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Albert Einstein said, “The most important human endeavor is the striving for morality in
our actions. Our inner balance and even our very existence depend on it. Only morality in our
actions can give beauty and dignity to life.” Einstein lived hundreds of years after the Hellenic
Greek Civilization, the Medieval Era, and the Rise of Islam. It’s not surprising that his wise
words apply to those times as much as they do now. Many individuals that lived during these
eras help to prove Einstein’s point. After studying numerous civilizations of the ancient world,
my role as an amateur historian has allowed me to learn from my ancestors. Applying the
knowledge I have learned will help me to act more responsibly for the betterment of modern
In my opinion, Alexander the Great was one of the most influential persons of his time.
He was able to build an empire nearly from scratch and defeat the Persians, a rival that the
Greeks before him have tried and failed to defeat. Just before his invasion of Persia, he visited
the old city of Troy to pay respects to the mythical warrior of Achilles. This was mostly because
of his shear fascination of the old works of Homer, but he also believed that it would aid him in
the battle to come (Fitzwilliam 2004). This shows that religion, namely Greek Mythology,
influenced Alexander the Great. History allows us to see the role that unfamiliar religions have
allowed people like Alexander the Great to “cope with the world around them” (McNeill).
Religious beliefs continue to allow believers to cope, just as they did in ancient times. Alexander
the Great wasn’t the only leader and historical figure that relied on faith for inspiration.
perspective. You can clearly see that religion heavily affected his decision making. Specifically,
he rejected any usage of old rituals brought by the old Roman beliefs. Furthermore, he believed
that his soldiers should put a Christian standard on their shields if they wanted to win against his
military rival, Maxentius. Obviously, it’s uncertain whether this act changed the outcome of
Constantine’s victorious battle against his rival. At the time, however, it seemed like a sign
from God that He was on their side (Rodriquez 2015). Constantine also helped spread
Catholicism throughout the world by making it an official religion. Although some teachings of
the Catholic Church seem to have become obsolete, one thing that has stayed true throughout
the ages has been its promotion of education. In the Church’s eyes, science and mathematics are
just as important to study as the liberal arts, specifically history (Perry). STEM is a driving
force in education today. A better option would be for students to be taught using the Catholic
philosophy of a well-rounded education (Perry). The Catholic tradition isn’t the only religion
Muhammad was the prophet that was divinely inspired by Allah (God in Arabic) to share
the message of Islam several hundred years ago. The leadership, strength and humility he
expressed during his lifetime was and continues to be an inspiration to countless followers..
This is just one of the reasons it’s so important to understand history (Postma). As far as
western society goes, most people are not exposed to any of the history, beliefs, or traditions
relating to Islam. It is not discussed to the degree that Judaism and Christianity are. This lack
of understanding caused and continues to cause misinterpretation of the faith to the point where
most people are unfairly critical of Muslims and Islam in general (CrashCourse 2012). Being
significant actors on the world history stage. Alexander was an early leader that was influenced
by the early Greek mythology and tradition. Constantine help spread and legitimize Catholicism
throughout Europe. Several hundred years after Christianity’s birth, Muhammad brought a new,
and often misunderstood religion into the world’s faith traditions. This semester has enlightened
me on the connections between many aspects of the past and how faith has influenced the world
as a whole. Religion has been used as both a unifying and dividing factor for thousands of years.
As history moves forward, this more than likely will continue to be the case.