1. 9/18/08 Bell work: Objectives: Class work:
Page 281 Primary Sources 1-3 Write the Letter and Answer
Objectives:
Summarize Abbasid society, Muslim accomplishments in art and science, and Muslim attitudes toward philosophy and religion.
Review for Test
Class work:
Read & Discuss pages – Add to yesterday’s notes
Review Questions for the Test
How did the spread of the Muslim Empire affect trade?
The Arabic language spread wherever Muslims went. Within a short time, a trader needed only to know Arabic to be able to communicate anywhere on the trade routes that passed through the Arabian Peninsula. The uniform value of the Arabic dinar made it the only form of currency needed. The development of sakks (checks) allowed a widespread financial system to be established, making trade and commerce easier. The two major sea-trading zones-those of the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean-linked the Muslim Empire into a world system of trade by sea. The land network connected the Silk Roads of China and India with Europe and Africa.
What contributed to the unity of the Muslim Empire? 5pts
Religion, language, trade, and the economy tied Muslim lands together. The Muslims had a highly skilled and powerful military, which allowed them to conquer new territories and to control them. They spread Islam throughout the empire, which unified people of different cultures. Muhammad had also encouraged scholarship, and Muslims absorbed knowledge from conquered cultures to strengthen their own. Islam stressed uniform behaviors, such as praying and pilgrimages. They were tolerant of the existence of other religions, although they created a class structure and taxation system that placed restrictions on non-Muslims and made it beneficial to convert to Islam. Muslims spread their language and their financial system, which also unified the empire.
Why did divisions arise within Islam after the death of Muhammad?
Muhammad neither specified a chosen successor nor indicated how to choose one. When the "rightly guided" caliph Uthman was murdered, a civil war broke out. Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, was chosen as the next ruler, only to be assassinated. A family known as the Umayyads came to power. They set up a hereditary system of succession and moved the Muslim capital to Damascus, where they began to surround themselves with wealth and ceremony. A minority of Muslims resisted. The Shi'a, meaning the "party" of Ali, believed that the caliph needed to be a relative of Muhammad. Muslims who wanted to keep peace, and did not outwardly resist the rule of the Umayyads, later became known as the Sunni. Another group, the Sufi, reacted to the luxurious life of the Umayyads by pursuing a life of poverty and spiritual devotion