1. Social and Economic Advances By: Nathan Hadley and Hannah Daly

2. Muslims Build an International Trade Network Merchants were honored in Muslim culture Muhammad was a merchant Between 750 and 1350 merchants built a trading network across Muslim lands and further. Trade spread products, technologies, knowledge, and culture. Muslim merchants then came up with an Indian number system to the Western world They became known as Arabic numerals Extensive trade and money economy led Muslims to pioneer new business practices. Created partnerships Bought and sold on credit Formed banks to change currency Invented the ancestors of today’s bank checks Bankers came up with a system of accounting Opened branch banks in all major cites Did this so that a check written in Baghdad might be cashed in Cairo.

3. Manufactured Goods are Highly Valued In medieval Europe handicraft manufacturing in Muslim cities was organized by guilds. The heads of guilds had the authority to regulate prices, weights and measures, methods of production, and quality of the product. Labor was done by wage workers Muslim artisans produced a wealth of fine goods. Workshops also turned out glassware, furniture, and tapestries.

4. Agriculture Thrives Agriculture thrived outside of cities Both Umayyad and Abbasid dynasty’s preserved agriculture The Abbasid dynasty put together irrigation systems for the farmers that drained from the swamps between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers And as the farmers became successful they began to grow crops form other regions The nomads and the farmers helped each other by buying form each other

5. Social Structure and Slavery Social mobility was better than medieval Europe Slavery was still common in Muslim lands Most slaves came from conquered lands The Abbasid caliphs made a Turkish slave-soldier class that were loyal only to the caliphs These slaves were educated in Islamic law and Government This meant that they had a possibility to rise to a higher

6. Questions Why were Merchants honored in Muslim culture? Why were Merchants honored in Muslim culture? Who had the authority to regulate prices, weights and measures, methods of production, and quality of the product? Who had the authority to regulate prices, weights and measures, methods of production, and quality of the product? Which Dynasty put together irrigation for the farmers? Which Dynasty put together irrigation for the farmers? Which caliphs (or from what dynasty were they from) made the Turkish slave – soldier class that were only loyal to the caliphs? Which caliphs (or from what dynasty were they from) made the Turkish slave – soldier class that were only loyal to the caliphs? Between what two rivers did the Dynasty take the water from the swamps that was used for the farmers? Between what two rivers did the Dynasty take the water from the swamps that was used for the farmers?