Development of Portable Belief Systems
Driving Question: How did belief systems transform as they spread along networks?
Trade networks continued to expand as portable belief systems developed and spread. Beliefs and ideas spread along long-distance trade routes, thanks to merchants, armies, and religious missionaries. As beliefs spread, some religions blended with local cultures and took on new traditions.
Learning Objectives
- Understand and evaluate belief systems and how some of these systems transformed into world religions.
- Investigate how and why belief systems spread.
- Assess how belief systems changed as they moved into new regions.
Ancient empires built monumental symbols of the religions they embraced. In this quick activity, you’ll match the symbols to the societies that built them as you consider the connections that link religion and empire.
Preview questions: Give students all the video comprehension questions in advance or highlight anything you want them to focus on in advance to help orient their attention. (Note that students will be prompted to preview the questions and transcript for all videos on the OER Project site.) If you’re looking for closed captioning or subtitles in other languages, you can watch all our videos on the OER Project YouTube channel.
Throughout this unit, you’ll see how belief systems emerged and how rulers used these beliefs to maintain power over their subjects. This video and activity will help you find the connections linking the two.
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Guiding Questions
By comparing the history and teachings of several belief systems, we can learn a lot about how people thought—and think. Use these articles to begin your exploration of world religions.
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Guiding Questions
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Guiding Questions
As portable belief systems spread to new places, they changed the societies there. However, converts to the new religions also adapted the beliefs to suit their local conditions. See if you can spot the difference and then read more about syncretism.
Images of the Buddha
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Guiding Questions
Help students dig deeper into beliefs on the move by showing them the Spread of Buddhism and Christianity map or the Spread of Islam map.
You can find the full index of maps here.
Merchants helped spread religions to new places. Put yourself in the shoes of a merchant trying to explain your religion as you travel to new locations.
Explore the connection between Confucianism and the state in China.
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Guiding Questions
