Religion

After the major empires fell, people needed to turn to something. They needed hope, structure, and this is where religion comes in. With religion, people have a specific thing to believe in and certain structure and rules they have to follow. Without structure, civilizations would completely collapse. People may dislike rules but without them, the world would be a chaotic place.
-Oprah

Universal Religion

Rome had fallen and the Han had collapsed. Without these major empires to provide structure for them, people turned to the next best thing, religion. From Rome to the Pacific, religion flourished in the absence of a major empire and evolved to become more universal.
-Ramses

Religions 300-600 AD

The great religions of the 300-600 AD time period were able to form and establish themseleves due to the time period's relative peacefulness. There were not any major wars or conflicts that would distract regions or empires from socially developing. Thus, religions were able to establish themselves between the people, creating an overall united network of various relgions world wide. Aside from the ability for these religions to develop, it is important to note that religion is a practice that contains order and structure. Due to the lack of events during this 300 year period, it is probable that people wanted more structured lives in which they turned to religion. An interest in religion from a large group of people caused the development of the separate religions. These religions all have their routes from their development in the years of 300-600 AD.

-Confucius

Universla Religion Through Empires

Empires made it so that Religions could become universal. When an Emperor or Empress takes power he/she normally establishes a religion. This can be seen with Constantine I who was the first Emperor to adopt Christianity as Rome's religion. This adoption was a huge stimulus for the spread of Christianity and is one of the reasons that it is so common today. Empires establish, spread, and sometimes force their religion upon others, which many times makes the religion universal depending upon the empire. Some good examples are the Ottomans, the Chinese, the Mauryans, and the British. They all influenced others to undertake their religion. People in the empires usually gained benefits by joining these religions such was found with the Ottomans who taxed all but the Muslims. Most major religions today were found in one empire or another. They were spread because wherever the empire conquered the religion conquered. Another reason that follows with political structure is to escape chaos. These religions just like their empire offered a haven in which they were accepted and they were safe. When things go wrong they could look to their religion for help to protect them or make their life better. The happiness of the people was essential for the empires so empires wanted to have religion so that they could remain a world power.
-Ho Chi Minh

Universal Religions

Universal religions were only able to gain momentum because the Roman and Han Empires fell which meant there were no longer domineering influences on each side of the Silk Road. Without the political empires, came empires of the mind or in other words, these religions as people needed some kind of greater authority. For example Buddhism was able to spread because Monks travelled about, teaching Buddhist doctrine. Monks were only able to travel because of the infrastructure created with new technologies. Also, with a new book design, messages were passed more readily. Religion moved faster than any army and brought something new: cultural flexibility. By adapting to many different cultures, religion was accepted by more people that were diverse from one another. This led to large numbers of followers who would eventually unite together under their religion, not their tribe or background. These people came together under leaders who used religion a great deal to assert their authority.
-Eleanor Roosevelt

Religion

It is important to not read too deeply into this question of universalization. Many conclusions that are reached are sure to be wrong as they will be either too vague, or simply contradicted by history. It is probably most correct to simply say that this period provides an example of cultural diffusion by missionaries. It is during this time that Rome became a Christian state. If anything this simple shows the effect that missionaries had by spreading Christianity to Rome. One would be foolish in thinking that one religion is able to surpass another simply on its own merits and beliefs. All major religious change does not come from a seeking of faith but from being an acceptable person. It is perhaps more interesting to treat the spreading of certain religions like a social trend. People are simply attracted to whatever institution is currently the best to attend. There is no precedent for believing that people are deep thinkers, who will consciously choose what god they want to worship. Just look at the stupid stuff people do today. The only people who seriously consider such trivial matters as religion are people who have nothing better to do, or who are employed in it. Religion is basically popular culture. Christianity was popular in Europe and Hinduism was popular in India. People don't really care too deeply about religion as long as they don't already have a vested interest in it. This is why some people rejected the caste system, and changed religions, or why in present times people are okay with being agnostic. Missionaries create the pressure that causes social norms to change. If people don't really care about their current religion, they will change when someone tells them to. In summation, missionaries help spread religion, and people don't always care or contemplate what they believe in.

~Timothy Leary

Time of religion caused by...

The need for structure and something to follow. During the time of peace, people got bored in a sense, and decided it was important to grow spiritually through themselves and their religion. There was nothing to follow, because the governments were laying low, so people of that time united under certain belief systems, and it was their form of 'something to do.' Religion set a basis / foundation for these people and gave them something to follow.

