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=Learning More about Ancient Belief Systems=

//Learning Target: I can analyze the development of ancient belief systems as an attempt to bring order to society.//
Once humans settled into permanent, agricultural communities, societies tended to grow more complex. Trade, state formation, social structure, and belief systems became more sophisticated. By the sixth century BCE certain areas — including China, the Mediterranean, India, and Persia — developed exceptionally vibrant societies that proved to be extremely influential in spreading both their authority and their traditions to distant areas. While these "classical societies" were each quite different in terms of organization, values, and beliefs, they all developed highly structured bureaucracies, strong militaries, long-distance trading networks, and sophisticated religious and cultural traditions from Confucianism in China, Zoroastrianism in Persia, and Hinduism in India. At the same time, it is important to remember that the belief systems that emerged out of the classical societies were not the first human attempts to understand the supernatural world. Indeed, both animism and shamanism existed long before historical records were kept.
 * Background Information**

Successfully meeting this learning target involves three steps, which you will be working on at various points over the next several days both in and outside of class. 1. Watch the video here [] and answer the following questions on your own paper:
 * Your Task**
 * Question 1: How did people across the globe begin to understand themselves in relation to the natural world and to the unseen realms beyond?
 * Question 2: What accounts for the emergence of early philosophical and ethical traditions?
 * Question 3: How did Hinduism, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism influence the religious philosophies of Buddhism (ca 500 BCE), Christianity (ca 100 CE), and Islam (ca 600 CE)?

2. Read the summary of beliefs that's here: and create a "cheat sheet" type chart that summarizes the information. You will need this chart for our Socratic Seminar next Thursday.

3. With the other people working on this wiki, read the selections from Confucius found here: [] Discuss the questions that are embedded in that resource. We will meet to discuss this document next Friday, then you will be working on a DBQ with the rest of the class. You will be expected to incoporate information from this source into the DBQ.