How is religion defined?According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of religion is: “belief in a god or group of gods, an organized system of beliefs. , the ceremonies and rules used to worship a god or group of gods, or an interest, belief, or activity of great importance to a person or group” (Merriam-Webster.) My personal definition of religion is as follows : is a set of beliefs and practices that generally concern the worship of one or more spiritual beings or representations of a spiritual power. Religion can be a personal belief or an organization or group of people who share similar beliefs and values. There are many types of religions in the world and have been since human history. What is its role in a civilization and in the development of civilization? Religion helps establish humanity's place in the order of the universe. As civilization began to be established through the domestication of animals, irrigation, and the cultivation of agricultural crops, and life became more complex (moving from a primarily hunter/gatherer existence to a who could settle down and have more time to think about advanced ideas), people began to think about questions such as: where does life come from, is there a creator or creators who contributed to creating the world and what happens after we die. Religion has helped answer some of these questions. It gave people purpose, meaning and perspective. Religion helped establish nations in the case of religious theocratic governments. In many ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians, Mayans, and even Mesopotamia, priests and other religious leaders played prominent roles in helping to shape the laws and government of these civilizations. While its... middle of paper ...... were eradicated after the conquest of their religious members and the destruction of their civilizations, they were absorbed into the major religions of the conquered civilizations. This was certainly the case for the Aztecs, the Incas, and (although there are still groups of Mayan peoples today, their numbers are very small) other ancient civilizations in the Americas. The Spanish sent their missionaries to all regions of their conquered lands. It is much more difficult for ideas and religion to survive in a context of constant persecution and fear, although it is not impossible. Judaism and Christianity are two religions that have both endured extreme persecution at different points in history. Works cited by Duiker, William J. and Jackson J. Spielvogel. History of the world. 6th. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Pub Co, 2010. print.Merriam-Webster, 2012. 0. .