A. Discuss the origins of Christianity? Who was Paul of Tarsus? What Contributions did he make to Christianity? Why did it ultimately survive and succeed?
The Origins of Christianity originates from when Judea came under Roman rule in 6 C.E. The roman didn’t really care for the Jews and their beliefs, in turn, the Jews turned to religion and the wanting or waiting of being saved from the Roman oppression. The Jews believed in one god, unlike the Romans, and they believed that this one god would sent a messiah or chosen one, that would help free them from the Roman Empire and their ruling power. In other words, the Jews believed a military leader anointed by God to lead the Jews and drive out the Romans from the Jewish holy land. Out of this rebellion of sorts, a man named Jesus rose to the task of trying to reform the beliefs and practices of the Jews. Many people believed that Jesus was a Rabbi of a teacher, but in fact he was a young Jewish carpenter from Galilee in Northern Israel. Jesus was also a Jew, but his teachings were somewhat out of the ordinary for Judaism. Jesus believed that as children of God that his followers should go back to religion in its purest form of spirituality and personal faith. Jesus was also not very fond of how the Jewish religious were corrupt and living in excess, while so many others were poverty stricken. Jesus was offended with how the current Jewish political and religious leaders were obsessed money and power. Jesus was knows in the region as a prophet and his teachings inspired all of those who would listen. Jesus taught of God and his apocalyptic judgment and his offerings for all who believed and followed would be given an eternity of life and prosperity. Jesus inspired many and had many followers to include John the Baptist, Paul of Tarsus, and the Communities that attributed to the writings of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Although Jesus was inspirational to many, the leaders of the church found him to be a so called trouble maker, one who could ruin their very own well being and lives of overwhelming fortune. They believed that Jesus could incite a rebellion that could lead to the loss of their power politically and socially. Before any rebellion could happen, Jewish leaders turned Jesus over to the Roman emperor Pontius Pilot to be executed. Jesus’ crucifixion is a key part of Christianity, for his followers taught of his resurrection and future return to lead them to the next life.
Paul of Tarsus was also a Jew, but he was from Greece who converted to Christianity and devoted all of his time, energy, and life’s work to spreading the word of Jesus and his teachings. Paul traveled throughout the Mediterranean to include Syria, Anatolia, and Greece, teaching of Jesus the Messiah. Jewish leaders were appalled with how much Jewish tradition was lost in Jesus’ teachings in his translation of God’s word. Paul also spoke different languages that helped him mingle in different cultures that helped him spread the teachings and God’s word through the Mediterranean. Luckily for Christianity, a revolt in Roman Judea lead to Paul and his non-Jewish converts to lead future and further from it Jewish roots.
Christianity was successful and survives because it relates to all levels on the social scales. Early Christians weren’t those of good fortune and money, but more or less, the poverty stricken, minorities, women, and slaves. The sheer numbers of the poor to aristocrats was overwhelming. The poor outnumbered the rich. Christianity offered what others could not. A life of prosperity that was, for the most part, unattainable in this life. Overtime Christianity became democratic, that wasn’t based on social class, but elected by peers. B. Discuss the origins of Islam and the development of the religion of Islam, the Umma, and the three Branches of Islam (Sunni, Shiite, and Kharliite). What were the causes of the decline of the Caliphate.
The origins of Islam came from the countries of the Middle Eastern Arabian peninsula to include Syria, Jordan, and Iraq due to the isolation and independence because of the protection all around them. These inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula were pastoral nomads and farmers. As for Islam its founder was an Arabic prophet by the name of Muhammad. Muhammad was an orphan boy in Mecca around 570. Unlike Jesus, Muhammad had a family; a wife names Quraysh and many daughters, but lost his only son who died at during childhood. One night in 610 Muhammad began meditating in the mountains around Mecca, during his meditations an angel appeared and gave him a message in later traditions that was referred to as the “Night of Power and Excellence”. Gabriel said, “Proclaim! In the name of your lord who created. Created man from a clot on congealed blood. Proclaim! And your lord is most bountiful. He who has taught by the pen. Taught man that which knew not.” Muhammad continued with this revelation until his death in 632.
Islamic people believe in one god who created the universe and everything in it. To become a Muslim one must submit to the will of god. Although, Islam is similar to some stories of Christianity and Judaism, Muslims believe that their stories are superior due to the fact that the stories are unedited, it’s the direct word of god rather than transcribed by men.
The Umma was developed by Medinian representatives and Muhammad. These people accepted Muhammad as a messenger of god, and offered protection to Muhammad and his followers. The Medinian representatives saw Muhammad as a natural leader with abilities to calm local feuding. The Meccans and Medinian groups offered loyalty to the Umma, which was a community that accepted Islam and Muhammad as the messenger of god, all of which prayed toward Mecca rather than Jerusalem. At this point Muhammad took responsibility for the Umma with intentions of spreading god’s word through Mecca. He was unsuccessful until about 630 when Mecca surrendered from war only to realize that god favored Muhammad resulting in a pilgrimage to Ka’ab.
