Hinduism
Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion with roots and customs dating back more than 4,000
years. Today, with about 900 million followers, Hinduism is the third-largest religion behind
Christianity and Islam. Roughly 95 percent of the world’s Hindus live in India. Because the
religion has no specific founder, it’s difficult to trace its origins and history. Hinduism is unique
in that it’s not a single religion but a compilation of many traditions and philosophies.
Hinduism Beliefs
Some basic Hindu concepts include:
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Hinduism embraces many religious ideas. For this reason, it’s sometimes referred to as
a “way of life” or a “family of religions,” as opposed to a single, organized religion.
Most forms of Hinduism are henotheistic, which means they worship a single deity,
known as “Brahman,” but still recognize other gods and goddesses
Hindus believe in the doctrines of samsara (the continuous cycle of life, death, and
reincarnation) and karma (the universal law of cause and effect).
One of the key thoughts of Hinduism is “atman,” or the belief in soul. This philosophy
holds that living creatures have a soul, and they’re all part of the supreme soul. The
goal is to achieve “moksha,” or salvation, which ends the cycle of rebirths to become
part of the absolute soul.
One fundamental principle of the religion is the idea that people’s actions and
thoughts directly determine their current life and future lives.
Hindus strive to achieve dharma, which is a code of living that emphasizes good
conduct and morality.
Hindus revere all living creatures and consider the cow a sacred animal.
Food is an important part of life for Hindus. Most don’t eat beef or pork, and many are
vegetarians.
Hinduism is closely related to other Indian religions, including Buddhism, Sikhism and
Jainism.
Hinduism Symbols
A swastika symbol featured on a tile at Hindu temple on Diu Island, India. The symbol is one of
good luck and good fortune. There are two primary symbols associated with Hinduism, the om
and the swastika. The word swastika means "good fortune" or "being happy" in Sanskrit, and
the symbol represents good luck.
Hinduism Holy Books
The primary sacred texts, known as the Vedas, were composed around 1500 B.C. This
collection of verses and hymns was written in Sanskrit and contains revelations received by
ancient saints and sages.
The Vedas are made up of: 1) The Rig Veda, 2) The Samaveda, 3)Yajurveda, 4) Atharvaveda
Hindus believe that the Vedas transcend all time and don’t have a beginning or an end.
The Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, 18 Puranas, Ramayana and Mahabharata are also
considered important texts in Hinduism.
Buddhism
Buddhism is one of the world’s major religions. It originated in India in 563–483 B.C.E. with
Siddhartha Gautama, and over the next millennia it spread across Asia and the rest of the
world. Buddhists believe that human life is a cycle of suffering and rebirth, but that if one
achieves a state of enlightenment (nirvana), it is possible to escape this cycle forever.
Siddhartha Gautama was the first person to reach this state of enlightenment and was, and is
still today, known as the Buddha. Buddhists do not believe in any kind of deity or god, although
there are supernatural figures who can help or hinder people on the path towards
enlightenment.
Siddhartha Gautama was an Indian prince in the fifth century B.C.E. who, upon seeing people
poor and dying, realized that human life is suffering. He renounced his wealth and spent time
as a poor beggar, meditating and travelling but ultimately, remaining unsatisfied, settling on
something called “the Middle Way.” This idea meant that neither extreme asceticism or
extreme wealth were the path to enlightenment, but rather, a way of life between the two
extremes. Eventually, in a state of deep meditation, he achieved enlightenment, or nirvana
underneath the Bodhi tree (the tree of awakening). The Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar, India—
the site of his enlightenment—is now a major Buddhist pilgrimage site.
The Buddha taught about Four Noble Truths. The first truth is called “Suffering (dukkha),”
which teaches that everyone in life is suffering in some way. The second truth is “Origin of
suffering (samudāya).” This states that all suffering comes from desire (tanhā). The third truth
is “Cessation of suffering (nirodha),” and it says that it is possible to stop suffering and achieve
enlightenment. The fourth truth, “Path to the cessation of suffering (magga)” is about the
Middle Way, which are the steps to achieve enlightenment.
Buddhists believe in a wheel of rebirth, where souls are born again into different bodies
depending on how they conducted themselves in their previous lives. This is connected to
“karma,” which refers to how a person’s good or bad actions in the past or in their past lives
can impact them in the future.
