Religious and Cultural Development

1. Religious and Cultural Development Period 2 600BCE-600Ce Adaptation of AP World History Crash Course by Jay P. Harmon

2. Faiths Develop • Belief systems continued to develop from earlier eras; others emerged and spread • Monotheistic Hebrew faith was scattered (Jewish diaspora) to the eastern Mediterranean region by the Assyrians(600 BCE) and Romans. (70CE) Jewish merchants carried the faith • Difficult for Jews to follow Roman Law because they are forbidden to worship any other god • Received kindness by the Persian king, Darius who allowed the Jews to return to the capital city and rebuild their temple after capture. • MonothesiticZorastrianism inspired many religions • The idea of good vs evil • An afterlife that is either paradise or punishment

3. Hinduism • In South Asia, Hinduism established a spiritual and social caste system • Hindu beliefs were influenced by concepts from Vedic religions, passed on through oral tradition and later recorded in the Vedas and Upanishads • Teaches: many manifestations of the Great Soul of the Universe (appears to be polythheistic and monotheistic to Westerners) • Unlike Christianity or Buddhism, there is no single founder of Hinduism. • All living things participated in the caste system • Through cycles of birth, death and reincarnation, believers hoped to elevate their souls to the highest level of spirituality or moksah, when they become one with Brahman, the Great Soul • Could take hundreds or thousands of lifetimes • A soul may move up or down the ladder depending on one’s deeds • The law of karma taught that one’s social position in this life was a sign of good or bad deeds performed in a previous life. • There were five major levels of human castes based on karma. • Throughout the centuries, the strongest social glue in South Asia was Hinduism. Lasted the test of time.

4. Buddhism • New belief systems arose out of Hinduism and the Hebrew religion (Judaism) • Buddhism began in South Asia around 500BCE • Founded by Siddhartha Gautama • Maintained Hinduism’s belief in reincarnation but taught that spiritually there was no caste system • Male and female, rich and poor shared the same ability to reach nirvana, oneness with the great spirit of the universe • Gains popularity during times of upheaval • The closer one was to nirvana the less troubled on would be by the cares of the world (caste were a temporary, worldly condition) • Buddhism teaches the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold Path: a balanced and modest life. Reaching nirvana would result in the end of suffering • Questions about the existence of God were immaterial.

5. Christianity • Began in southwest Asia during the first century CE • Modification of Judaism • Introduced to the Hebrews in Roman controlled Palestine by Jesus who preached salvation through faith in him as the Son of God • Jesus’s teachings were recorded in the Gospels and developed in other writings, particularly by his disciple Paul.

6. Similarities and differences • Both Buddhism and Christianity taught the spiritual equality of all believers • However, Buddha did not promise eternal life to his followers while Jesus did. • Both Buddhism and Christianity gained more followers outside their places of origin.

7. Spread of Buddhism • Buddhism spread east across the Indian Ocean by missionaries and merchants, and via the Silk Roads into China. Its message of peace, regardless of circumstance had great appeal. • Mauryan Emperor Ashoka was an early supporter of Buddhist missionary activity • As Buddhism spread into East and Southeast Asia, it changed over time into a Salvationist faith that saw the Buddha as a deliverer of eternal life. • This form became and remains the more popular version of Buddhism: Mahayana • Theravada Buddhism is closer to the original form and is practiced today in Sri Lanka and parts of Southeast Asia

8. Spread of Christianity • Christianity was initially seen by the Roman government as a religion disloyal to the emperor and Christians were persecuted • Made more appealing by harmonizing it with Greek philosophy • By 4th century CE, Christianity was officially accepted by Emperor Constantine • Christianity spread by missionaries and merchants carried west from modern-day Israel into North Africa and northwest into Turkey and Europe. Appeal was its promise of eternal life through faith in Jesus • As the Roman Empire began to lose power in the west, Christianity’s focus on an ever-faithful God and never-ending heavenly reward was comforting to increasing numbers of people. It remains the dominant religion in Europe.

9. Confucius • Beginning around 500 BCE, when China was undergoing turmoil during the Warring States period, teaching of Confucius became the bedrock of that society • Written after his death in the Analects. Set clear rules for moral behavior and for family and political order. • Filial piety-utmost respect for parents-and obedience to those in political control were two of the most important teachings • Shaped family and gender relations, political governance, and attitudes toward other civilizations and is still strong today. • Patriarchy, was established in Eastern Asian cultures by Confucius’s teachings. • Held the test of time • Junzi were Confucian “superior individuals” who took an active role in public affairs

10. Daoism • Developed in East Asia about the same time as Confucianism and influenced culture • Close connections between humans and nature, a balance and harmony in all things. Also stressed deep respect for ancestors • Look away from human creations and instead find peace and balance in natures examples • Influence Chinese medical practices like acupuncture • Daoist-inspired architecture sought to blend the building into the local landscape=sloping roof tops in East Asian temples • Laozi was the best known Daoist philosopher. Symbol of Daoism is the Yin-Yang.

11. Animism and Shamanism • Outside the core classical civilizations with religious writings, animism and shamanism remained popular • Animism is the belief that the natural world itself has spiritual powers • Shamanism is the belief that human spirit guides (shamans) are contacts between this world and the spirit world. Shamans are also believed to have the power to heal • Both systems held great reverence for deceased ancestors and were popular in Africa, the Andean region and some parts of East Asia.

12. Belief Systems and Gender Roles • While men dominated the leadership of all major religions, women often served in similar capacities as priestesses, prophets, and missionaries • Both Buddhism and Christianity offered religious community to women by allowing them to serve as nuns.

13. Classic Cultures • Classic civilizations developed many long-lasting forms of the arts including architecture, literature, paintings, and sculptures. • Greek plays and histories influenced literature around the Mediterranean region and eventually throughout Western civilzation. • Greeks invented theatrical acting-initially dramas with moral themes and later comedies that reflected the human condition. • Greek histories of their wars with the Persians and among themselves becme the template for Western historical writing. • The point of history according the Greeks was to teach life lessons about the consequences of good and bad behavior and decision-making. So to learn to be good citizens

14. Indian epic poems (Ramanyana and Bagavad Gita) continue to influence literature in South Asia today with their stories of self-sacrifice and devotion to duty and to Hinduism • Architecture that developed in China, India, Mesoamerica, and the Mediterranean region in the classical era had long-lasting influence on building styles • Monumental projects supported both the government and the religious faith. • Mesoamerican temples looked very similar to Mesopotamain ziggurats from a much earlier age • Greek and Indian architectural styles blended as ta result of Hellenism after Alexander the Great’s empire reached into South Asia • In art and sculpture, religiuous themes prevailed • Greeks forms of sculpture blended with North African, South Asian, and East Asian themes to be known as Hellenistic • Many sculptures venerated Hindu, Buddhist, or Confucian beliefs • Daoists painted beautiful scenes of nature