Ebonee Davis

Errin T. Stegich
HIST 134: Ancient World
12/14/14
Portfolio Reflection
Religion plays a major role in todays society that grows and grows every day. Every
single person, believes in something different and it is something special and magical. Their
morals and traditions are passed down from ancestors to ancestors and from family to family.
Everyone grows up learning from what their elders have taught them, from what their families
believe and value. History teaches us that, every culture has its own beliefs and morals. History
teaches us that different civilizations were created based on their religion.
History gives us meaning. It allows us to think critically about narratives that have
developed over time and, in doing so, provides us with a format to develop the
meaningful interpretations necessary to examine the events that shape modern society
(Postma ).
Religion, morals and tradition allows someone to make decisions that affects their everyday life
and society. Every choice made each day no matter how big or small is determined by what you
believe. History shows us where it all began, it shows us what people believe originated from
and how it affects todays society.
While studying Classical Greece, it showed how religion played a major role in the
hierarchy of their gods influenced or reflected their society. In todays society, the God people

chose to serve influences the society lived. In the ancient Greek world, religion was personal,
direct, and present in all areas of life (Cartwright ). In all areas of life, religion plays a role if
people believe it or not. The Greeks believed that everything they did pertained to the God they
served. Each God represented something in their life and they lived by that; even their
government represented what they believed. Classical Greece shows,
The value for the way things are descends from the way they were yesterday and the day
before that. But in fact, institutions that govern a great deal of our everyday behavior took
shape hundreds or even thousands of years ago. Having been preserved and altered across
the generations to our own time, they are sure to continue into the future (McNeill ).
Sacrifices are made on a daily basis, because things have to get done and in order to do
certain things, someone must give up something else. A lot of things are given up because of
peoples morals and what they believe is the right thing to do. During Medevil Europe, it shows
that during the rise of Christianity the idea of having to suffer for your faith, to give something
up was important. When Romans were persecuting the Jews and Christians, this was relatively
easy. Just practicing your faith while living in fear of being caught, was struggle enough. But,
once Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, and was accepted by more
and more rulers throughout Europe, it became a bit more difficult to do. People had to make
sacrifices to stay alive. In todays society so many people sacrifice their religion to stay
popular, fit-in and it should not have to be that way. The reason why learning about what
other civilization went through is to get a better understanding of what our society is going
through. The sacrifices faced in todays society involving religion are huge because the law
defines and limits our beliefs.

During the Imperial Rome times, Augustus wanted more for his kingdom, for his people.
He knew religion was what they needed to get back to if they wanted to live right. The laws
started defining his world, and he wanted people to get back to tradition. Tradition is one of the
most important things that people live by.
Augustus claimed that only by restoring the traditional values that had first made Rome
great could he hope to make it great again. One writer commented: He renewed many
traditions which were fading in our age and restored 82 temples of the gods neglecting
none that required repair at the time. ("Roman Empire")
Augustus knew that tradition was important to his society, just like tradition is important in
todays society.
Being able to connect and understand history, the way religion was played out shows me
that my faith is real. It shows me that my beliefs should be taken seriously because they make up
who I am as a person. Everyday tradition plays a major role in the life choices made. My
memory is founded by what was taught to me, my memory is built from everyday life.
Memory is not something fixed and forever. As time passes, remembered personal
experiences take on new meanings. A bitter disappointment may come to seem a blessing
in disguise; a triumph may later turn sour, while something trivial may subsequently
loom large-all because of what happens later on. Collective memory is quite the same.
(McNeill).
The morals set that was learned from my parents, are set in my memory. My responsibility is to
take what Ive learned from history, from my ancestors and teach this to my child. Show him that
history is so much more than boring books about slavery, and our rights. History is what made us

who we are today, history taught us to get a better understanding of why we worship God, why
religion is a major part of our life. History is here to enhance what was passed down from
generation to generation. History is here to give a better understanding. History is helping me
better myself for society so I can be knowledgeable on the traditions I follow, the morals I stand
for, the religion I chose to follow.

Annotated Bibliography
McNeill, William. "Why Study History?." American Historial Association. (1985): n. page. Web.
14 Dec. 2014.
This article showed in detail why history is so important, and what it does for the brain. Not how
the brain works, but more so the memory. McNeill talks about how your memory is made, and
what history does for it. History keeps the memory fresh. This article helped get a better
understanding and helped jogged my memory on why tradition and religion is so important in
my life. It helped show history as something more than just boring books; it showed the true
meaning behind history.
This article also showed the true meaning behind value. How values come from our history, it
comes from what happened in the past.
Postma, Michael. "What Can History Teach Us Today?." ASCD Express. 6.22 (2011): n. page.
Web. 14 Dec. 2014.
I used this article, because it helped give insight on what history does for us. That history gives
us meaning and life.
Cartwright, Mark. "Definition." Greek Religion. 2011.
This article was used to help show how the Greeks used religion in everyday life and situations
just like we do in todays society. The Greek Religion helped give me a connection to my
religion, and helped tell a story that lead the way to religion today.
"Augustus." The Roman Empire. pbs, n.d. Web. 14 Dec 2014.
<http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/augustus_religion.html>.