1. 2.3 Global Religious Developments
The Emergence of Civilization | BCE

2. Similarities and Differences
Religions helped justify developing social/political structures
Not all civilizations developed religion and instead, philosophy
Similarities and Differences

3. East Asia Did not develop a religion but had animistic traditions
Oracle bones and ancestor worship
Believed in a harmonious balance in nature
For every yin there is a yang: a hot for a cold; a male for a female
One should seek their Dao to find balance
Developed philosophy
Disliked religious mystery and focused on social righteousness
Filial piety: honoring your elders
A good home makes a good neighborhood, which makes a good community, which makes a good country

4. South and Southeast Asia
Harappa and Mohenjo Daro probably worshiped “mother” and “father” deities
We don’t really know, because ancient Indians were displaced by c BCE
The Indo-Aryans and Indo-Europeans (a part of a larger tribal group of nomads)
The Indo-Aryans would divide society based upon skin color (Dasas “servants/enemies”)
Would form the basis of the caste system

5. The Near (Middle) East Animistic Paganism
Nature gods that reflected the environment around them
Mesopotamia (Tigris and Euphrates Rivers)
Yearly, erratic flooding
The Mesopotamians began to view their gods as fickle and erratic
The Epic of Gilgamesh (Sumerian king from Uruk)
Tells of a great flood by angry gods: one man saves them on an ark
Predates the Torah and Judaism
Powerful leaders and a powerful priest class emerged
Justified by the need to appease the gods
Ziggurats: huge temples to the gods

6. Africa Animistic Paganism The Nile River Valley
Nature gods with a rich mythological background
The Nile River Valley
Predictable yearly flooding
Gods were seen as calmer than Mesopotamian gods
Pharaoh as leader but also a god
Worked with gods, who were calm and consistent, adding to the popularity of the Pharaoh
Stability of the state and leadership meant a strong government formed
Pyramids built by government-contracted labor
Not from slave/Jewish labor (issues with the Torah)

7. Europe
There is little evidence of what religion was like in Europe’s Bronze Age
Judging from later Celtic, Germanic, and Nordic religions they were polytheistic
With some form of Paganism in relation to nature
The adoption of the Christmas Tree came from the Germanic Pagan worship of the tree
Evidence of major (possibly religious) structures in Europe: Stonehenge
Evidence of sacrificial mounds (animals as well as humans): Danish Bog Man
Aligned with times of the year (solstices and the changing of the seasons)

8. The Americas Little is known about early American religions
No written records (languages were spoken, not written)
From oral traditions, we know they were polytheistic
Pagan gods in relation to nature
Construction of massive, religious-based monuments
Easter Island heads from Chile

9. Recommended Resources
Independent research
Be sure to cite with Chicago Manual of Style with footnotes.1
Suggested reading
Human Legacy.2 Make sure the title of the text is in italics (see below).
These notes
When pulling information directly from me, cite me as a source, the slide title, and the title of the presentation in italics.3
1 Use this website to easily cite your source
2 Human Legacy, pages 1-10.
3 Mr. Geier, Political Systems, 2.1 East Asia.