Belief Systems

Key beliefs/practices Influence on followers 5 Pillars of Islam are the rules and code of conduct for all Muslims Pray 5x/day facing Mecca, Fast during Ramadan, Faith to only 1 God (Allah), Give alms (charity) to the poor, Pilgrimage to Mecca Holy book=Koran Place of worship = Mosque (should attend weekly) Founder=Muhammad 5 Pillars give structure and guidance to all Muslims Muslims should not drink alcohol or eat pork Pilgrimage to Mecca promotes cultural diffusion Islamic law = Sharia (gives Muslims further structure for their lives Islam Goal is to achieve moksha (union with Brahman, the all powerful force) cannot do this in one lifetime Belief in the Caste system (born into it and cannot change in this life) lowest are the untouchables who perform the most undesirable tasks (working w/leather Reincarnation – rebirth into a higher or lower caste based on karma/dharma Polytheistic, founded in India, sacred animal is the cow, sacred river is the Ganges Actions in your current life determines your next life (no one truly dies, they are reincarnated into a higher/lower caste based on karma) Caste system provides structure in Hindu communities by giving each follow a specific case with specific duties to follow (dharma) Also made social mobility impossible Hinduism

Turning Points

Historical circumstances (background) How it changed history Russia before 1917 was ruled by a czar with absolute power In 1917 most people in Russia peasants and extremely poor and illiterate (could not read) In 1917 the czar of Russia (Nicholas II) kept Russia fighting in WWI, the peasants of Russia did not want this Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks led a revolution supported by the peasants slogan was “Peace, Land and Bread” Wanted to overthrow the czar and base the Russian economy on the ideas of Karl Marx (socialism) Ended czarist rule in Russia created the 1st Communist state in the world based on Marx’s ideas classless society things are produced based on need instead of want led to the formation of the USSR became a totalitarian state under Joseph Stalin Russian Revolution of 1917 Before the Neo. Rev. people were nomadic (hunters & gathers) chasing their food and not staying in one place for too long 2 major changes occurred in the Neo. Rev. people learned… Farming & Domestication of animals These 2 things led to… an abundance of food job specialization which led to development of new technologies establishment of permanent settlements which led to the first major civilizations on Earth (Mesopotamia, Egypt, etc.) population increases Neolithic Revolution

Impact of Individuals

How idea influenced a nation/region Main idea found in writing Historical circumstances (background) Adolf Hitler rose to power after Germany was defeated in World War ONE The Treaty of Versailles greatly weakened Germany and allowed Hitler and the Nazi Party to become very popular w/the German people Germany had to accept full blame for WWI Had to pay huge reparations ($) for losing WWI Had to surrender their entire army Had to give up all of the territories (land) it won In Hitler’s Mein Kampf he blamed the Jews of Germany and Europe for all of Germany’s problems This idea is known at anti-Semitism (hatred of Jewish culture and way of life) Anti-Semitism led to the Holocaust where Hitler and the Nazi Party attempted to exterminate all Jews from Europe during World War TWO Created concentration camps where Jews were forced to work until they were killed in gas chambers Over 6 million Jews were killed during the Holocaust across Europe Adolf Hitler Locke wrote that all people are born with Natural Rights of life, liberty and property (land) Locke also wrote that the role of a government is to protect your Natural Rights and if your government doesn’t, people have a right to overthrow their government and start a new one Locke was a famous philosopher during the Enlightenment when people began to question the role of religion and monarchy (church & state) In Europe most people believed that divine right and absolute monarchy were the only form of government that was proper Locke and other Enlightenment thinkers began to question these ideas Locke’s ideas of Natural Rights influenced many political revolutions, such as in America and France In the French Revolution, the 3rd Estate overthrew their absolute monarch (Louis 16th) and established a new French Republic based on Locke’s ideas of Natural Rights DoRoMaC based on Locke’s ideas John Locke

Human Rights violations

Describe how H. R. were denied Historical circumstances that led to denial of H. R. Describe how H. R. were denied Action taken by individual or group to end the H. R. violation South Africa was imperialized by Britain for its $, markets and raw materials (Britain had better military tech.) The British set up the system of apartheid, which separated whites and blacks in South Africa 80% of S. Africa was black, only 20% was white Under apartheid blacks in S. Africa could not vote Blacks had to carry passbooks everywhere and could not even leave the country Blacks were forced to live in the worst areas of S. Africa (homelands) The best jobs, beaches & schools were reserved for whites only Nelson Mandela, leader of the A.N.C. worked to end apartheid (using protests, boycotts, marches) He was jailed for “trying to overthrow the gov.” and served 27 years in prison When he was released he became the first freely elected president in S. Africa and helped to finally end apartheid Blacks under apartheid in South Africa Chinese students began protesting in Tiananmen Square demanding political freedoms (freedom of speech, no more censorship, the right to vote) China sent in their army and ordered them to open fire on the protesters Up to 1000 people were killed by their own army! China became a Communist country under Mao Zedong Mao launched the Cultural Revolution to make sure all Chinese people followed communist ideas Anyone who opposed would be sent to labor camps or possibly killed China had no political freedom, only economic freedom An unknown man known as “tank man” stood in front a line of tanks to stop them from entering Tiananmen Square China today still has a communist gov. and the people have very little political freedom (gov. still censors the country today) Chinese students in Tiananmen Square