Chapter 6 – Judaism and ChristianitySection NotesOrigins of JudaismOrigins of ChristianityThe Byzantine Empire

VideoImpact of Location and Religion

on Istanbul

ImagesJudaismBasic Jewish BeliefsJesus of NazarethThe Last Supper

Quick FactsChapter 6 Visual Summary

MapsThe Jewish and Christian Worlds,

2000 BC-AD 1453Jewish Migration after AD 70Possible Routes of the ExodusPaul’s JourneysThe Spread of Christianity, 300-400The Byzantine Empire, 1025The Jewish and Christian Worlds

Close-upThe Glory of Constantinople

Origins of JudaismThe Big Idea

The Hebrews formed a great kingdom in Israel and started a religion called Judaism.

Main Ideas• The Hebrews’ early history began in Canaan and ended

when the Romans forced them out of Israel.• Jewish beliefs in God, justice, and law anchor their society.• Jewish sacred texts describe the laws and principles of

Judaism.• Traditions and holy days celebrate the history and religion

of the Jewish people.

Abraham’s Journey

Canaan The “Promised Land”

Main Idea 1:The Hebrews’ early history began in Canaan

and ended when the Romans forced them out of Israel.

• Accounts written by Hebrew scribes describe their early history and the laws of Judaism, the Hebrews’ religion.

• Hebrews under Abraham settled in Canaan about 2100 BC.• Some Hebrews later moved to Egypt, where they were enslaved.• About 1200 BC Moses led his people in a journey out of Egypt called the

Exodus.• Many years later Israel was divided into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah.• Both kingdoms fell to invaders by 586 BC, and the Jews were scattered

outside of Israel and Judah in the Diaspora.• Some Jews returned, but were eventually conquered by the Romans who

killed, enslaved, or drove away much of the Jewish population.

Route of the Exodus

Moses“Prince of Egypt” “Shepherd of His People”

Main Idea 2: Jewish beliefs in God, justice, and law

anchor their society.

• Kindness and fairness in dealing with all other people

One God

• The belief in one and only one God is called monotheism.

• The Jews believed they were God’s chosen people.

Justice

• Doing what is properRighteousness

• Most important are the Ten Commandments• Mosaic law, recorded by Moses, guides many

areas of Jews’ daily lives.Law

The Torah

The first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible. The most sacred text in the Jew is religious tradition.

Main Idea 3: Jewish sacred texts describe the laws and

principles of Judaism.Torah

• Most sacred text of Judaism

• Five books containing most of the ancient Jewish laws

• Also contains history of the Jewish people until the death of Moses

Hebrew Bible

• Also called the Tanach

• First part: Torah• Second part: Eight

books of messages of the Hebrew prophets

• Third part: Eleven books of poetry, songs, stories, lessons, and history, with Psalms and Proverbs

Commentaries• Explanations of

the Torah and laws by scholars and rabbis, or religious teachers

• Especially the Talmud, produced between AD 200 and 600

Main Idea 4: Traditions and holy days celebrate the

history and religion of the Jewish people.

• Jews feel that understanding their history will help them better follow the Jewish teachings.

• Traditions and holy days help Jews connect with their past and celebrate their history.

• The most important Jewish holy days are Hanukkah, Passover, and the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Jewish Holy Days

• Hanukkah (December)–Ancient Jews celebrating a victory witnessed lamp oil for one day miraculously burn for eight full days.–Today Jews light candles on eight-armed menorahs and exchange gifts to celebrate the event.

• Passover (March or April)–Celebrates the Exodus from Egypt

• High Holy Days (September or October)–Rosh Hashanah: start of a new year in the Jewish calendar–Yom Kippur: Jews ask God to forgive their sins.

Origins of ChristianityThe Big Idea

Christianity, a religion based on the life and teachings ofJesus of Nazareth, spread throughout the Roman Empire.

Main Ideas• The life and death of Jesus of Nazareth inspired a new

religion called Christianity.• Christians believe that Jesus’s acts and teachings focused

on love and salvation.• Jesus’s followers taught others about Jesus’s life and

teachings.• Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire by 400.

Main Idea 1:The life and death of Jesus of Nazareth

inspired a new religion called Christianity.

• Many people believe Jesus was the Messiah—a great leader the ancient Jews predicted would come to restore the greatness of Israel.

• Jesus’s life and teachings form the basis of a religion called Christianity.

• What we know of Jesus’s life is contained in the Bible, the holy book of Christianity.

The Life of Jesus

• Jesus was born in a small town called Bethlehem at the end of the first century BC.– Jesus’s mother, Mary, was married to Joseph, a carpenter.– Christians believe God was Jesus’s father.

• Jesus began to travel and teach when he was about 30, challenging the authority of political and religious leaders.

