RELIGION UNIT
THE MIDDLE EAST
It’s More Messed Up than Oxford!
Crossroads of the World
Stands at the intersection of 3 continents—Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Since ancient times, it has connected major trade routes from India and China to the Western world.
Its location has allowed it to be a highway for information as well; the following all originated in the Middle East and spread out: Iron making The alphabet Judaism, Islam, and Christianity
Strategic Location
Middle East actually covers Southwest Asia and North Africa—tied by Islamic religion.
Middle East nations control vital sea routes and vast reserves of oil and, therefore, is very important to world politically, militarily, and economically.
Regions of the Middle East
There are 5 major regions: 1. Northern Tier—
stretches across Turkey and Iran. Region of mountains and plateaus.
Regions cont.
• 2. Arabian Peninsula—vast plateau area that is about 1/3 the size of the U.S. Area is basically a desert but holds huge importance to the world because of the oil deposits beneath it and it is the birthplace of Islam
Regions cont.
3. Fertile Crescent—stretches across the eastern part of the Middle East along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Major population
center as it is an area of good soil and abundant water.
Regions cont.
4. Nile Valley– Covers the Egyptian part of the Middle East along the Nile River. Another population
center because of the availability of water and good soil.
Regions cont.
5. The Maghreb—The North African portion of the Middle East. Maghreb translates to
“western isle.” To early Arabs, the area seemed isolated due to the Sahara, the Mediterranean, and the mountains of the region.
Major crossroad of the world because its sits on the Mediterranean and the entrance to the Atlantic.
Climate and resources
Water, or the lack of it, has been the driving force of where people live in the Middle East since the beginning of time.
Less than 10 percent of the land receives enough water for farming.
Populations tend to be clustered around water and there are large stretches of land where no one lives.
People of the middle east
Due to its location, the Middle East is home to wide variety of languages, religions, and cultures.
Birthplace to 3 of major world religions—Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Islam is the most
practiced in the region.
The major ethnic group are the Arabs
An Arab is anyone whose language is based on Arabic.
“From good must come good and from evil must come evil.”
Early Religion in the Middle East
Zoroastrianism
Ancient Persian Religion Founded by a man named Zoroaster:
Little is known about him Believed to have lived around 600 B.C. He sought to understand why misery
existed alongside of good in the world. He preached that the world was a battle
ground between good and evil.
The Impact of Zoroaster
Teachings greatly influenced Christianity and Judiasm.
Believed to be the first to preach about a monotheistic god in the Middle East.
He greatly influenced the Persian Empire, which was the largest of the day, and as the empire spread so did his teachings.
Middle East-Birthplace of all 3
Rise of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
Kingdom Of Israel
Year formed--1025 Located—In Canaan
Result—was frequently threatened by invaders 2 greatest kings-David + Solomon
David was a skilled general who unified the kingdom Solomon’s reign was marked by peace and the
transformation of Jerusalem into a leading city. Definition—Scattering of Jews throughout the world How/Why did it occur-Israel weakened after
Solomon. Fell under the rule of the Persians, Greeks, and then the Romans. They revolted against the Romans but were forced out of the area and scattered throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia.
The Diaspora
Definition—Scattering of Jews throughout the world
How/Why did it occur-Israel weakened after Solomon. Fell under the rule of the Persians, Greeks, and then the Romans. They revolted against the Romans but were forced out of the area and scattered throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Teachings of Judaism
Type of religion--Monotheistic Name of God--Yahweh
Who was he-Creator and the ruler of the universe
Sacred book-Torah Ten Commandments-
What are they-Religious and Moral laws Urge people-to respect and honor God Forbid-Stealing, Lying, Cheating, and Murder
Major feature of Judaism—Belief that people and t their rulers should lead moral lives.
