Monotheism Religions

Annotations:

• Religions that came out believing only one god.

1. Judaism

   Annotations:

   • The first monotheism religion.
   1. Hebrews were the founders
      1. The Torah

         Annotations:

         • Contains written records and teachings. 
         1. Been written down with the history of the Jewish

            Annotations:

            • The Torah was been handed down orally generation to generation. Later, these stories were written down. 
         2. Placed in the Hebrew Bible

            Annotations:

            • The Torah is one of the sections in the Hebrew Bible. 
      2. Abraham
         1. "Father of the Hebrews"
         2. believed only one god.

            Annotations:

            • At that time, people worshiped many gods at once, however, Abram was the only one who came out the idea of believing in only one god, also known as "monotheism". 
         3. God made convenants with him

            Annotations:

            • First Convenant: God visted Abram when he was an old man. God told him to leave his own country and his father's house and move to the land of Canaan. Abram obeyed. 
            • Second Convenant: When Abram was 99 years old, God asked him if he and his people can promise to devote themselves to God. If so, God will protect Abram's decendants. Abram agreed and received a new name from God, called Abraham. 
         4. Orginal name was "Abram", but God gave him a new name, "Abraham"

            Annotations:

            • Due to the second convenant between God and Abram: When Abram was 99 years old, God asked him if he and his people can promise to devote themselves to God. If so, God will protect Abram's decendants. Abram agreed and received a new name from God, called Abraham as a mark of this convenant. 
      3. Moses
         1. Leader of the Israelites

            Annotations:

            • According to the Exodus from Egypt, Moses brought the Isrealites out of slavery successfully by using his power to apart the sea to escape to other side while the Eygptians were getting drowned.  
         2. The Exodus from Egypt

            Annotations:

            • As the Israelites increased in number and became very powerful. The Pharaoh forced them into slavery. God then told Moses, to save the Isrealites out of Egypt. Moses then asked the Pharaoh to let go of the Isrealites, the Pharaoh refused and got punished by God with ten terrible plagues. Moses successfully brought the Isrealites out of Egypt. However, the Pharaoh soon changed his mind and told Egyptian army to chases after the Isrealites until they got to the edge of the Sea of Reeds. Moses raised his staff and the waters of the sea parted. The Israelites crossed the sea safely, escaping to the other side. When the Egyptians followed, the waters flooded over the army, drowning the soldiers and keeping the Jews safe.
         3. The Ten Commandments

            Annotations:

            • After the Israelites left Egypt, they traveled through a wilderness for 40 years. During this time, God gave Moses the laws and teachings which were now called the Ten Commandments. Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. One commandment was, “You shall have no other gods before me.”, reminded the Israelites of their promise to worship only God. Another was, “You shall honor your father and mother.”. Other commandments forbade stealing, lying, and murdering.
      4. King David and Soloman
         1. David's expanding

            Annotations:

            • At that time, the Israelites were at war with a rival people called the Philistines. The Philistines promised to be the Israelites' slaves if an Israelite could beat their fiercest warrior, the giant Goliath. David was not yet a grown man, his only weapon was a sling. Bravely, he stepped forward. He felled Goliath with a single stone. David's courage and faith were rewarded when he became king of the Israelites after the first king, Saul, fell in battle. 
         2. Soloman's buildings

            Annotations:

            • After David's death, his son, Solomon, became king in about 965 B.C.E. Solomon built a temple in Jerusalemas the center of Jewish worship.  He also strengthened the kingdom of Israel by making treaties with neighboring kingdoms, increased foreign trade, and developed industries such as copper mining. 
         3. David became King

            Annotations:

            • At that time, the Israelites were at war with a rival people called the Philistines. The Philistines promised to be the Israelites' slaves if an Israelite could beat their fiercest warrior, the giant Goliath. David was not yet a grown man, his only weapon was a sling. Bravely, he stepped forward. He felled Goliath with a single stone. David's courage and faith were rewarded when he became king of the Israelites after the first king, Saul, fell in battle.
2. Christianity
   1. Jesus (The Messiah)
      1. Birth

         Annotations:

         • Jesus's mother, Mary, lived in Nazareth, an angel appeared to Mary and told her she would have a child and that she should name him Jesus. Around this time, the Roman emperor, Augustus ordered all the people in the Empire to return to the town of his birth. Mary and her husband, a carpenter named Joseph, moved from Nazareth to Bethlehem and gave birth to Jesus in around 6 B.C.E..
      2. Life

         Annotations:

         • Jesus's family returned to Nazareth after his birth. He grew up and learned carpentry. At age 12, he showed his wisdom and knowledge of Jewish law. When he was about 30, he was identified as the Messiah by John the Baptist, which was the savior the Jews had been waiting for. Later, he began to preach in Galilee. He called his followers “disciples”, who were usually laborers and fishermen. Throughout his life, Jesus spent time with the poor and the sick.
      3. Death

         Annotations:

         • While the members of Christianity increased, the Romans  worried that Jesus might lead a revolt, so they applied a common form of execution, crucified. Unfortunately, one of Jesus's disciples, Judas, had decided to betray him. After “the Last Supper” with his disciples, Jesus went to pray in a garden. Judas reported where Jesus might be at. The Romans then took Jesus to a hill outside the city walls and nailed him to a cross and left him to die between two other men who were also crucified.
   2. Paul
      1. Early life

         Annotations:

         • Paul was originally opposed to Christianity. One day while he was traveling, he saw a blinding light and heard the voice of Jesus and eventually adopted the Christian faith and became a missionary.
      2. Spreading

         Annotations:

         • He spent years visiting cities the world and making new converts and starting new churches. He taught all people that Jesus was a Messiah for everyone, not just Jews. He was beheaded by the Romans around 65 C.E., a time when Romans were beginning to persecute Christian believers. At that time, Cristianity believers was declared illegal. For the disloyal citizens, some were crucified, burned to death, or brought into arenas, been eaten by wild animals in front of cheering crowds. However, the Christians still won new followers by facing death bravely. Gradually, many Romans began to adopt the new faith. 
   3. Official religion

      Annotations:

      • By 300 C.E., millions of Christians resided in the Roman lands of Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. The emperor, Constantine, in 312 C.E., reported having a vision of a cross hanging in the sky also words of “In this sign, you will conquer.”. That night, he dreamed about Jesus. He interpreted the vision and the dream as a sign that he would win the battle if he accepted Christian beliefs. At last, Constantine's soldiers won a great victory. By 380 C.E., Christianity was the official religion of the Roman Empire.