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%August 20
%Textbook pages 55-59, 147-148
Israel, the motherland of all three Abrahmic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) was a part of the Assyrian Empire, engaged in Middle Eastern diplomacy and trade---with complex sociopolitical systems to back up their society. Its role as a connector between Anatolia, Egypt, Arabia, and Mesopotamia compensates for its lack of natural resources.
The Hebrew Bible or Old Testament is a major document through which historians view Israelite history. Of course, they also corroborate it with archaeaological evidence and other records of the time period. Historically, Israel is formed from a grouping of nomads which eventually settled down. The Hebrew Bible follows one group---Abraham and his descendants.
Abraham was born in Mesopotamia in the city of Ur. However, he migrated to the land of Israel, crossing the Syrian Desert, with his familly and livestock. He had rejected the idol worship in Ur, in favor of Yahweh (the Israelite god). This actually happened over a longer period of time, and Abraham likely wasn't a real person. The bible does follow parallel to much of Israelite history, however. Agricultural-Pastoral strife is represented by Caan (a farmer) killing his brother Abel (a pastor). Egyptian slavery of Israelites may not have happened, but if it did, the Hebrew Bible describes such enslavement.
The ``historical'' events described by the Hebrew Bible affect Judaism, Christianity, and Islam even today. This includes the folktale story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt and their ``covenant'' (agreement or pact) with Yahweh: ``they would be his `Chosen People' if they promised to worship him exclusively.'' This was included in the Ten Commandments.
\term{Judaism}{a religion originating in fifth century B.C.E.~from Israel, created around Yahweh for the ``covenant'' he offered: for exclusive worship, the Israelites would be Yahweh's chosen people (meaning holy support for their endeavours) which later became monotheism, the belief in a single divine entity}
The formation of Israel as a singular body is also described by the Hebrew Bible. Israelite immigrants likely took advantage of destruction of Canaanite cities to form twelve tribes as the ``Children of Israel.'' This was the official structure of Israel---tribal ruling with an overarching judicial system.
However, that changed around 1000 B.C.E. As the Philistines migrated to Israel, they fought with the Israelis. This gave the Israelis reason to start a centralized government. Saul and David were the first two kings as accounted by the bible. David constructed a strong monarchy over Israel with a central capital in Jerusalem, taxation, a standing army, and military expansion. His son, Solomon, continued the tradition by the creation of sizeable government from several commercial and militaristic ventures. He also continued centralization and syndication of the state religion. He created a temple for worship in Jerusalem.
After that peak of the Israelite monarchy, the aristocracy fell. The increasing gap between rich and poor caused an uprising and protests from prophets who admonished the monarchs. The role of women in society, however, did not cause an uprising. They were somewhat respected and some had power, but (especially with increasing urbanization) women became less respected---not being able to divorce or inherit property and being killed for extramarital affairs.
This downfall of the state created two kingdoms: Judah (capital Jerusalem) and Israel (capital Samaria). Between the two kingdoms, other small states in the region, and the Assyrian empire, alliances and enemies often changed, and migrants moved around both coercedly and uncoercedly. Among the coerced movements were Syrian, Babylonian, and Iranian settlers moving into Israel and Judah's people being deported after the Babylonians conquered the area. However, they prospered outside of their homeland (in Babylon). This became known as the diaspora.
\term{Diaspora}{Greek word for ``dispersal,'' used to describe the communities of a given ethnic group living outside of their homeland.}
The diaspora, instead of weakening Jewish culture, sharpened it. They formed the synagogue as a gathering place in their new home. Judaism's stricture isolated Jews from their new communities---keeping the culture cohesive and allowing exile to be a force for Jewish betterment.
Christianity, Judaism's successor, was developed hundreds of years later by Jesus---a Jew himself. In response to Roman oppression of the Jewish people and the prophecy of a Messiah (a military leader who would drive the Romans out from Israel), Jesus the carpenter became a rabbi-like figure. Incredibly charismatic, he may not have taught the peace and love message covered in the bible, but he did create Christianity---originally a branch of Judaism. Paul helped Jesus's mission. From Tarsus, Greece, Paul converted and began to spread Christianity as a separate religion throughout the Greek and Roman empires. He converted many non-Jews, setting up Christian communities across the Mediterranean.
\term{Paul's impact}{he popularized Jesus's message throughout the Greek and Roman empires, a cosmopolitan with Roman citizenship; Paul also set up Christian communities which self-propagated by conversion}
Christianity became even more separated from Judaism after the Romans attacked Judea, bringing the Christian community trying to convert Jews down with it. Religious persecution by the Romans became incorporated in the religion.
\term{Christianity}{a religion centered around the teachings of Jesus Christ, offshot from Judaism as a response to Roman religious persecution of Jews within the fragmented Israel region and the related belief in a Messiah who would drive out the Romans; the teachings are obscured by history's veil, but Jesus likely did play the role of a rabbi, possibly advocating ``a return to the personal faith and spirituality of an earlier age'' or possibly apocalyptic preaching on the end of the world or even of a political revolution against Roman occupiers}
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