Rise of Christianity
Founder of Christianity--Jesus When did he become a preacher—About
the age of 30 What were his teachings-Taught the poor
about God’s goodness and mercy Teachings were rooted-
In the Jewish tradition of Monotheism Preached belief in -1 God(the same God of
the Jews) Upheld the Ten Commandments as God’s law At same time, stressed love and compassion
for other people In eyes of God, everyone is equal
Jesus’ death
Jewish prophets predicted what-a messiah would deliver Jews from foreign rule and restore Israel. Some Jews believed Jesus was the
Messiah Most Jewish leaders rejected that view
and saw him as a troublemaker Roman officials saw him as a rebel
Their action-he was arrested and crucified in 33AD.
Spread of Christianity
Followers of Jesus believed he was the son of God Years after death, followers preserved his
teachings. Teaching collected in the New Testament Famous missionaries- Peter and Paul
Benefited from the good roads and peaceful conditions of Roman rule; allowed Christianity to expand.
Roman rulers reaction to Christianity—began to persecute Christians Why—Christians refused to show respect for Roman
gods. 313 AD—Roman Emperor Constantine
converted to Christianity 395 AD—Christianity was official religion of the
Roman Empire.
Appeal of Christianity
Appeal of Christianity Offered hope for salvation and eternal
life for rich and poor. Each person could control their own
destiny by living a life of morality. The poor found comfort in Jesus’
teaching that all believers were equal in the eyes of God.
The 2 Divisions
The Christian Church Highest Church officials were bishops Eventually, bishop of Rome became the head of
the Church Took the title of pope which meant father of the
Church The Byzantine Church After division of Roman Empire in 330 AD,
Byzantine emperor refused to recognize the pope in Rome as the head of the Church. Instead controlled the Church himself. In time, Christian Church split into two parts—the
Roman Catholic Church with its center in Rome, and the Eastern Orthodox Church_, which was centered in Constantinople(which is in Turkey).
Introduction to Islam
The Rise of Islam
Islam emerged in the Arabian Peninsula.
2 leading towns were Mecca and Yathrib—centers of trade for the region. Mecca housed the Kaaba, a sacred site
that housed images of many Arab gods and the Black Stone, a meteorite that Arabs believed was sent from heaven.
Muhammad
Born around 570 AD Parents died as a child; raised by his
uncle Worked for a wealthy widow, leading
trade caravans across the desert. At the age of 25, he married the widow
Muhammad spent a great deal of his time fasting and praying; when he was about 40, Muhammad heard the voice of the angel Gabriel who told him to preach to the world.
Muhammad Cont.
He began to travel the Arabian Peninsula with his message.
He did not win many converts at first; most Arabs rejected the notion that there was only 1 god.
In 622, Muhammad was kicked out of Mecca; he journey to Yathrib where his message was received much better. Yathrib was later renamed Medina, or city of the prophet
Muhammad Cont.
From Medina, Muhammad was able to win converts and gain a lot of popularity; he would return to Mecca in 630 with an army and took over the city. He smashed the images of the gods in the
Kaaba and dedicated the Black Stone to God.
By the time of his death in 632, most of the Arabian Peninsula was Islamic.
Teachings of Islam
Islam means submission; a Muslim is someone who submits to God.
There are 5 Pillars in Islam 1. Accept belief in 1 god, Allah 2. Prayer—5 times a day 3. Charity 4. Fasting—1 month, no eating or drinking from
dawn to sunset 5. Pilgrimage (hajj)—make journey to Mecca at
least once in their lives. The Koran
Sacred book of Islam For long period of time, it was forbidden to
translate Koran from Arabic to another language; Arab became a language that united all Muslims.
People of the Book Muhammad considered Jews and
Christians to be similar to Muslims All were monotheistic Believe in final judgment day Believed that Allah is same God as
Christian and Jewish God
Expansion of Islam Islam spread quickly; the Arab empire
reached the Atlantic Ocean by 732. Stretched from Fertile Crescent to Spain. Reasons why:
1. Arab armies were united by their beliefs 2. People welcomed them as liberators instead
of the foreign rulers that they were under. 3. Muslims were tolerant conquerors; did not
force conversion on people that they took over.
