Over the past centuries, the United States has developed tremendously in culture, religion, and the diversity of people who created it. We take pride in our country because our family has come from distant seas to experience the American Dream. Through these hopes and destinies we have created the American melting pot. Our generations of children are free to experience choose and believe in any religion they want. The majority of Americans practice Christianity, Catholicism, or Judaism, while a small percent believe in Hinduism and Buddhism. Both of these ancient religions are still progressively growing with the modern day world, but many do not realize how closely related and different Hinduism and Buddhism are.
             The method in researching about Hinduism and Buddhism was derived from books in the University of San Francisco's library. The difficulty in finding information was reading and clearly understanding the books. Since Hinduism and Buddhism originated in India, books often used Indian words and names in their descriptions, making it difficult to understand and keep track of everything that is happening. Researching on the Internet was easier than reading the books, because websites would summarize or lay out the facts in detail. However, the Internet is not always a reliable source in telling the truth. I found that many sources would have conflicting information on time, such as the second millennium versus the third millennium when Hinduism flourished.
             The history of Hinduism dates all the way back to 3000-1000 BCE in Punjab and Mohenjodaro where cultures have performed rituals and worship. Symbols of pastoral gods and fertility goddesses were found in the urban Indus valley (Renard 7). In 2000 BCE, Aryans arrived in northwest India from southern Russia and the Baltic with their own religion and traditions. The newcomers would threaten the Indian's culture. The Aryan religion greatly influenced ...