unit 2 the islam

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UNIT 2THE ISLAM

AND AL-ANDALUS

2nd graders

SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT

Created by Cristina de la Vega Lienhart.

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1. THE ORIGIN AND EXPANSION OF THE ISLAM

Islam originated on the Arabian Peninsula, a huge desert land.

Its interior was inhabited by tribes of polytheistic Arab nomads.

The main cities of this peninsula were:Medina and Mecca, located in the western part of the peninsula. Both were prosperous cities.These cities were a crossroad (encrucijada de caminos) for the merchant caravans comming from the Far East.

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Muhammad, the prophet, was born in the year 570. Muhammad’s teachings were written down in the Koran-their sacred book-.

He soon had followers in the Arabian Peninsula.

However, not all the Arabian inhabitants supported him. Because of the spread of his doctrine-monotheistic- to believe just in one god, he was victim of numerous attacks. As Jesuschrist suffered when he started preaching

Muhammad and his followers fled (escaparon) from Mecca to Medina in 622. This moment is called Hegira(huída).

Revelations from the archangel

Gabriel

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He decided to organise an army and they conquered Mecca in 630. Then he continued across the rest of the Arabian Peninsula.

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2. ISLAMIC POLITICSMuhammad’s successors continued to conquer territories. The caliphate went through various stages:

1. THE ORTHODOX CALIPHATE (632-661): caliphs were people close to Muhammad. (Califato Ortodoxo)

2. THE UMAYYAD CALIPHATE (661-750): power was in the hands of the Umayyad dynasty, who established the capital in Damascus (Syria). (Califato Omeya)

3. THE ABBASID CALIPHATE (750-1258): in the year 750, the Abbasid family took control and transferred the capital city to Baghdad (Irak). (Califato Abasida)

In 1258, Baghdad was conquered by the Mongolians.

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Baghdad a round city

Baghdad nowadays

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The main authorities in Islamis society were:

The caliph: highest political and religious authority.

The vizier: prime minister.

The royal treasurer: collected taxes.

Emirs: governors of provinces.

Judges: responssable for applying laws.

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3. ECONOMY3.1. AGRICULTURE

• Hardly any agriculture in the Arabian Peninsula.• The Arabs needed to obtain water and used various

techniques like water-wheels and irrigation channels.

3.2. CRAFTWORK

• Practice in cities.• Activities: tanning of hides, tapestries, carpets, cotton,

silk, woolen fabrics, jwellery, ivory, perfums and weapons.

3.3. TRADE

• One of the main sources of wealth (riqueza)• City markets (souks) zocos.• They used coins (dinar and dirham)

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They commerce over land and also by the sea.One of the main routes was the SILK ROUTE

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4. SOCIETYIslam society was mainly urban.

Cities were made up of different areas:1. The alcazaba: walled

area on high ground were the emir lived.

2. The medina: central part of the city (mosque, madrassa, souk, baths, hospitals)

3. The arrabales: where low classes lived.