Belief Systems: Global AIS

Regents Overview

Animism Shintoism

Buddhism

Taoism

Confucianism

Judaism

Christianity Islam

Hinduism

Islamic Fundamentalism

Expansion of Religions DBQ Practice

Animism

• Place of Origin– Africa

• Holy Text– None

• Main Beliefs– Worship spirits of nature (trees, animals, etc.)– Worship their ancestors

• How the belief affected the cultures– Great respect for nature

Shintoism

• Place of Origin– Japan

• Holy Text– None

• Main Beliefs– The spirits of “Kami” exist in all things, including the

Japanese Emperor (who was seen as god-like)• How the belief affected the cultures– Great respect for the natural world– Especially respect toward past Emperor

Hinduism

• Place of Origin– India (stayed in India)

• Holy Text– Vedas

• Main Beliefs– Reincarnation—one’s soul is reborn into another until

perfection is reached– Karma: behavior (thoughts and actions) of a Hindu

• Caste System– Social order influenced by Karma– Organized Indian society by jobs

Buddhism

• Place of Origin– India (moved out of India because it couldn’t

compete with Hinduism)– Spread across the east by missionaries

• No Holy Text• Main Beliefs– Four Noble Truths: to end suffering, end desires– End suffering by following the Eight-Fold Path

Taoism

• Place of Origin– China

• Holy Text– Tao Te Ching

• Main Beliefs– Follow the way of nature– Accept the things you cannot change

• How the belief affected the cultures– Don’t challenge the natural process– Accept things as they come

Confucianism

• Place of Origin– China

• Holy Text– Analects

• Main Beliefs– 5 relationships (father son, older brother younger

brother, husband wife, ruler subject, friend = friend)

• How the belief affected the cultures– Great deal of respect for parents, elders, country

Judaism• Place of Origin

– Middle East– Jerusalem is their holy city.– Diaspora: scattering of Jewish people during the 1st century AD.

• Holy Text– Torah

• First five books of the Old Testament

• Main Beliefs– One God: Monotheism– God will send a Messiah (savior) to them someday

• How the belief affected the cultures– Try to follow God’s laws (the 10 commandments) so the Messiah will

come

Christianity• Place of Origin

– Middle East– Jerusalem is their holy city.– Official religion of the Holy Roman Empire

• Holy Text– Bible

• New and Old Testament

• Main Beliefs– One God: Monotheism– Jesus Christ is the Son of God and – Jesus is the Messiah

• How the belief affected the cultures– Simple rules won many converts to Christianity

Islam• Place of Origin

– Middle East– Their holy city is Jerusalem.– Often spread by military conquest.

• Holy Text– Qur’an (Koran)

• Main Beliefs– Five Pillars of Faith: recite, pray, charity, fast, pilgrimage– One God: Monotheism– Follow Allah in all things above everything else– Mohammed is the Messiah who spread the word of Allah

• How the belief affected the cultures– Religious laws of Islam are so important that they often become

the political laws of the nation

Islamic Fundamentalism

• A movement of some Muslims to focus on a strict interpretation of laws and customs

• Often oppose “modern” culture• Terrorism: used against western nations that

interfere with their culture– Islalmic Jihad, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda

Expansion of Religions

• Missionaries– Went to colonies and “savage” countries to “save

the natives”• Trade• Military Conquest– Conquerors convinced or forced natives into their

beliefs• Explorers– Taught their beliefs to native people in new lands

DBQ PRACTICEAugust 2010

Assignment

• Complete the document Mrs. Hurd gives you.– Make sure you include OUTSIDE INFORMATION– Write in COMPLETE SENTENCES– NO PRONOUNS!

• Outline the essay as a class

DBQ Question

• Historical Context– Throughout history, the spread of belief systems has

influenced social, economic, and political developments in many regions. These belief systems include Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism

• Task– Select two belief systems mentioned in the historical

context and for each• Discuss how the belief system spread to a specific region or

regions• Discuss how the belief system influenced a region or regions

socially, economically, and/or politically