The Influences On Western Civilization

In examining the impact that the ancient world has had on modern Western civilization, the two ancient civilizations which are frequently understood as having had the greatest influence are Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. These two civilizations would eventually come to shape much of what would become the modern European culture, politics and society, and by extension, a vast proportion of global culture and society. In examining the trajectory of modern history in an era of globalization of Western ideas and modes of living, the importance of these civilizations in world history is extensive, contributing to cultural, political and social trends which may well dominate the globe in the future.

Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all have similar origins, development, beliefs, and sacred texts. Contrary to popular belief all three of these religions share more common ground than one would think. The differences are present of course, but the similarities help one understand where all three were derived from and why. All of the religions share the common ground as to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, the belief of monotheism, and “ethical standards required social justice for individuals and for the community” (144). Judaism is the oldest religion out of the three, then falls Christianity, and lastly Islam.

There are many similarities and differences between Judaism, Christianity and Islam. There are also many differences that separate the three major religions of the world. This paper will delve into all three of them.

The past centuries saw a clear distinction between the Western civilization and the non-western culture. The western civilization composed of Greece, Romans, Byzantine Empire, and the European while the non-western civilizations included East Asia, Egypt, Persian Empire, Sassanid Empire, African Societies and Kingdoms, Incas, Mayans, Aztecs, and Mongols. For a long period, the western civilizations prevailed around the world. They influenced, lead and controlled others in various sectors such as medicine, clothing, business orientations, religion, and government. In this paper, I will be affirming my conviction that the western civilizations had unique attributes that made them more powerful than the non-western civilizations. I will also show how the western cultures were influenced by the spread of Christianity, and how the western cultures have maintained their great influence and power over the other societies even in the modern era.

On the surface, Islam and Christianity appear to have very little in common, however, as you get deeper into areas such as rituals, beliefs, ethics, founders, and sacred objects, the two show strong mutual similarities, particularly in the fundamental areas, while being totally different. In this essay I will compare and contrast many of the facets that make up the worlds largest and most recognized religions, Christianity and Islam.

The Middle East is home to the creation of so many different cultures and religions. It is the home to the most prominent monotheistic faiths of this lifetime. Those faiths are Christianity, essentially Catholicism, and Islam. They do not only share a similar origin, but share the same ancestors and stories of prophets and people. There is a connection between the profound values of truth, love, and mercy that Catholics and Muslims hold dear. Although there are a great many commonalities between Catholicism and Islam, it is important to note the key foundations that make both religions special.

Personally the biggest characteristic that separated western civilization from others is Christianity. They were influenced into this by the Hebrews and took it beyond being monotheistic which already was out of the norm. It affected their law, art, music, and most importantly their society, “Judeo-Christian”, which is simply the belief of two different religions together in this case it would be Judi and Christian. The source document for Judeo-Christian better known as the bible impacted their thinking drastically. Western people truly thought they had a bond with God. This affected their everyday attitude, they avided by the saying cope instead of hope and they all truly believed in it. Overall, the Hebrews impacted the western people in a major way. Another contribution the Hebrews brought that gave them a unique characteristic was the importance of individualism, meaning that they would live as a democracy and have big beliefs in freedom and individuality which is the way there civilization thinks. Talking about the differences between eastern and western civilization was fairly

Christianity and Islam are wide spread religions which impact the lives of believers spiritually. Both religions have had substantial impact on the course of history and have formed the basis of many countries laws and are highly recognized by governments. Though Christianity is more widely known, they both pose the same challenges to each other. Considering the similarities and differences of Christianity and Islam, it can be said they are both very different.

The Hebrews and Greeks, through their value systems, defined the founding principles of Western Civilization. The Hebrews attribute their value system to God, and the Greeks attribute their value system to their reason. The Christians and Romans carried and added to the values of the Hebrews and Greeks respectively, maintaining their traditions well into the modern world. While the Hebrews were more spiritual, the Greeks were far more rational. The Hebrews concerned themselves with the hereafter, the life after death. The Greeks, on the other hand, concerned themselves with the here and now, the life as it is being lived. Yet, despite their differences, the two groups managed to share a similar objective: the creation of a moral foundation for their civilization which recognizes and respects the special and distinct nature of human beings.

The question has been posed whether early Western Civilization was molded by conflict between civilizations or by consensus between divergent civilizations. Although it can be argued that both conflict and consensus have affected the development of Western Civilization, one of these has had more of an influence than the other. As early as Ca 3000, at the dawn of civilization, there has been conflict. When the city-states of Sumer were established, warfare and competition broke out due to disagreements on land and water rights. This tradition of conflict has continued throughout history all the way up to modern times. Based on the outcomes of the many conflicts throughout history, it appears that civilization has been molded more by these conflicts than consensus between divergent civilizations. Looking at political, cultural, and religious aspects of the history of Western Civilization, one can see the influence that conflict had on shaping said civilization.

Sugar had a major influence of the rise of the West; social, cultural, and political factors all contribute to the Rise of the West, and was essential to make this happen.

As of today, the world’s two largest religions Christianity and Islam share an estimated 3.6 billion members, more than half of the world’s population. On the surface, they appear to have almost nothing in common, however, as one goes beyond the surface and examines the other factors such as the rituals, beliefs, ethics, founders, and convictions, the two religions share many similarities. However, in order to truly see and understand these similarities and differences, one must date back to the rise and birth of Christianity and Islam.

This paper will look at some of the important aspects of various cultures in Western Civilization. Much of the political and cultural changes that were occurring during the rise of the nations and Empires that the Western Civilization is known for, was a result of shifting hierarchies and changes in status (Cole et. al, 2014). The key aspects of Western Civilizations before 1000 BCE are the Babylonian Hammurabi Code. These were a set of laws that that spoke of justice. The Codes were based on an eyes for an eye type of justice. Between 3,500 and 3,000 BCE the cities of Egypt and Mesopotamia it was around this time that writing was developed (Cole et, al 2014). The Hammurabi Codes and the advent of writing are both important culturally because they have contributed to the laws and writing that exist even today. Western Civilization is generally seen as the

Many religions have impacted the thoughts and beliefs of millions around the world. Two of these religions are Islam and Christianity, both of which are similar, yet, incredibly different. Christianity, which had come long before Islam, is known to be the root of Islam which makes sense since the two religions share much in common. They are both Abrahamic and monotheistic religions which means they share the belief in only one true existing God and are rooted to have many similarities. Their differences, however, are what make them two distinctive religions, which is why they are recognized and classified for being so. Similarities and differences arise in many topics and situations, but differences take over and divide them into

In this essay I will be discussing four of the major themes in this course in terms of progress, they will be religion, humanism, individualism and secularism. I will discuss these concepts within the countries of England, France, and Russia, and show my point of view on each.