1. Origins of Judaism, Christianity and Islam

2. Judaism
Judaism is the oldest of the three religions.
The Jews were the first to believe in One God (monotheism).
Jews believe that one day, a human leader, the Messiah, will come as a messenger of God to bring about a golden age.
Abraham is the father of the Jews.
A diaspora occurs when a group of people leave their homeland and move to many different places.

3. Christianity
Jesus preached that the old laws of Judaism should be replaced by a simpler system based on love of one’s human beings.
Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and is the Messiah promised in the Old Testament.
Roman authorities fought the growth of Christianity, and many Christians were arrested and killed.

4. Constantine
Constantine was the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity.
He and a group of Christian leaders met to make the first attempt at a uniform statement of Christian doctrine called the Nicene Creed.
After that meeting, a new type of Christian church was formed, the Catholic church which means universal.

5. Islam
Muhammad was born in 570 CE in Mecca which is in present day Saudi Arabia. According to Islamic tradition, while he was sleeping in a cave, the angel Gabriel came to Muhammad in a vision and gave him messages of God, called Allah in Arabic.
Muhammad spread these messages and was forced to flee Mecca for Medina. This flight was known as Hijrah and begins the Islamic Calendar.

6. Five Pillars of Islam
Believe in only one God, and Muhammad is his messenger
Pray in the direction of Mecca five times a day.
Donate money to the poor.
Fast during the month of Ramadan.
Make a journey, or hajj, to Mecca at least once.