Islamic Empire S Social Economic Arabs are traders
Islamic Empire
S (Social, Economic) • Arabs are traders (Muhammad was a trader). Empire links Europe, Asia and Africa in a world network. • Family is the core of life, respect all members, especially elderly. • Women had property rights and right to fair treatment. Muslim women had more rights than most women in the world. • Parents arranged marriages (could be refused). Men could have several wives.
P (Politics, Government) -Empire was organized into provinces (like states) -Dispute over who should be caliph, led to the breakup of the empire into separate caliphates. -Laws aligned with the Quran, guiding both daily and religious life -No Muslim could be enslaved. -Government supported schools and libraries.
I (Intellectual: Science, Math) • Famous centers of learning develop (Baghdad, Cordoba). Cultural diffusion occurred as the empire spread. Muslims learned from and contributed to intellectual advancements. (examples? ) • Medicine: pharmaceuticals, dissection, surgical instruments and processes, hygiene, public hospitals formed, medical encyclopedias written. • Other science: astronomers developed new ways of assessing distances on earth=better maps. Adopt the ancient Greek astrolabe which allows them to chart the positions of the stars=better navigation. • Math: learn new number system from India which included zero. Same numerals we use today. Develop algebra.
C (Culture-Arts) • Calligraphy (art of fine handwriting) • Architecture becomes one of the greatest forms of Islamic art. Mosques built in newly conquered territories. • Poetry and Literature: Example of The Thousand One Nights.
E (environment-geography) • Islam begins on the Arabian Peninsula • Spreads quickly across North Africa, throughout the Middle East (to India) and as far west as Spain. • Their culture of trading (in caravans) led them to explore distant lands.
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