The Division of Islam
Islam splits in 2 Muhammad’s death created a
permanent split in Islam Sunni vs. Shiite
Sunnis felt that any devout leader could be the leader of Islam.
Shiites felt that only descendants of Ali could become the leader.
The Arab Empire The Arab Empireiddle East enjoyed period of calm and stability
under the Arabs; period last about 600 years. Ruled by 2 empires—the Umayyad and the Abbassid
Middle East became a central spot for the world to do business Silk, paper, porcelain from China Ivory and gold from Africa Honey and fur from Europe
As trade grew, Muslims invented new business practices: Set up banks Issued credit Receipts for goods
Also many advancements in learning were made: Created universities Translated (and saved histories of other cultures) ancient works
into Arabic Advances in algebra Medical textbooks that influenced European medicine for hundreds
of years
Intro to Hinduism and Buddhism
Traveling to the East
The Heart of South Asia
The countries of South Asia are:
India Pakistan Bangladesh Nepal Bhutan Sri Lanka Maldives Myanmar
India, due to its size and population, is the heart of the region.
The “Sub”continent South Asia is a large triangular peninsula.
Mountains separate it from the countries in the north and it is surrounded by water on all sides. This isolation has allowed region to develop a
unique culture. Ex.--Hinduism is only major polytheistic religion.
Region is often referred to as the Indian subcontinent(large landmass that is smaller than a continent) because of the natural boundaries that cut off the region from the rest of Asia.
Major Physical Features—3, 2, 1 3 rivers—Brahmaputra, Indus, and Ganges
All begin in the Himalayas. All are densely populated due to the quality of the soil
and the long growing season. Important to religion as well.
2 mountains—Himalayas and Hindu Kush—form the subcontinent border to the north Mountains have provided protection from
invasion and also quality farmland. 1 desert—Thar Desert. South of the Hindu
Kush; provided another layer of protection from invaders.
India’s Geography
Most of India lies on a plateau, the Deccan Plateau.
Mountains border the plateau area in the center of India. Similar to the
Himalayas and Kush, the mountains have provided protection and good farmland.
The Caste System
The caste system was set up to give people a place in society.
You would be born into one of these classes and you would remain in it for life.
There are 5 classes: 1. Scholars, teachers, priest 2. Warriors/Soldiers 3. Landowners, Merchants, and Herders 4. Servants and Peasants 5. Untouchables
The Caste System
The caste system set up a strict social order. Each occupation had its own caste and your
future occupation was determined at birth. Caste rules governed everything from cooking
and eating habits to marriage and manners. Despite its unfairness, the system created
order and stability in India; the lowest castes accepted their place and rarely rebelled.
Hinduism and the caste system Hindus believe in reincarnation—your soul never
dies and is placed is reborn in another form after your body goes. Your soul will “recycle” until you meet the gods.
Your next life depends on karma—your deeds of this life affect your future life. For Hindus, this means that you are born into your
caste depending on the karma of your past life. Your past life and its deeds have resulted in your
present life; your next life’s position will result from this life. This belief encourages all Hindus to behave morally.
Life at the Bottom
The lowest caste, the Untouchables, were basically left out of society. Not allowed to worship in temples Could not go to school Forced to live in separate areas outside of
town. Untouchables were not given any rights
until India became independent in 1947. They are still subjected to discrimination
and bias.
Caste System and the Rise of Buddhism
The highest caste became very powerful as time wore on. They lived in a completely separate world from the other classes.
Siddhartha Gautama was a member of the highest caste.
One day, he went for a walk and saw how the rest of the world lived.
He realized that life was full of suffering.
According to legend, he left his wife and family and set out to find the cause of human misery.
After six years of searching, he discovered the cause of suffering—and its cure.
His beliefs spread quickly in part because he rejected the caste system.
The 4 Noble Truths
1. Suffering is universal. 2. Cause of suffering is desire 3. Only way to end suffering is to crush
desire. Strive to achieve nirvana—the condition of
wanting nothing. 4. To end desire, you must follow the
Noble Path (a guide to conduct)
Hinduism vs. Buddhism
Neither are similar to the other major world religions. Hinduism is polytheistic. Buddhism has no god. Both believe in reincarnation.
