Alexia Gallian
April 30th, 2013 – Period 4
AP Group Study Project: Polytheism
What is the dictionary definition for this idea/event?
-The belief in or worship of more than one god
Who (give me precise people) started this idea/event?
-Polytheism wasn’t precisely started, but it evolved over time, like most religions, beliefs or ideas do. Ancient civilizations that were some of the first polytheistic peoples included the Ancient Greeks & Romans, the Sumerians, and the Egyptians. There were also the Norse, the Yoruba, the Aztecs, and many others that came later.
What were the reasons that this happened (previous philosophies/events that led up to this)?
-The reason polytheism was created was because people came up with these ideas and gods to explain natural occurrences on Earth. For example, to explain the sun moving throughout the sky during the day, they would make up the sun god, who ruled the heavens and was king of the skies, and so on. To explain the ocean and its fierce tempests, they would make up the sea god, who ruled the ocean and when he was mad, would create giant storms. Many of these ancient peoples also made up smaller gods, like the goddess of revenge or the goddess of the harvest. There was no science back then, no way to explain all that went on in the world, and so people let their imagination run free to explain these things, and soon began to actually worship and really believe in the gods that they had made up. Polytheism also exists in modern day religions. Hinduism isn’t called “the world’s oldest living religion” for nothing. It dates back to the BCEs,
List and describe the major events and people in this idea/event?
-Although there are no specific dates concerning polytheism, somewhere around 1000 BCE – 0, people started following modern day religions, like Judaism and Christianity, and polytheism began dying out. Out of the few existing polytheistic religions left, Hinduism dates back to 5000 BCE.
What countries/civilizations were affected most by this idea/event?
-Countries and civilizations affected by polytheism are Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, India, Sumer (modern day Iraq), the Aztecs, and many other countries who believed in more than one god.
What effects of this idea/event do we encounter today?
-We still encounter the hundreds and thousands of books on Greek mythology, Hinduism in general, Aztec legends, and so on.