Judaism
Judaism is the world’s oldest monotheistic religion, dating back nearly 4,000 years. Followers
of Judaism believe in one God who revealed himself through ancient prophets. The history of
Judaism is essential to understanding the Jewish faith, which has a rich heritage of law, culture
and tradition.
Judaism Beliefs
Jewish people believe there’s only one God who has established a covenant—or special
agreement—with them. Their God communicates to believers through prophets and rewards
good deeds while also punishing evil.
Most Jews (with the exception of a few groups) believe that their Messiah hasn’t yet come—
but will one day.
Jewish people worship in holy places known as synagogues, and their spiritual leaders are
called rabbis. The six-pointed Star of David is the symbol of Judaism.
Today, there are about 14 million Jews worldwide. Most of them live in the United States and
Israel. Traditionally, a person is considered Jewish if his or her mother is Jewish.
Torah
The Jewish sacred text is called the Tanakh or the “Hebrew Bible.” It includes the same books
as the Old Testament in the Christian Bible, but they’re placed in a slightly different order.
The Torah—the first five books of the Tanakh—outlines laws for Jews to follow. It’s sometimes
also referred to as the Pentateuch.
Founder of Judaism
The origins of Jewish faith are explained throughout the Torah. According to the text, God first
revealed himself to a Hebrew man named Abraham, who became known as the founder of
Judaism. Jews believe that God made a special covenant with Abraham and that he and his
descendants were chosen people who would create a great nation. Abraham’s son Isaac, and
his grandson Jacob, also became central figures in ancient Jewish history. Jacob took the name
Israel, and his children and future generations became known as Israelites. More than 1,000
years after Abraham, the prophet Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt after being enslaved for
hundreds of years. According to scriptures, God revealed his laws, known as the Ten
Commandments, to Moses at Mt. Sinai.
Jewish Holy Books
While the Tanakh (which includes the Torah) is considered the sacred text of Judaism, many
other important manuscripts were composed in later years. These offered insights into how
the Tanakh should be interpreted and documented oral laws that were previously not written
down.
Around 200 A.D., scholars compiled the Mishnah—a text that describes and explains the
Jewish code of law that was previously orally communicated.
Talmud
Later, the Talmud, a collection of teachings and commentaries on Jewish law, was created. The
Talmud contains the Mishnah and another text known as the Gemara (which examines the
Mishnah). It includes the interpretations of thousands of rabbis and outlines the importance of
613 commandments of Jewish law.
Shabbat
Shabbat is recognized as a day of rest and prayer for Jews. It typically begins at sunset on
Friday and lasts until nightfall on Saturday. Observing Shabbat can take many forms,
depending on the type of Judaism that a Jewish family may follow. Orthodox and Conservative
Jews, for example, may refrain from performing any physical labor, using any electrical device
or other prohibited activities. Most observant Jews celebrate Shabbat by reading or discussing
the Torah, attending a synagogue or socializing with other Jews at Shabbat meals.
Assyrians and Persians
EGYPT AND NUBIA
AMERICA
The cultures of the first Americans, including social organization, developed in ways similar to
other early cultures. The American continents include North and South America. They are
connected and span two hemispheres, from the frigid Arctic Circle in the north to the icy
waters around Antarctica in the south.
Hunters and gatherers
From the discovery of chiseled spearheads and charred bones at ancient sites—is that the
earliest Americans lived as hunters.
Following the Game Eventually, large animals like the mammoth were overhunted and became
extinct. Hunters soon turned to smaller prey, such as deer and rabbits, for their survival.
Different layers of remains and artifacts have been found at the kill site, with different kinds of
points-spears, arrows, knives, and so forth.
The different styles of points can tell archaeologists about the age of a site and its various
layers. Weapons and tools such as those shown here were used to kill and butcher animals for
the hunters and their families to consume.
Agriculture
Agriculture creates a new way of life
Gradually, the first Americans became familiar with plant foods. At they began to experiment
with simple methods of cultivation. Their efforts at planting and harvesting gave rise to
agriculture. The development of agriculture Around 7000 B.C., a quiet revolution began in
what is now central Mexico. In what is now central Mexico. There, people began to rely more
on wild edible plants and to grow some of them on their own. By 5000 B.C., many had begun
to cultivate these As the population grew and agriculture became more efficient and
productive, more people engaged in non-agricultural activities, more people engaged in nonagricultural activities. The differences between social classes-between rich and poor, rulers
and subjects-began to emerge.
CHINA