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.