called BRAHMA
VISHNU – the preserver
SHIVA – The destroyer
Reincarnation – soul enters another
human or animal after death
KARMA – life is judged based on good
and evil deeds
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Die with good Karma and you are
reincarnated in a higher caste
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Live a number of good lives and
achieve MOSHKA or unification
Reinforced the CASTE SYSTEM
DARHMA – moral law that serves as a
guide in this world
Cattle is sacred
Buddhism
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Founded by an Indian prince,
GUATAMA, in 563 BCE.
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Troubled by the problems of the
world he spent 6 years meditating
and fasting
Suffering was the consequence of
human desire
Traveled and became known as
the BUDDHA – “enlightened One”
Stresses self control and =
treatment of all people
Reincarnation leads to NIRVANA
or union with divine essence
Spread along the Han Dynasty Silk
Roads
BODHISATTVAS – through
meditation ordinary people could
reach nirvana.
Confucianism
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Founded after the fall of the Zhou
Dynasty in China to establish order
during the ERA OF WARRING
STATES
Started by Kung Fu-Tse =
Confucius (551-478BCE)
Filial Piety – respect for patriarchal
family
Government stability depended on
well educated officials
Confucius's sayings compiled into
the ANALECTS and served to
educate the Chinese government
Became the basic tradition defining
Chinese culture
“Everything has its beauty but not
everyone sees it.”
“I hear and I forget. I see and I
remember. I do and I understand.”
“Study the past if you would
define the future. “
Daoism
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Arose at the same time as
Confucius
Founded by Lao-Tsu
Stresses a balance in nature
(THE YIN AND THE YANG)
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YIN – Male, Assertive
YANG – Female, submissive
Follow “The Way” – life
force existing in nature
Political involvement and
education is unnecessary the
balance in nature will solve
all problems
Judaism
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First religion to develop the concept of
MONOTHEISM
Traced to ABRAHAM in 2000 BCE
Migrated from Mesopotamia to Canaan
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His descendants migrated to Egypt
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Remained as slaves in Egypt for 430 years
Leaving Egypt is marked by MOSES giving
the 10 Commandments
Returned to Canaan (Israel) and established a
THEOCRACY or government ruled by religious
leaders
Covennnant or agreement between god and
Abraham – YAWEH would be God and the Jews
his people
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This became the basis of the TORAH (Hebrew
scriptures)
Established the Kingdom of ISRAEL under KING
SAUL where Jerusalem was the Capitol.
Judaism cont…
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Israel was weakened under
SOLOMON and split into 2
kingdoms in 722 BCE
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The Assyrians took over the North
Southern kingdom lasted until
586 BCE when it was conquered
by the Chaldeans
Roman Empire controlled Israel
and named it Judea in 63 BCE
In 132 BCE the Jews rebelled
against the Romans and
spread throughout the empire,
known as DIASPORA
Believed that God would send
a MESSIAH or savior for their
sins and many Jews saw Jesus
as this in
4 BCE
Christianity
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Jesus was born in Judea between 4 – 6 BCE
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As an adult he and his 12 DISCIPLES went
throughout Rome preaching forgiveness
Teachings were feared as a threat to Rome and
he was put to death by crucifixion
Roman roads and Pax Romana helped
spread Christianity
Paul of Tarsus – most successful
missionary in 100 CE
Roman Emperors saw Christianity as a
threat to their polytheistic religion
EDICT OF MILAN – Emperor Constantine
permitted Christianity
381 Emperor Theodosius makes
Christianity the official religion of Rome
Became organized under the bishop of
Rome or the POPE
Gained popularity because it appealed to all
social classes even the extremely poor.
Atlas Assignment
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TITLE = World Religions (8000 BCE – 400 CE)
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Show origination point and year with a symbol for
that religion
Show a symbol for the founder, if there is one
Shade the predominant area
Any other symbols in the key?
30 points