The three branches of Islam are the Sunni, Shiite and Kharijite. These branches were formed because of the disagreement of succession of the Caliph. As for those who believed that Muhammad first cousin, Ali, should be the Caliph. They became known as the “Party of Ali” the Shiites. After being passed over several times, Ali’s supporters believed he was Muhammad’s closest living relative, and should be made the Caliph. After Ali’s battle with friends, his wife and the governor of Syria, Ali was killed by one of his closest supported. As for the Sunnis they were referred to as the people of tradition. They believed that the community should select its own religious leadership. The Sunnis now make up the majority of the Islamic countries. The smallest of the three is the Kharijite. They compare to the Shiites , but are more radical and selfish claiming righteousness on an individual level. There are many reasons for the decline of the Caliphate, but inconsistency was a big reason. Rather than be a religious leader they acted as politicians. It is always a bad idea to mix politics with religion. In other words the Caliphate was a secular position rather than one chosen by god though its followers. C. Describe the central features of Mesopotamia civilization, focusing on the political, economical and social aspects, what were the central beliefs of the Mesopotamia religion. How did it affect Mesopotamia culture?
One of the central features of Mesopotamia, and a key to this cultures survival was its location. Mesopotamia was located centrally between the Tigris River and the Euphrates. This civilization set up communities in the plains alongside these rivers, which helped the people of Mesopotamia flourish. Not only were the people able to harvest the unstable land. They succeeded in irrigation and building canals to bring water to more distant crops away from the rivers.
Politically Mesopotamia was made up of small villages and cities that worked well together. The farmers of a particular village would come together and offer each other protection. Also, these farmers would help each other out in a time of need. These communities are known as city-state’s which by definition are small independent state consisting of an urban center and the surrounding agricultural territory. Political leadership in early Mesopotamia is uncertain, but soon a king would arise. The Mesopotamia called him Lugal. The king rose to power through the ranks of the armies during times of war. The Lugal was, more than likely, chosen by his peers in times of peace and supported by others in a power position.
Economically the majority of Mesopotamia was farmers who now had the ability to irrigate water for better farming and cropping. These farmers helped each other out in times of abundance, in return for the same courtesy in their very own time of need. As for those who didn’t farm special skills were needed so they could offer some sort of a goods trade. The people that didn’t contribute to the food production lived of the surplus of the villages, but contributed in many different ways. For Example, art, potter, clothing, tools, and weapons were offered in trade. The cities also offered military protection to the more rural areas.
Society in Mesopotamia was divided into three groups. First, the free, landowning class, which included royalty, high ranking officers, warriors, priests, merchants, and some artisans and storekeepers. Second, in the class of dependent farmers and artisans, whose legal attachment to royal, temple, or private estates made the primary rural work force. Finally, the third was the slave class primarily employed in domestic service. Not include in any of these classes were women. Women were mainly used for reproduction, due to the fact that the labor of the land was far too intense for women to handle. The workload for Mesopotamia relied heavily on manual labor. This did not inhibit women from owning land or making money. Some women worked as brewers, tavern keepers, prostitutes, and even bakers. Those women who stayed home maintained the household duties of cleaning, cooking, gathering water, and wove baskets.
When it came to religion in Mesopotamia the gods represented different aspects of nature that required sacrifice, worship, and human obedience. These people were people of the land and feared the gods, for they could cause devastation to the year’s crops through natural disasters. Within the Mesopotamia community these cities built temples and shrines to show devotion to the protection by the gods within the society. These temples were fully staffed with priests whose responsibility was to seek the gods and fulfill a god’s need. D. Compare the civilizations in the Indus River Valley with the civilizations in Mesopotamia and Egypt from a political, economic, and social perspective.
The Indus River Valley Civilization was located in the fertile flood plains of the Indus River. This huge stretch of land reaches from the mountains of Pakistan to Thar. The surrounding area attributes to the fertile lands. Twice a year the river floods, and seasonally the snow melts from nearby mountain ranges. As for cropping, it is done twice a year indirect correlation with the flooding of the region even though there is minimal rainfall. Not much is known about the Indus River Valley societies because their language is unreadable, but from what archeologist have discovered thus far is many similarities to the Mesopotamia and Egyptian societies.
Economically all these societies were the same and from the same mentality. All were farmers based near or around a specific water source, and to better provide water for crops developed an irrigation system. Farming was a way of life and contributed to the society as a whole. During great cropping season the society flourished. These people learned how to outsource crops and trade for other things throughout the Mediterranean. Because they relied so much on trading advance in carts and boats became a huge factor helping Indus River Valley people to go out and trade goods for other goods.
Politically, these people believed in the gods as their governors. Temples have been found with bathing tanks, depictions of gods and animals on seal stones, and a cult of their mother goddess. Even though their beliefs were different to those of Mesopotamia and Egypt, the principle of having a set aside area for worship and sacrifice was still there. Another common link with these societies is they were all hereditary, which means succession of leadership through birthright.
Socially these communities did have some differences. The Indus River seemed more poverty stricken. The communities lived in large groups within one home, rather than on family on a farmland. Unlike the Mesopotamian and Egyptian culture, the Indus River Civilization didn’t last quite as long, due to the some natural disasters that forced them to leave or die off.