Name: Document Packet Week 10 Golden Ages: Islam Date: In this packet you will have all the documents for the week. This document packet must be in class with you every day. We will work with these documents every day. WEEK 10 DAY 1 DOCUMENTS: 10.1.1Whole Class Golden Age of Islam
Background Islam began in the Arabian Peninsula in the early 7th century CE. It quickly spread throughout the Middle East before moving across North Africa, and into Spain and Sicily. By the 13th century, Islam had spread across India and Southeast Asia. The reasons for the success of Islam, and the expansion of its empire, can be attributed to the strength of the Arab armies, the use of a common language, and fair treatment of conquered peoples Arab armies were able to quickly conquer territory through the use of advanced tactics and the employment of horse and camel cavalry. Islamic rulers were very tolerant of conquered peoples, and welcomed conversion to the Islamic faith. All Muslims must learn Arabic, so they can read the Qur'an, the Islamic holy book. This common language helped to unite many different ethnic groups within the Islamic empire. It also made possible the easy exchange of knowledge and ideas. Golden Age Islamic civilization experienced a golden age under the Abbassid Dynasty, which ruled from the mid 8th century until the mid 13th century. Under the Abbassids, Islamic culture became a blending of Arab, Persian, Egyptian, and European traditions. The result was an era of stunning intellectual and cultural achievements. Arts & Literature According to the teachings of the Qur'an, Islamic artists were forbidden from using human figures in religious art. Therefore, they developed a style of geometric shapes and patterns that were used to decorate religious buildings called Mosques. These geometric patterns usually contained verses from the Qur'an written in a stylized form of decorative handwriting called calligraphy. Non-religious artists were allowed to use human figures. This type of work most often appears in scholarly works of science or literature, which were lavishly illustrated. Islamic architects borrowed heavily from the Byzantine Empire (330-1453) {The eastern half of the Roman Empire, its capital was Constantinople, named after the Emperor Constantine.} which used domes and arches extensively throughout their cities. An example of this use can be seen in the Dome of the Rock, a famous mosque in Jerusalem.
There were many different styles of Islamic literature. Most works were based on the Qur'an, but some Islamic artists wrote poetry about the joys and sorrows of love. Also, stories from other cultures were adapted and rewritten for Islamic civilization. The most famous collection is called The Thousand and One Nights, which is a collection of tales that includes such well known stories as Aladdin and His Magic Lamp. Philosophy Islamic scholars translated philosophic texts from a variety of cultures. These include works from China, India, and Ancient Greece. Scholarly commentary written about these texts influenced a variety of cultures, including European civilizations. Math & Science Islamic scholars studied both Greek and Indian mathematics before making important contributions of their own. The most well known Islamic mathematician was al- Khwarizimi, who pioneered the study of algebra. His textbook on the subject became a standard in European universities for centuries. Islamic scholars were also skilled in astronomy. They studied eclipses, the rotation of the planets, and calculated the circumference of the earth to within a few thousand feet. Medicine Many advances were also made in the field of medicine. Physicians and pharmacists were required to pass exams before treating patients. They setup hospitals that had separate areas for trauma cases, this is the basis for today's emergency rooms. Physicians developed treatments for cataracts, used a variety of herbal remedies, and were adept at treating a variety of injuries. Islamic pharmacists were the first to mix sweet tasting syrups with medicine, ensuring that they would be taken. Ibn Sina, a famous Islamic physician, wrote a book called Canon on Medicine, which was an encyclopedia of Greek, Arabic, and his own knowledge of medicine. This book became the standard medical text in Europe for over five hundred years. Economic Achievements Under the Abbassids, a vast trading network was created which helped to spread religion, culture, and technology among the different peoples of the empire. New business
practices such as, partnerships, the use of credit, and banks to exchange currency, were developed to handle the increase in trade. The establishment of such vast trading networks made the many nations within the Islamic Empire very wealthy, and helped to stimulate many of their cultural and intellectual achievements Law Islam developed a system of law based on the Qur'an. This system was created to help people apply the Qur'an to everyday life and situations. The book of laws, called the Sharia, regulates all aspects of life including, moral behavior, family life, business dealings, and government. 1) In which areas did the Islamic Empire make advancements? 2) What are three advancements from the Islamic Empire that we still use today? 3) Where did Islam spread? 4) Explain in at least 4 sentences why Islam was so successful. 5) Create a BLPT card for the Golden Age of Islam?