• In or around AD 30 they arrested and tried him. He was executed by crucifixion.

• Christians believe in Jesus’s Resurrection, his rise from the dead three days after he was crucified.

• After the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to some groups of his disciples, or followers, and taught them about how to pass on his teachings.

• Then Jesus rose up into heaven.

Main Idea 2: Christians believe that Jesus’s acts and teachings focused on love and salvation.

Acts• According to the

Bible, Jesus performed miracles.

• Miracles are events that cannot normally be performed by a human.

• The New Testament says that people became Jesus’s followers after seeing him perform miracles.

Parables • Parables are

stories that teach lessons.

• Jesus taught using parables.

• Through parables, Jesus linked his beliefs and teachings to people’s everyday lives.

Message• Love God• Love all people,

even your enemies

• Salvation, the rescue of people from sin

• How people can reach God’s kingdom

Main Idea 3: Jesus’s followers taught others about

Jesus’s life and teachings.

• Accounts of Jesus’s life and teachings written attributed to his disciples

• New Testament contains four by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

• Best source of information about Jesus’s life

The Apostles

• Twelve men whom Jesus chose to receive special teaching

• Sent by Jesus to spread his teachings• Continued teaching after the Resurrection• Led by Peter after Jesus died

The Gospels

Paul

• Paul is probably the most important person in the spread of Christianity.

• Paul never met Jesus.• At first he worked against the spread of Jesus’s message. • According to the Bible, Paul experienced an event which caused

his conversion to Christianity.• After his conversion he traveled spreading Christian teachings

and wrote letters to communities throughout the Roman world.• After he died he was named a saint, a person known and

admired for his or her holiness.

Main Idea 4:Christianity spread throughout

the Roman Empire by 400.Christians wrote down and distributed the Gospels and other teachings.Local Roman officials challenged the spread of Christianity.

Christianity was banned by emperors during the 200s and 300s.Local Christian leaders led each Christian community. Leaders, or bishops, of larger cities had more influence, especially the bishop of Rome, also known as the pope. As the pope’s influence grew, Christianity spread throughout Rome.Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and removed bans against its practice.Eventually, Christianity spread from Rome all around the world.

The Byzantine Empire

The Big IdeaThe Roman Empire split into two parts, and the eastern Roman Empire prospered

for hundreds of years after the western empire fell.

Main Ideas• Eastern emperors ruled from Constantinople and tried but

failed to reunite the whole Roman Empire.• The people of the eastern empire created a new society

that was very different from society in the west.• Byzantine Christianity was different from religion in the

west.

Main Idea 1:Eastern emperors ruled from Constantinople

and tried but failed to reunite the whole Roman Empire.

• Constantinople was built on the site of the ancient city of Byzantium and became the center of the Roman Empire.

• Justinian ruled from 527 to 565.• His army conquered Italy and more land around the

Mediterranean.• Justinian’s enemies tried to overthrow him in 532.

– Riots in the streets almost made Justinian leave Constantinople.– His wife, Theodora, helped him find a way to end the riots and stay in

the city.• Following invasions by barbarians, Persians, and Muslims, later

emperors lost all the land Justinian had gained.• Constantinople was captured by Ottoman Turks in 1453, ending

the eastern Roman Empire.

Empress Theodora

Emperor Justinian [r. 527-564]

Justinian’s Empire at its Peak

Main Idea 2: The people of the eastern empire

created a new society that was very different

from society in the west.• After the death of Justinian, non-Roman influences took

hold throughout the empire.• Gradually, the empire lost its ties to the old Roman

Empire, and a new society developed.– Byzantine Empire is what modern historians call the

society that developed in the eastern Roman Empire after the western empire fell.

Western Empire/Eastern Empire

The Byzantine Empire

• The eastern empire’s language was Greek.

Influences

• Location: The site of Constantinople was originally a Greek trade center.

• Trade: Merchants from all over Europe, Asia, and Africa traded in Constantinople.

Language

• Greek philosophy was studied by scholars.Philosophy

• Eastern emperors liked to show their great power.• The emperor was the head of the church as well as

the political ruler.Government

Main Idea 3: Byzantine Christianity was different

from religion in the west.

Similarities Between East and West• Most people who lived in the Byzantine Empire were

Christian.• Byzantine artists created beautiful works of religious art,

such as mosaics, pictures made with pieces of colored stone or glass.

• They also built magnificent churches, such as Hagia Sophia.

Church of Hagia Sophia [Holy Wisdom]

Differences Caused Division

West• Western services performed

in Latin.• Western priests not allowed

to marry.

East• Eastern services performed

in Greek.• Eastern priests allowed to

marry.

• The Christian Church officially split in the 1000s.• Eastern Christians formed the Orthodox Church.

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