Both are centrally-located in Southern and Eastern Asia and nowhere else in the world. Although its roots are in India, Buddhism is almost
non-existent there. Hinduism is a tolerant religion and absorbed many
of the Buddhist ideas and, as a result, did not lose many converts.
NOT QUITE RELIGIONSChinese Philosophies
China’s Dynasties There have been 18 dynasties to rule China.
In almost every case, the “new” dynasty overthrew or conquered the old dynasty.
This was the way things operated until the early 1900s.
China’s Dynasties
China’s ruling families are known as dynasties; leaders are emperors.
First dynasty, the Shang dynasty, was in place by about 1600 B.C. Dynastic rule lasted until 1911, meaning that it lasted for
about 3,500 years. Shang dynasty is credited with the creation of a
written language, creation of an accurate seasonal calendar, and were among the first to shape and mold bronze for weapons and household items (pots, utensils). Shang written language based on ideographs, which
used symbols to express ideas. Became very complex—to become literate, students had
to memorize almost 10,000 characters. Spread to all parts of Asia—Korea, Japan, Vietnam
Mandate of Heaven
The Zhou dynasty conquered the Shang and ruled for 800 years; this period helped to shape China for many years.
They said that they had a right to rule granted by heaven and that the people owed them their complete loyalty. The Mandate linked power
to responsibility. In exchange for loyalty, the government had to provide good government; if they failed, they could expect to lose power.
Belief lasted until the fall of the last dynasty.
Early Religion/Philosophy
The Zhou took over around 1000 B.C. Although they would be in power for
almost 800 years, their reign would be marked by war and upheaval.
The problems began around 700 B.C. However, the era provided China with
some of its greatest thinkers and philosophers—the beliefs of Confucius, Lao Zi, and Han Feizi.
Confucianism
Confucius was greatly upset by the disorder and suffering that he saw.
He developed his beliefs on restoring peace and harmony.
He spent his life, unsuccessfully, trying to convince those in power to stop the fighting.
He had a loyal group of followers; after his death, they collected his teachings and published them.
The Five Relationships
To restore order, Confucius believed that 5 relationships must govern human society. They are between:
1. Ruler and ruled 2. Father and son 3. Older brother and younger brother 4. Husband and wife 5. Friend and friend
The superior in each relationship is responsible for the well-being of the other.
With these relationships, Confucius created a guide for proper behavior based on ethics and morality. He placed the needs of society above the individual.
Above all, he stressed the importance of education. In time, his ideas came to dominated Chinese society.Encourage the people to
work hard by setting an example yourself. Do not allow your efforts to slacken
Being good as a son and obedient as a young man is, perhaps, the root of a man’s character
Let the ruler be a ruler, the subject a subject, the father a father, the son a son
Daoism
Lao Zi is the founder of Daoism. He also searched for ways to restore order to
society. He, however, emphasized the link between
people and nature. Taoists believe that the best way to live was the
natural way—rules are useless and disturbed natural order
Taoists believe that the best government was one with few rules and laws.
Many Taoist were scientific thinkers—credited with advances in astronomy, chemistry (credited with discovery of gunpowder), and biology.
Daoism’s biggest influence can be seen in the art of China.
Legalism
Legalism was shaped by Han Feizi. His beliefs shaped the beliefs of China’s
early governments. He believed that people acted out of
their own self-interest. People would respond to rewards and punishment; not to Confucius ways of proper behavior.
Harsh laws imposed by a strong ruler would ensure order.
Buddha’s Back!
Buddhism spread to China in 1 A.D. Buddhism appealed to the Chinese
because it dealt with life after death. It promised salvation for the good and punishment for the wicked.
Many Chinese blended their Confucian or Taoist beliefs with Buddhism. Since neither Confucianism or Daoism were organized religions (although they are now both classified as one), Buddhism became the main religion in China.