Introduction:
Introduction:
This webquest aims to help students to gain a better understanding of the following: relationships between religion and geography; how religions shape the geographical landscape; and how geography affects religion. This activity is based around the key issues in Chapter Six of your Human Geography textbook: Distributions of Religion, Diffusions of Religion, Religious Spaces, and Religious Conflict.
View our PowerPoint presentation about the webquest:
Read our reflections about the project:
Task:
The class will be divided into five groups--one for each major world religion. You will be given a religion to examine for which you will have specific questions to answer. The questions will be given to you at the start of class. Use the links to your religion below to help you complete the assignment. Please write out complete answers. Link to Religion Matrix
Questions:
Section One: Religious Distribution
Is your religion an ethnic or universalizing religion? Why is it in that
category?
How many adherents does this religion have? What percentage of the world
population practices this religion?
What are the main branches, divisions, or sects? What percentage of adherents
belongs to each of these?
Where do the adherents of this religion live?
Section Two: Religious Diffusion
What and Where is the origin of your religion?
How and where did your religion diffuse?
What are some of the holy places in your religion?
How does the calendar shape your religion?
Section Three: Worship Spaces
What does your place of worship look like? (simple, elaborate, large, small.
Feel free to be creative- draw pictures, find examples online)
How does your religion dispose of the dead? Explain how geography influences
this practice.
Is there a central administration for your religion? If yes, how is it
organized?
Does your religion have a pilgrimage site? Where is it? What is the
significance of that location?
Section Four: Religious Conflict:
How long have your people lived in their current habitation?
Who or what is your struggle? Is it the government, a rival religion?
If your homeland is violent because of religious problems, why do you
stay? Why not move to another country and avoid the
fighting?
How do most members of your own religion feel about the
conflict? Do they feel that you should keep up the fight, or that to
yeild is better than to die?
How far back does your conflict go?
How would you (the student) solve this conflict?
Links