~ Benjamin Franklin.

Universalizing Religion

The fall of Rome usually marks the beginning of the "Dark Ages" in European history. Its impact left a vacuum throughout Eastern Europe and Eurasia. In this vacuum many different religions began to spread and expand exponentially, taking advantage of the cultural haven that was Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire. Located on the Bosporus, it was the middle ground in trade that would hold together the vastly different cultures and ways of life after Rome had collapsed. Islam had sprung up from the Arabian peninsula and had a large void in which to expand, until eventually they collided with Byzantium and took Constantinople in 1453. The collapse of the Han dynasty left China in pieces, and the religions of the East spread and branched out; the situation was similar to the fall of Rome in Europe. Religions took advantage of the vacuums created by the fall of two major empires and spread throughout the eastern hemisphere; unchecked and with no barriers in their way, they proliferated and became universal.

~Charles Bronson

Why the rise of universalizing religion?

I think that the best theory for this is that they needed structure. Things were very disconnected and there was not a lot going on at the time. Religion gave them structure and something to follow. Without religion they would have no structure and nothing for them to do so they would still be doing nothing.
-Christina Aguilera

Shi Huangdi Text

Shi Huangdi was strict but necessary. Established strong empire with $, trade, education, rules, army, etc. Clearly he was effective b/c his practices followed by Han Dynasty.
-Eleanor Roosevelt

TXT Message

SH was very intense, but got things done in China. Maybe we judge him differently now than how he really was. Book burning and his harsh punishments and death from guilt by association were very extreme though...

-Anastasia Romanov

Txt message

Shi cause stable govt he also unifid most of China. also had harsh rules for ppl who didnt follow his laws
-Ho chi Minh

SH Text Message

Although SH was a harsh ruler (burning books etc.), he was able to unify China under his strict laws which led to stability.
-Hatshepsut

Shi Huangdi (SH) txt

SH briliant rler. Kept ppl in line. All ppl scared. Destroyed opposition. SH was needed in China to stabilize evryting.

Jesse James

Shi Huangdi (SH) txt message

SH was a great ruler. Organizd China into 36 prov. Each had a civilian+military commander. Made all people join the army=strong army. Also established rd netwrk.

-John Wilkes Booth

Shi Huangdi (SHD) Text Message

SHD is >cuz he blt rds,made strng cntrl govt&estblshd stndrd wts&msrs;lwz wer not hrsh lik Han sed;dey needz prpgnda 2 get pwr.
-Socrtez

Shi Huangdi

Your assignment here is to create a text message that sums up what we learned today about the Qin Emperor. Be sure to include in your message whether you think the Qin Emperor was a monster who wreaked havoc in China or if you think he restored order and was maligned by his Han successors.

Remember, text messages are no more than 140 characters. Good luck!

Remember to include your apworld name!!

Mario Bros. ??

The Tao of Wu

The Fruit Hunters

"The Fruit Hunters," written by Adam Leigh Gollnar is a first-person account of his travels around the world in search of different exotic fruits. He meets up with different fruitarians and travels deep into jungles and different islands to discover new fruits. He pulls up interesting facts throughout the book of how fruits were incorporated into world history. For example he says that "the discovery of the New World itself was precipitated by a desire to find a faster route to the Orient for a dried being (fruit) that was worth its weight in gold." Gollner pulls up interesting statistics, saying that humans have not yet discovered even one quarter of the world's fruits. Throughout his journey, he kept a detailed account of who he talked to, and where he went... Which turned out being what this book is.

The book is split up into four different parts, each dealing with it's own things: Nature, Adventure, Commerce, and Obsession. The book was mostly a hard read because it is not meant to be entertaining, but rather informing. However, I found many parts of fruits that he incorporated into world history to be extremely amusing. I even did some of my own research. The Commerce section of the book was boring and had nothing to do with history, but more of the business of selling them.

If you were to open the book right now, you would be taken aback because the first few pages are about fruit-obsessed people who have intercourse with their fruits, but that part goes away quickly...

All in all, I recommend this book to people who are interested in finding out interesting facts about the worlds hidden fruits and facts about them that are not common knowledge. Overall, I enjoyed my time with it and feel as if I came out knowing a lot more.

~Benjamin Franklin