WEEK 10 DAY 2 DOCUMENTS: 10.2.1 DOCUMENT 1 WHOLE CLASS Al-Khwarizimi, a Muslim mathematician, studied Indian sources and wrote a textbook in the 800s CE about al-jabr (the Arabic word for algebra), which was later translated into Latin and used throughout Europe. Muslim mathematics also adopted Arabic numerals from the Indians and used them in a place-value system. Examples from his work include: 3x = 15 135 +20 ------ 155 1. What is the importance of these Muslim mathematical advances? [3]
10.2.2 Physician al-razi wrote a medical reference encyclopedia, the Comprehensive Book and Treatise on Smallpox and Measles. Ibn Sina (Avicenna) wrote the five-volume The Canon of Medicine. These books were translated into Latin and other languages and influenced doctors in Europe. The excerpt below is from the textbook World History: Patterns of Interaction show the level of medical expertise of Islamic doctors. Medical Reference Books When Europeans learned that Muslims had preserved important medical texts, they wanted to translate the texts into Latin. In the eleventh century, scholars traveled to libraries in places such as Toledo, Spain, where they began translating but only after they learned to read Arabic. Through this process, European medical schools gained access to vital reference sources such as al-razi s Comprehensive Book and Ibn Sina s The Canon of Medicine. Ibn Sina s five-volume encyclopedia guided doctors of Europe and Southwest Asia for six centuries. For nearly 500 years, al Qasim s work, The Method, which contained original drawings of some 200 medical tools, was the foremost textbook on surgery in Europe. 2. Why did Europeans want to learn to read Arabic? [1]
10.2.3 10.2.4
10.2.5
WEEK 10 DAY 3 DOCUMENTS 10.3.1 DOCUMENT 1 WHOLE CLASS We are going to. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
DOCUMENT 2 PAIR WORK 10.3.2 We are going to. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
DOCUMENT 3 INDIVIDUAL WORK 10.3.3 We are going to. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
DOCUMENT 4 INDIVIDUAL WORK 10.3.4 Mecca We are going to. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
Week 10 Day 4: Grouping and Ordering Golden Ages: Islam 10.4.1 In your groups arrange the documents into different groups. You should have at least 2 different groups of at least 3 documents EACH. Your groupings can be based on anything that you can support. When you have made your groups list them below. Then answer the questions about your choices. Group 1: Group 3: Group 2: Group 4: 1) What is the main idea that holds each of the groupings together? 2) What did you see that made you combine the documents into each group? 3) Write the main idea for each grouping. 4) Do any of them overlap or fit together in some way? 5) Do they address similar elements or similar points of view?
If you have finished and there is time left create a new order of groups for your documents. List your groups below and then answer the questions. Remember these groups must be different from your previous groups. Group 1: Group 3: Group 2: Group 4: 1) What is the main idea that holds each of the groupings together? 2) What did you see that made you combine the documents into each group? 3) Write the main idea for each grouping. 4) Do any of them overlap or fit together in some way? 5) Do they address similar elements or similar points of view?
Week 10 Day 5: Current Day Connections Golden Age of Islam 10.5.1 This is a new section to our week. In this section you will read a newspaper article FROM TODAY S NEWS and connect it to our topic. There are vocabulary words missing that you need to fill in while we are reading the article. Hundreds are detained as bloody crackdown by Syrian President Bashar Assad intensifies By The Associated Press April 27, 2011 Syrian forces heaped more punishment Tuesday on residents of restive towns, detaining hundreds in raids or at checkpoints, firing on people trying to retrieve the bodies of antigovernment protesters and even shooting holes in rooftop water tanks in a region parched by drought, witnesses said. In the southern city of Daraa, where Syrian army tanks and snipers killed at least 34 people in two days, a resident said security forces shot and killed a man as he walked out of the main Omari mosque and shouted at them though a bullhorn: "Enough! Enough! Enough! Stop killing your brothers!" The crackdown by President Bashar Assad has intensified since Friday, when more than 100 people were killed. Security forces also conducted raids in the Damascus suburb of Douma and the northern coastal town of Jableh. Human rights groups estimate that more than 400 people have been killed since mid-march as the Assad regime has tried to crush the uprising. But instead of intimidating protesters, it has emboldened them, and their calls for modest reforms have them now increasingly demanding Assad's ouster. European leaders escalated their criticism of the Syrian crackdown, with the French president calling the current situation "unacceptable," Even the Arab League said that those in the region demanding freedom and democracy "require support, and not shooting with bullets." The attack on Daraa - where the uprising began - appeared to be part of strategy of crippling, pre-emptive action against any opposition to Assad, rather than reacting to demonstrations. But the campaign of intimidation through violence and arrests was unlikely to work, according to a human rights worker, noting that every time Syrian forces surrounded or attacked one town, sympathetic protests broke out elsewhere nearby. "When the army was sweeping through parts of Daraa, the people were demonstrating in other parts," said the activist, Rami Nakhla, who is based in Beirut. "All they are doing is increasing the people's determination." Syrian residents contacted by The Associated Press on Tuesday reported hundreds of people detained in the towns of Daraa, Jableh and outlying neighborhoods of Damascus - either seized at checkpoints or in dawn raids. Detainees included all male relatives of the same family, a resident said.
"There's been a huge campaign of arresting people," Nakhla said. Daraa residents braved fire from snipers and other troops to pull bullet-riddled bodies of protesters killed Monday off the streets and hide them from security forces, witnesses said. "The situation has become unacceptable," added French President Nicolas Sarkozy at news conference in Rome with Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi. "You don't shoot at demonstrators." Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister, urged Assad to fulfill promises of reform and "stop the violent repression of peaceful demonstrations." The uprising was touched off by the arrest of teenagers who scrawled anti-government graffiti on a wall, with protesters inspired by uprisings elsewhere in the Arab world. Last week, Assad fulfilled a key demand by abolishing nearly 50-year-old emergency laws that had given the regime a free hand to arrest people without cause. But he added a stern warning that people would no longer have an excuse to hold mass protests, and any further unrest would be considered "sabotage." When protesters defied his order and held demonstrations Friday - the main day for rallies around the Arab world - they were met with a gunfire, tear gas and stun guns. 1) Write a summary of this article. (3 sentences) 2) How does this article about MODERN Syria, a Muslim country, compare or contrast to how the ANCIENT Islamic Empire was during a golden age? You must include 1 quote from the article AND 1 quote from a document.
WEEK 10 DAY 6: Writing Skills Islam 10.6.1 Independent Work: Write 2 paragraphs (minimum 8 sentences each) about the golden ages of Islam. You must include where Islam spread, specific achievements, and why they were so successful. You must also include at least 4 documents to support your information. You will receive 5 extra credit points if you write a 3rd paragraph about the article on Day 5 and relate it to Golden Ages.