Universalizing Religions: AP Human Geography

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Recommended: Influences of religion on culture and society

Ethnic Vs. Universalizing Religions: AP Human Geography Crash Course

Why Study Religion: I am a Geographer
Understanding religious differences is extremely important to the field of human geography. So how do you as a geographer study religion? Geographers research and document where religions are located and use the results to explain why certain religions are widely distributed and why other religions are extremely concentrated. Geographers distinguish two types of religions: universalizing and ethnic religions. After you have read this AP Human Geography study guide, you will be able to understand the difference between universalizing and ethnic religions. We will also explore why it is important to understand and examine the implications …show more content…

Islam in Arabic means submission to the will of God. Adherents of the religion of Islam are known as Muslims, which means one who surrenders to God. Islam begins with Abraham like Christianity and Judaism, but trace their story through second wife and son, Hagar and Ishmael, not Sarah and Isaac like the Christians and Jews. Their leader and prophet is Muhammad. The two branches of Islam are Sunni and Shiite. The division between the Sunni and Shia originated in a disagreement over leadership after Muhammad’s death in 632 AD. Islam is the predominant religion in the middle east from North Africa to Central Asia. More than half of the world’s Muslims live in four countries outside the Middle East: Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India.
Buddhism (sub-header)
Buddhism is It is the fourth largest religion with about 350 million adherents. Buddhism was founded in Northern India by the first known Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. The core Buddhist belief is reincarnation. In this concept, people are reborn after dying. If a person releases their attachment to desire and the self, they can attain Nirvana. This is a state of liberation and freedom from suffering. Buddhism is now a majority faith in Southeast Asia, China, and …show more content…

The AP Human Geography exam focuses on how religion impacts elements of the cultural landscape so focus your studies on how aspects of a religion impact the way people interact with each other rather than specific beliefs of a religion. We have briefly discussed general beliefs of Universalizing and Ethnic religions in order for you see how each of those religions withing the areas have evolved and impacted each other.

In the multiple-choice section of the AP Human Geography exam, universalizing and ethnic religions have been on past exams. In 2006, there were three questions relating to the diffusion of Ethnic and Universalizing religions. However, that doesn’t mean they will be in future multiple choice sections but after reading this AP Human Geography Crash Course, you will be more prepared to tackle the

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