Transcript notes
The Spread of Islam Origins of Islam • Why was the Arabian Peninsula both a likely and unlikely place to start a religion??? Likely •Strategic location Unlikely •Geography – desert •People – Located bwn 3 –Bedouins continents & –Tribal major waterways –No unity Changes during Late Classical Period • Towns and Cities emerge in Arabia * * * * •Role of Arab Merchants •Growth of Arabic language •Materialistic culture emerges Literacy and Education increases •Fall of Rome Islam as a “Unifier” • Distinctly Arabic • Ended feuding tribes • Source of Authority • Equality and a moral code • Trade and profit making Islamic Expansion Why conquest? *Unity gave confidence *Chance for valuable lands/trade *Drought in Arabia *Seek Converts First Commanded by Muhammad Followed by the first Caliphs Why was it successful? • Quick, Agile Army • Weak Surrounding Empires • Taxing policies insured loyalty and revenue • 2 Organized Arab Dynasties: Umayyad and Abbasid Islam Arab Succession Issues Corruption Expansion and Conquest, reap rewards Favoritism toward Arabs leads to resentment/revolts Political center was Damascus-central location Caliph was a religious leader. Family as advisors Goals Toleration Record Capital Political Structure Expand trade, solidify Muslim faith Friendly toward Non-Arabs, Intermarriage encouraged ,Recruited in Army Political center was Baghdadlocated along key trade/water routes Caliph as absolute ruler. Complex bureaucracy led by Vizier Using Islam as a unifier and a military to expand, the Arabs built a strong empire where trade and a general toleration was valued Global Network of Trade Facilitated by: Bills of Exchange Credit/Checks Minting coins Impact: New foods (bananas and citrus) and agricultural techniques (irrigation) Crops transplanted (i.e. sugar from SE Asia) Problems within the Empire 1. Issues of Succession *After the death of Muhammad *Rightful heir? *Arab v. Non-Arab? Division Emerges Sunnis Shi’a (Shiite) Forward Fundamentalists Majority Minority Anyone can Claim to be direct assume role of descendants to caliph Muhammad-Only they can be caliph 2. Empire grew too big • Rebellious governors • Ruling a diverse people RESULTS: • By 1000 Abbasids were crumbling • Other cultural influences takeover Arabs Persians, Turks, Mongols End of Arab Islamic Cultural Dominance Dynamism Pick 2 achievements of the Muslim World and connect them to a theme: -Development of Social Systems -Creation and Expansion of 1. Economic Systems -State Building, Expansion and Conflict -Human-Environment Interaction -Cultural Interaction 2. Complete the following Analogy What the birth and growth of Islam (Idea) did for the Arabs (people)… _____________________ (Idea) did for the__________________(people) because they both ____________________________________ ____________________________________