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World History Project - Origins to the Present

Course: World History Project - Origins to the Present > Unit 3

Lesson 6: Development of Portable Belief Systems | 3.5
Arts and humanities
World History Project - Origins to the Present
Era 3 - Cities, Societies, and Empires (6,000 BCE to 700 CE)
Development of Portable Belief Systems | 3.5
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BEFORE YOU WATCH: Christianity from Judaism to Constantine

Google Classroom
Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below.
Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below (next in the lineup!). If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.

First read: preview and skimming for gist

Before you watch, you should skim the transcript first. The skim should be very quick and give you the gist (general idea) of what the video is about. You should be looking at the title, thumbnails, pictures, and first few seconds of the video for the gist.

Second read: key ideas and understanding content

Now that you’ve skimmed the video transcript and taken a quick peek at the video, you should preview the questions you will be answering. These questions will help you get a better understanding of the concepts and arguments that are presented in the video. Keep in mind that when you watch the video, it is a good idea to write down any vocab you read or hear that is unfamiliar to you.
By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:
  1. Why does John Green argue that any study of Christianity has to start with Judaism?
  2. What were some important ideas that came to Christianity through Judaism?
  3. What was happening in Jewish society at the time of Jesus’s life?
  4. What, according to John Green, was Jesus’s message and why was it threatening to the authorities?
  5. Why, according to John Green, did people believe Jesus was the Messiah?
  6. Why, according to John Green, did that belief become widespread?

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

Finally, here are some questions that will help you focus on why this video matters and how it connects to other content you’ve studied.
At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to this question:
  1. The Roman Empire was a state. Christianity is a religion. What does their connected history tell us about the possibilities of relationships between these two kinds of communities?
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to watch! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished watching.

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