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PROLOGUE Section 2 (pages 12–17)
Judeo-Christian
Tradition
BEFORE YOU READ
In the last section, you read about the development of
democracy in Greece and Rome.
In this section, you will learn about the teachings of
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
AS YOU READ
Use this chart to take notes on the ways that Judaism,
Christianity, Islam, the Renaissance, and the Reformation
contributed to the idea of individualism.
Date ______________________
TERMS AND NAMES
Judaism Religion of the Hebrews
Ten Commandments Written code of
laws
Christianity Religion founded by
Jesus
Islam Religion founded by the
prophet Muhammad
Roman Catholic Church Church that
developed from Christianity
Renaissance Cultural movement that
started in Italy in the 1300s and
spread throughout Europe
Reformation Religious reform
movement that began in the 16th
century
RELIGION/MOVEMENT
CONTRIBUTION
Judaism
each person responsible for the choices he or she makes
Christianity
Islam
© McDougal Littell Inc. All rights reserved.
Renaissance
Reformation
Judaism (pages 12–13)
What was Judaism?
The Hebrews were the ancient people who developed Judaism. People are the children of God
according to the Hebrew Bible. (The Hebrew
Bible is the Old Testament in Christianity.)
Unlike other groups of people around them,
Hebrews believed in one god. Hebrews also
believed that God gave people the freedom to
choose between good and evil. Therefore, each
person was responsible for the choices he or she
made. These beliefs led to a new emphasis on the
worth of the individual.
The Hebrews came to be known as the Jews.
They developed a written code of law. It was called
the Ten Commandments. The Bible says that
God gave these laws to Moses in about 1200 B.C.
These laws focused more on morality and ethics
than they did on politics.
The Hebrews believed in acting responsibly
toward others. They thought that the community
should help the less fortunate. The prophets of
Judaism hoped for a world without poverty or
PROLOGUE THE LEGACY OF ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME 7
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injustice. Prophets were leaders and teachers
believed by the Jews to be messengers from God.
2. How did Judaism and Christianity spread throughout the world?
1. What were two beliefs of Judaism?
Renaissance and Reformation
How did Christianity and Islam
start?
Jesus was born during 6 to 4 B.C. At this time, the
Romans ruled Judea, the homeland of the Jews.
Jesus began to preach at the age of 30. His preaching contained many ideas from Jewish tradition,
including the Ten Commandments. He also
stressed the importance of people’s love for God,
their neighbors, their enemies, and themselves.
When Jesus and his teachings seemed to threaten
the power both of the Jewish priests and the
Romans, they put him to death.
In the first century after Jesus’s death, his followers started a new religion based on his messages. It was called Christianity. The apostle Paul
was important in spreading this religion. He
preached that all human beings were equal.
The Romans opposed both Judaism and
Christianity. But these religions spread throughout
the Roman Empire. When the Jews rebelled
against the Romans, they were forced from their
homeland. The Jews then fled to many parts of the
world. They carried their beliefs with them. As
Christianity expanded, it became a powerful religion within the empire. By 380, it had become the
empire’s official religion.
Islam was another religion that believed in one
god. It started in southwest Asia in the early 600s.
This religion, too, taught that all people were
equal. It also believed in the worth of the individual and the responsibility of the community to help
its unfortunate members.
Several beliefs of these three religions helped
to shape democratic ideas. These beliefs included:
• the duty of individuals and the community to
help oppressed people
• the worth of the individual
• the equality of people before God
(pages 16–17)
How did the Renaissance and
Reformation help democracy?
The Roman Catholic Church was the church
that developed from early Christianity. By the
Middle Ages, it was the most powerful institution
in Europe. It influenced all parts of life.
In the 1300s, a cultural movement called the
Renaissance spread through Europe. This movement led to an interest in the works of the Greeks
and the Romans. Renaissance thinkers were concerned about earthly life. They did not think about
it as a preparation for life after death. The
Renaissance also focused on the importance of the
individual. Artists focused on capturing individual
character. Explorers went out to find new lands.
Merchants took many risks to gain huge wealth.
The Renaissance also led people to question the
Church. This questioning caused the Reformation.
The Reformation was a protest movement against
the power of the Church. It started out as a call for
reform. It ended up producing a new division of
Christianity—Protestantism.
The Reformation began in Germany. Martin
Luther criticized the Church for selling pardons
for sins. He also disagreed with the Church in its
teaching that people were saved by grace and good
works. Luther said people could be saved only
through faith in God. Soon, many new Protestant
faiths sprang up.
Protestant ideas strengthened the belief in the
importance of the individual. In Protestant faiths,
the clergy did not have special powers. People
could find their own way to God. They could read
and interpret the Bible for themselves.
The Reformation broke apart the religious
unity of Europe. It challenged the authority of
Catholic monarchs and popes. It contributed to the
growth of democracy.
3. How did the Reformation contribute to the growth of
democracy?
8 PROLOGUE SECTION 2
© McDougal Littell Inc. All rights reserved.
Christianity; Islam (pages 14–15)