Exhibit 1: Topographical Map of Ancient Jerusalem & Israel

Exhibit 2 – A: Ancient Israelites

The Jews of ancient history were known as Hebrews or Israelites (people of Israel). Much of the information we know about the Israelites comes from the Torah, the Jews most sacred religious text. The story begins with Abraham. According to the Torah, Abraham lived near UR in Mesopotamia. About 2000 B.C., he and his family migrated, herding their sheep and goats westward into a region called Canaan. Here, near the eastern Mediterranean coast, Abraham founded the Israelite nation.

Exhibit 2 –B: Western Wall in Jerusalem

The Western Wall in Jerusalem is the holiest of Jewish sites, sacred because it is a remnant of the Herodian retaining wall that once enclosed and supported the Second Temple. It has also been called the "Wailing Wall" by European observers because for centuries Jews have gathered here to lament the loss of their temple.

The Western Wall Plaza, the large open area that faces the Western Wall, functions as an open-air synagogue that can accommodate tens of thousands of worshipers. Prayers take place here day and night, and special services are held here as well.

Exhibit 3: God’s Covenant With the Israelites

Primary Source: “I will make nations of you, and kings shall come forth from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. And I will give you, and your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” – Book of Genesis

The beliefs of the Israelites differed in basic ways from those of nearby people. The Israelites were monotheistic, believing in one God. Their belief in this one God dominated their lives. At the time, most other people worshiped many gods. A few religious leaders spoke of a single powerful god, However, their ideas did not have the lasting impact that Israelite beliefs did.

Exhibit 4 – A: Teachings of Law and Morality

Moses, a prophet, or spiritual leader who interpreted God’s word, finally led his people out of Egypt after 400 years of enslavement. On the way back to Canaan, Moses went up to Mount Sinai where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and renewed the covenant. The Ten Commandments are the basic moral laws of Judaism. Moses was known as the “lawgiver.”

Exhibit 4 – B: Teachings of Law and Morality

THE 7 UNIVERSAL or NOAHIDE LAWSDo not murder. Do not eat a limb removed from a live animal.Do not curse God. Do not steal.Set up courts and bring offenders to justice. Do not worship false gods.Do not be sexually immoral.

A similar set of rules in the Torah, called the Seven Universal Laws applied to all people, not just Jews. Like the Ten Commandments, they include prohibitions against murder and robbery. One law differs, however. It commands people to establish courts to enforce the other laws. This idea of universally accepted moral and ethical principles backed by a system of justice is a source of the modern concept of basic human rights in international law.

Exhibit 5: The Scattering of the Jews

The Babylonian Captivity in 586 B.C. marked the start of the diaspora, or scattering of the Jews. When captivity ended, not all Jews returned to Judea. By the end of the first century BCE, Rome had taken over the eastern Mediterranean and the Jewish population was spread through many cities of the east. In the third and fourth centuries CE there were substantial Jewish settlements in most major eastern cities and many western provinces as well.

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Exhibit 7 – A: Jesus of Nazareth

During the Pax Romana, a new religion, Christianity, emerged in the heart of the Roman-occupied Judea. Its founder, Jesus, was a Jew whose preaching reflected Jewish beliefs. Jesus attracted followers who spread his teachings. At first, Christianity was just one of the many religions practiced within the Roman Empire. But by 395 A.D., it had become the official religion of the empire. Most Jews at the time (of Jesus), believed that in line with the covenant, God would someday return the full control of their homeland in Judea. Some of those Jews expected that God would send a descendant of David to overthrow the Romans. For them, the time was right for the messiah to appear.

Exhibit 7 – B: Jesus of Nazareth

In the Sermon on the Mount, recorded by Matthew, Jesus’ ethical message is summarized.

Primary Source:

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall

be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

- Gospel according to Matthew, an apostle, or one of twelve chosen

followers of Christ.

Exhibit 8 - A: Christianity Spreads

Exhibit 8 – B: Christianity Spreads

Exhibit 8 – C: Christianity Spreads

Exhibit 8 – D: Christianity Spreads

Exhibit 9 – A: The Christian Church

Exhibit 9 – B: The Christian Church

The Church was perhaps the single most powerful institution in medieval life, its influence reaching almost every aspect of people's lives. Its religious observances gave shape to the calendar; its rituals marked important moments in an individual's life (including baptism, confirmation, marriage, holy orders and the last rites); and its teachings underpinned mainstream beliefs about morality, the meaning of life and the afterlife. The headquarters of the western Church was Rome. For most of the medieval period, this was the chief residence of the Pope, who was regarded as the successor of St Peter. Christ had appointed Peter the chief apostle, and gave him the 'keys to the kingdom of heaven (Gospel of St Matthew 16:19) which, according to tradition, were inherited by his successors. This manuscript shows Pope Boniface VIII and his cardinals.

Exhibit 10: The Judeo-Christian Tradition

Christianity, widely practiced across the globe, is a major world religion. Judaism, though not so widely practiced, is still considered a major world religion for its unique contribution to religious thought. It strongly influenced Christianity and Islam, two other monotheistic faiths that arose in the Middle East. Today Jews, Christians, and Muslims all honor Abraham, Moses, and the prophets, and they all teach the ethical word-view developed by the Israelites.

In the West, this shared heritage of Jews and Christians is known as the Judeo-Christian tradition. It is a major cultural foundation of Western civilization. At the heart of this tradition are the moral and ethical principles put forth in the Bible. These principles are the basic assumptions behind many Western beliefs, including fair treatment, or justice. Traditional Judeo-Christian principles, then, played a central role in the development of the democratic tradition.

The World History

MuseumAT

Laguna Hills High School

Presents

The Judeo-Christian

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AcknowledgementsBrief history of Judaism - www. Snipview.com

Ancient Israel Map: www.israel-a-history-of.com

Abraham: www.clipartsheep.com

Jerusalem image: www.sacred-destinations.com / Wailing wall: www.wikipedia.com/

Jerusalem Western Wall description: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/jerusalem-western-wall

Primary Source 1: Ellis and Esler. World history of Modern Times. Boston: Pearson, 2007. Print.

Torah image: www.jewishroots.com

Moses teaching image: www.paramount.com

Ten Commandments: http:://historywithmrgreen.com/page2/assets/Prologue%202.pdf Ellis and Esler. World history of Modern Times. Boston: Pearson, 2007. Print.

Diaspora Map: www.pbs.org

Brief History of Christianity: Ellis and Esler. World history of Modern Times. Boston: Pearson, 2007. Print.

Travels of Jesus Map: www.thebiblejourney.org

Primary source 2: Sermon on the Mount: Ellis and Esler. World history of Modern Times. Boston: Pearson, 2007. Print.

Timeline of Church History: http://i1.wp.com/192.254.250.164/~nicholas/wp-content/uploads/2013/0

3/Timeline.jpg

Medieval image church - http://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/item100359.html

Judeo-Christian image: http://www.thevillagechurch.net/the-village-blog/god-of-two-testaments-part-2/ summary: Ellis and Esler. World history of Modern Times. Boston:

Pearson, 2007. Print.