ARESEARCH PAPERis required and duebefore the end of the semester. The paper must be on some aspect of World History before XXXXXXXXXXSee suggested topics below). Papers must contain a minimum of five...

Last Name:    2
Name:
Professor:
Course:
Date:
Title: Zoroastrianism
Contents
Introduction    3
Origin    3
Beliefs and Practices    4
Beliefs    4
Practices    5
Impact on World History    6
Conclusion    7
Work Cited    8
Introduction
    Over three thousand years ago, the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism was born in Persia. It is one of the first monotheistic faiths in existence, and the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all bear evidence of its influence. In this essay, we will look at Zoroastrianism's beginnings, core principles, and historical significance.
Origin
    In the second millennium BCE, Zoroastrianism, one of the earliest monotheistic faiths in existence, first appeared in ancient Persia. Prophet Zarathustra, also known as Zoroaster, who is said to have lived in the 1500s BCE, is credited as being the founder of the faith. Scholars disagree over the precise roots of Zoroastrianism, nevertheless. Some hypotheses suggest that Zoroastrianism may have developed from an older Indo-Iranian faith that honored a collection of gods known as the Aryans. Around 1500 BCE, the Aryans, a nomadic race, moved from the Central Asian steppes to India and Iran (Tessmann, Anna). They carried a sophisticated set of rites and ideas with them that may have impacted the growth of Zoroastrianism. According to another account, the dominant polytheistic faiths in ancient Persia spurred the development of Zoroastrianism. The gods and goddesses worshipped by the Persians included Angra Mainyu, the deity of evil and destruction, and Ahura Mazda, the god of knowledge and creation. Zoroastrianism may have developed to construct a monotheistic religion centered on Ahura Mazda worship and to reconcile the existence of these conflicting powers.
    The founder of Zoroastrianism, Zarathustra, was a visionary who had a deep spiritual encounter that convinced him of the existence of one ultimate deity. Legend has it that Zarathustra saw a celestial person he named Ahura Mazda in a vision who taught him the fundamentals of good and evil, truth and lying, and the ultimate fate of the soul. As a result of Zarathustra's widespread proclamations of his new religion, it eventually acquired adherents. The existing religious authorities, however, opposed Zoroastrianism because they saw it as a challenge to their authority and influence. Zoroastrianism grew and flourished across Persia and beyond in spite of this hostility. In Persia's cultural and intellectual growth, Zoroastrianism was significant. The use of fire in religious rituals became a defining feature of Iranian culture, and its emphasis on truth and morality had an impact on Persian literature, art, and philosophy. The...