1. Islam Contributions and Turning Points

2.  Engaged in sea trade using the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean  Land trade was connected using the Silk Road  Muslim merchants expanded trade through a common language and common currency  Banks were set up to establish letters of credit Muslim Trade Network

3.  Under the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, Islam spread quickly and was victorious on the battlefield.  When Abu-Bakr died, the Muslim state controlled the entire Arabian Peninsula.  The next three caliphs continued to expand Muslim territory.  Stretched 6,000 miles from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indus River  Conquered critical Middle Eastern cities, including Damascus and Jerusalem Rightly-Guided Caliphs

4.  In 661, Ali (the 4 th and last Rightly-Guided Caliph) is assassinated.  Leads to Sunni-Shi’a division  The Umayyads then come to power  Moved capital city to Damascus  Surrounded themselves with wealth, luxury  A minority of Muslims resists their leadership  This group developed the idea that a caliph should be a descendant of Muhammad and becomes known as Shi’ites.  Those who did not resist the Umayyads became known as Sunnis  A third group develops, the Sufi – reject luxurious life, devoted to a spiritual path  Aggressive opposition leads to the downfall of the Umayyads in 750 – Abbasids take control Sunni-Shi’a Division

5.  Found on the west bank of the Tigris River  Capital city is moved from Damascus to Baghdad in 762  Extensive planning went into the cities circular design  Eventually had the largest population of the Muslim Empire.  Baghdad falls to the Mongols in the 1258  Essentially marked the end of the Muslim Empire Baghdad

6.  Takes place in 732 in modern-day France  Muslim raiders are defeated by the Franks  Extremely significant battle in world history  If Muslims would have won, Western Europe might have become part of the Muslim Empire Battle of Tours

7.  Abbasids’ rule = prosperous time in Muslim history  Luxurious cities were constructed, including Baghdad  Muslim cities became center for science, math, and philosophy  Four Social Classes  Upper class included Muslims at birth  Second class included converts to Islam  Third class included protected people (Jews and Christians)  Lowest class were essentially “slaves” or prisoners of war Rise of Muslim Cities

8.  Rulers wanted to expand scientific knowledge, particularly medicine, math, and astronomy.  Reflected curiosity about the world and a quest for knowledge  Umayyads and Abbasids strongly encouraged scholarship  House of Wisdom – library/academic center where scholars would study several different types of texts Muslim Scholarship

9.  Architecture  Blended styles of different regions  Dome of the Rock  Mosaics  Calligraphy  Art of handwriting  Literature  Early works were mostly religious and later works were about life, love, nature  Arabic alphabet  Universities  Translation of ancient texts into Arabic Cultural Contributions and Achievements

10.  Arabic numerals  Adapted from India  Included zero  Math was believed to be the basis of all knowledge  Algebra  Using unknowns to find a known quantity  Medicine  Expansion of geographic knowledge Scientific Contributions and Achievements