Mr. PawlowskiMr. Pawlowski

World History World History

2010 - 20112010 - 2011

Arabian Peninsula

Arabian Peninsula

Bodies of Water: Red Sea

Gulf of Aqaba Persian Gulf Arabian Sea

Geography: Arabian Desert:

natural resources groundwater

Mountains: Mount Al-Nabi Shu'ayb

(SW) Mount Al-Lawz (NW) Mount Al-Sham (SE)

Arabian Subcontinent

Bedouins

Nomadic Arabs organized into clans/tribes

leader – sheikh ‘camel-breeders’

Semitic Speakers

Sedentary tribes organized villages around oases focus: trade & animal herding

Religion: Polytheistic Tribes (Shirk)

Supreme God – Allah Symbolized by a sacred stone

Ka’aba – houses the sacred ‘black stone’ location – Makkah (Mecca)

Monotheistic Tribes (Hanif) follow the laws of Abraham

pre- Judaism & Christianity Jewish Tribes Christian Tribes

Trade

Arabian Peninsula: crossroads of trade

Africa, Asia, Arabia, Europe Major Cities:

Makkah (Mecca) Merchants & pilgrims

Yathrib (Medina) Ta’if

Camel Domestication: enabled traffic to cross the deserts

‘caravans’

Caravan traffic increased wealth of merchants life of poor decreased

Birth:

Orphaned as a child raised by merchant Uncle & Grandfather

Location: Mecca Marriage (25 years old):

Khadijah - wealthy businesswoman Revelation (40 years old):

meditates in the Jabal al-Nur mountain troubled by the richness/corruption of merchants & townspeople

Archangel Gabriel reveals the word of God to Muhammad last revelation: Abraham, Moses, Jesus

Religion: teaches/preaches that there is only God and other gods must be

abandoned Khadijah and close relatives/friends are the first followers

Islam: ‘submission to will of God (Allah)’

Muslim: ‘one who has submitted’

Muhammad (570 – 632 CE)

Hijrah – 622 CE: Migration from Mecca to Yathrib

Muslims were met with hostility in Mecca Yathrib: renamed Medina

‘city of the Prophet’ Political Leader:

established a federation of Arabs, Jews and Muslims Religious Leader:

continues to draw in converts Bedouin Tribes

umma – Muslim community Military Leader:

successful raids on caravans from Mecca Battle of Badr

630 CE: Conquers Mecca destroys idols within the Ka’aba

632 CE: Death of Prophet Muhammad - 62 years old

Muhammad (570 – 632 CE)

Five Pillars Faith (Shahada):

There is no God but Allah Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah

Prayer (Salaat): Five times daily facing Mecca

Dawn, Noon, Mid-Afternoon, Sunset & Evening Alms (Zakat):

Responsibility to support the less fortunate 2.5% of income or good deed/behavior toward others

Fasting (Sawm): Sunrise to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan

celebrates the recording of the Qur’an Pilgrimage (Hajj):

Journey to Mecca during the holy month of Dhu al-Hijjah Once per lifetime if physically and financially capable

Islamic Beliefs & Practices

Hajj

Islamic Beliefs & Practices

Monotheistic: Allah

Holy Text: Qur’an

Ka’aba: most sacred site in Islam

Mosque: house of worship

‘place for prostration’ Minaret:

Spires with onion shaped or conical crowns focal point & call for prayer

Muezzin: leads the call to prayer

Hadith: accounts of

statements/actions of Muhammad different versions for

each branch Shari’a:

Sacred law of Islam divine revelations of the

Qur’an Muhammad’s example

Sunnah: sayings/living habit of

Muhammad Ulama:

Muslim legal scholars

Muslims trace their origins to Abraham

accept Moses and Jesus as prophets Muhammad is the final prophet

‘People of the Book’ Religious tolerance towards Christians & Jews

Shari’a Law

Judaism & Christianity

Islam – Holy CitiesMecca

Medina

Spread of Islam

Islam spread rapidly via trade & conquest

overcame geographic obstacles deserts & mountains

Byzantine & Persian Empires could not contain the spread prisoners of war were enslaved

Arabic spread with Islam and facilitated trade

Unity was difficult to maintain after the death of Muhammad Muslim community elect a caliph as leader

caliph - successor

Spread of Islam

Umayyad Empire

Revolt of Hussein – 680 CE: Grandson of Muhammad revolts

against the Umayyad Dynasty attempted to reinstate the ‘true’

Islamic authority Shi’a:

believe the Caliph must be a direct descendent of Muhammad through his son-in-law Ali and grandson

Sunni: do not believe the Caliph must be

a descendent of Muhammad

Sufi: attempt to achieve personal

contact with God focus on the Qur’an, traditions of

Muhammad, meditation, chanting

Sunni – Shi’a Split

Islamic traders spread ideas/products & knowledge

Africa, Asia, Middle East & Europe Exchange of Goods:

Sub Saharan Africa: Gold and Slaves China: Silk and Porcelain E. Africa: Gold and Ivory SE Asia and India: Sandalwood and Spices Egypt: Grain Iraq: Linen, Dates, and Precious Stones W. India: Textiles

Islam spreads to Africa Ghana – 830 – 1235 CE Mali – 1240 – 1600 CE Songhai – 1340 – 1591 CE

‘Sahelian Kingdoms’

Trade

Cities:

trade led wealthy centers of culture public baths, public buildings, fountains,

courtyards, libraries, museums, etc. ex: Cordoba, Marrakesh, Baghdad, Cairo

Bazaar: covered marketplace for the exchange/sale

of goods & services high standards of business and sanitation

Agriculture: trade introduced new techniques and crops

(‘Arab Agricultural Revolution’) peasant & slave labor

Development of banking facilitates trade Influences European banking systems

during the Renaissance Abbasid dinar & sakks

Economy

Four Social Classes:

Muslims at birth Muslim converts ‘protected people’

Christians, Jews & Zoroastrians slaves

non-Muslims prisoners of war military/domestic service

Role of Women: Men managed the affairs of women

male guardians, pre-arranged marriage Men could have up to four wives if he could afford the dowry

Women's rights: could earn a living, own/inherit property, divorce

Qur’an grants women spiritual equality

Society

Hijab

Chador

Burqa

Covering varies from country to country

Hijab

Mathematics & Astronomy

Mathematics Muhammad al-Khwarizmi

(780 – 850 CE): The Compendious Book on

Calculation by Completion and Balancing: foundation text of modern

algebra ‘al-jabr’

Arabic Numerals: adopted the numerical

system and concept of zero from Indian mathematicians spread by Arabs to Europe

Astronomy Interest:

mark religious periods: Ramadan Hajj

prayer towards Mecca Observations:

estimated size and distance of celestial bodies

improved tables of the orbits of the sun and moon

improved the astrolabe revolutionized ideas of optics aided the development of

trigonometry and cartography