Chapter 5, Lesson 3 Life in the Islamic World It Matters Because: Muslim advances in mathematics, business, science, architecture, and the arts helped to create our modern society.

Daily Life and Trade Muslim caravans controlled trade from Africa to China for nearly 700 years Caravans and ships made Muslim merchants very rich

Why Were Muslim Traders Successful? As merchants traveled between the Middle East and Far East, they converted people to Islam and spread Arabic language Islam became faith of the region and Arabic the language of trade Muslim rulers supported trade Muslims kept detailed records of their dealings and earnings Led to the beginning of the banking industry

Muslim Cities and Farms Cities in the Muslim world grew as trade increased Muslim cities like Cairo, Mecca, Baghdad and Damascus became centers of government, education and culture as well as trade Mosques were an important part of Muslim cities Houses of worship Also served as courts and places for education Muslim bazaars were the shopping malls of the day Most Muslims lived in villages and farmed

How was Muslim Society Organized? Society was organized into social groups by levels of power and wealth Slavery was common – many slaves were prisoners of war Men were in charge of government , society, and business Women managed families and homes Women were able to own land and inherit wealth Some women were educated

Muslim Contributions At the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian scholars translated many classic works into Arabic Muslim scholars preserved many great works of classical literature and philosophy These works would have been lost to history otherwise Arabic texts of Greek philosophy were translated into Latin, giving birth to the Renaissance

Science and Mathematics Astronomers in Baghdad studied the skies Described sun’s eclipses Explained how the moon affects ocean tides Improved the Greek astrolabe Astrolabe – tool that helps sailors navigate by the positions of the stars Used to measure the circumference of the earth Confirmed that earth was round Experimented with different metals Muslims considered founders of modern chemistry Muslim mathematicians borrowed symbols 0-9 from Hindu Today known as Arabic numerals

Medicine Discovered that blood circulates to and from the heart Discovered and treated many diseases, including smallpox and measles Created first medical schools, clinics, and pharmacies

Literature Quran – first and most important Arabic work The Thousand and One Nights, aka Arabian Nights, includes stories from India, Persia, and Arabia Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and Aladdin are among the most popular characters The epic poem Rubaiyat is considered among the greatest poems ever written Ibn Khaldun, a Muslim historian, studied cause-effect relationships in history One of the first historians to study relationship between geography, climate, and human activities

Art and Architecture Muslim artists discouraged creating images of living creatures They feared idolatry Idolatry – worship of idols Cities known for beautiful buildings Mosques dominated many city skylines Minarets – towers from which an announcer called Muslims to prayer 5 times daily Muslim palaces were guarded with walls and featured central courtyards and gardens Most famous is Taj Mahal in India, built as a tomb for the ruler’s wife from marble and precious stone Still considered one of the world’s most beautiful buildings