General time/place of founding

6th century BCE: in Persia, today's Iran

221 BC Qin

Deity(s)

Ahura Mazda

N/A

Founder/Leaders (if known)

Zoroaster

Shi Huang DI

Key Texts

No one, main text

Just the laws of the dynasty

Basic Beliefs & Practices

The belief of just one god who has made the earth perfectly. People on earth have to follow a moral code so that when they die, they can go to a heavnly afterlife. Sets the standard for other monotheistic religions.

The laws of the land should be the sole guidepost for how people live their lives. If the govt. Or Emperor decrees it, it shall be done

Expansion/Influence*(Where did it spread geographically by the end of 600 C.E.?)*

Became the official religion of the Persian empire. So from India to the Mediterranean

The first modern dynasty, the Qin adopted his under their rule, and he and his Dynasty only lasted 15 years, so it kind of died out as its own thing.

Political & Social Role How was this religion/belief system utilized to assert political authority and/or reinforce social hierarchies?

In the Persian empire yes. after that. it loses its influence

Parts of it were a basis for Confucianism, but other than that, it is not significant

General time/place of founding

China: Han dynasty Around 400BCE

china 5th century BCE

Deity(s)

no Gods

Spirits living within areas of nature

Founder/Leaders (if known)

Confucius

Lao Zi

Key Texts

The analects

Tao te Ching

Basic Beliefs & Practices

About human relationships and achieving social order and harmony. About creating social mobility and a successful society through education. Filial piety is also important. Honoring your past family through your actions

that man is just a small cog in the ultimate make up of the world that is nature. Unhooking yourself from society and living a simple life in nature is a way to make yourself one with nature

Expansion/Influence*(Where did it spread by the end of 1200 C.E.?)*

As the law of the state. only in China. But many of its principles were followed in Korea, Vietnam, and Japan

In the rest of the civilizations of East Asia. Korea, Japan, and Vietnam's

Political & Social Role How was this religion/belief system utilized to assert political authority and/or reinforce social hierarchies?

What is Neoconfucianism? When the philosophy was promoted as a religion to try to minimize Daoism and Buddhism. Early years 100ce

Role of theCivil Service Exam:

Role of thefive relationships:

More of a social role than political. Considered a counterbalance to Confucianism

General time/place of founding

Around 1500 BCE in India

Around 400 BCE in Northern India

Deity(s)

Many gods and goddesses. Many recognize the main 3 as Brahma, Vishnu, and shiva

No gods, eventually, spiritual guides inserted (bodhisattvas)

Founder/Leaders (if known)

N/A

Prince Siddhartha (the buddha)

Key Texts

The Vedas and Upanishads

no specific sacred texts

Basic Beliefs & Practices

very individually practiced. Everyone has a specific role in their life (dharma) that needs to be fulfilled to achieve good karma. People are reincarnated to a series of lives till they reach Brahma

To end suffering by providing a path to enlightenment (Nirvana) by following the eighth path to virtue

Expansion/Influence (Where did it spread by the end of 1200 C.E.?)

It will spread into SE Asia

Ut spread all over SE Asia, China, Korea, and Japan. moved all along the Silk road

Political & Social Role How was this religion/belief system utilized to assert political authority and/or reinforce social hierarchies?

the Role of the caste system in South Asian society: It made for a very strict, complex class system, where everyone was set in their roles. Kept politics organized and holding power simple. But you waste the talents of people in lower castes that have no influence.

Role of Buddhist monastic communities/monks: You lived in these to give you the means to reach NIrvana as doing it out in the real world was too harMahayana vs. TheravadaBuddhism: Mahayana provided a simpler, guided path to Nirvana that could be done while living in society.

General time/place of founding

2500BCE in Mesopotamia

Judea in the roman empire

Deity(s)

Monotheistic religion- one all-powerful god

the same almighty God of the Jews, Jesus also was a deity after his death

Founder/Leaders (if known)

Abraham is considered the father of Judaism

Jesus, Peter the Apostle, Paul of tarus

Key Texts

Torah

The bible (new testament)

Beliefs/ Practices/ Rituals

All Jews shall worship their ONE God, All Jewish man she be circumcised, kosher diets, A messiah will come

All the come back to love of God and each other. Repent for your sins and declare belif in Jesus as the son of God and youll get salvation

Expansion/Influence*(Where did it spread by the end of 1200 C.E.?)*

By this time Jews were dispersed in small minority groups. This was ever since the Romans ejected them from Judea around 64CE

By 1200ce, Christianity was the most poewrful religious amd political force in Europe. ALso in pockets of North Africa.

Political & Social Role How was this religion/belief system utilized to assert political authority and/or reinforce social hierarchies?

The laws of judaism in the Torah were the laws of hebrews as they lived amongst each other in tight knit communities. At one point there was a kingdom of israel.

Christianity in the Roman Empire: This was where their message spread to the Gentiles fo the Roman Empire and had a big following. Eventually it became the offcial religion of the emprie by order of the emperors
Role of the Catholic Church in medieval Europe: Kingdoms were feudal and had little political force influence. The catholic church was the only european wide power
Role of missionaries:spread beliefs pf the church to mamu parts of the worl. Going to make it the worlds largest religion by number of followersRole of monasteries: this is where the policies and belied of the church are refined and debated

General time/place of founding

630 CE in Mecca, (Saudi Arabia)

Deity(s)

Allah (God, the Jewish and Christian God)

Founder/Leaders (if known)

Muhammed

Key Texts

The Quran

Basic Beliefs & Practices

The five pillars of Islam: Declaring your commitment to Allah to worship him as the one and only. praying five times a day while facing Mecca, The Zakat: Giving a percentage of your worth to the poor. Ramadan during the Islamic month of Ramadan, showing your willingness to sacrifice for Allah by fasting every day in the daylight hours. The Hajj; Pilgrimage to Mecca

Expansion/InfluenceWhere did it spread by the end of 1200 C.E.?

Huge. Dominant religion under the Islamic empire in all the middle east (including Persia), North Africa, and Spain

Political & Social Role How was this religion/belief system utilized to assert political authority and/or reinforce social hierarchies?

During these days religious leaders were political leaders and vice versa. The islamic Empire was a theocracy (Govt. run by religious leaders) yet tolerant to other beliefs