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How Do Religions Grow and Change?

Teacher Resources

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:

  1. Investigate how and why belief systems spread.
  2. Assess how belief systems changed as they moved into new regions.
  3. Use quick-sourcing skills to analyze how belief systems impacted communities and networks during this historical era.

Vocab Terms:

  • belief system
  • caste system
  • doctrine
  • persecute
  • syncretism
STEP 1

Opener: How Do Religions Grow and Change?

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 2 of the Lesson 4.3 Teaching Guide Locked .

Our Openers and Closers Guide will provide more information about these short, but important activities at the beginning and end of each lesson.

Religious artwork can tell us a lot about how religions changed as they moved to new places. Buddhist artwork is a great example of this. In this activity, you’ll analyze several images as you start thinking about how religions change as they spread.

STEP 2

Expansion and Adaptation

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 3 of the Lesson 4.3 Teaching Guide Locked .

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.

STEP 4

Mapping Belief Systems

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 4 of the Lesson 4.3 Teaching Guide Locked .

As you work through course activities, make sure they are accessible to all students by reading through our OER Project Differentiation Guide Locked .

Want to delve further into using maps in your classroom? Read "Here be dragons: Teaching world history in maps" External link to learn more.

STEP 5

Closer: How Do Religions Grow and Change?

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 5 of the Lesson 4.3 Teaching Guide Locked .

Merchants were one of the most important means by which religions spread to new places. Putting yourself in their shoes as they try to explain their religion will help you understand how religions changed.

Extension Materials
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Extend your learning about the spread of belief systems by examining how China transformed Buddhism.
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Buddhism in China

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 5 of the Lesson 4.3 Teaching Guide Locked .

Historically, belief systems have been shared along trade routes and at times, have been transformed once they’ve entered a new region. This was certainly the case with Buddhism.

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Reviewing for Organization and Language

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 6 of the Lesson 4.3 Teaching Guide Locked .

Being able to organize your writing in a logical way and use clear language is a crucial element for all kinds of writing. Look for these elements in a sample student essay.