1. Achievements of Islam
Achievements of the Muslims in the Middle East during the Middle Ages….They were waaaaaaay more advanced than Europe

2. The basics
The knowledge and achievements of the Greeks and Romans didn’t’ disappear after Rome fell
Greek and Roman knowledge survived in the Middle East with the Muslims
Not only did the Muslims know all this ancient stuff…..they built on that knowledge

3. Art Muslim art is unique Calligraphy
It is forbidden by Islam to create human figures or to depict Allah (God)
Lots of animals as subjects
Lots of geometric decorations
Calligraphy

4. Architecture
We see lots of Domes and Arches just like the Greeks and the Romans
Buildings are decorated with geometric or abstract patterns (Remember no human figures)
Muslim Mosques are the best examples of their architecture
Domes
Arches
Minarets (Towers)

5. Poetry Long tradition of oral poetry…Telling Stories
Explored Religious and Worldly Themes
Muslim writers were also good at gathering and adapting stories from other groups of people
The Best known of these collections of stories (YES YOU KNOW AT LEAST ONE OF THESE STORIES) is “The Thousand and One Arabian Nights”

6. Philosophy
Baghdad (Iraq) becomes a center of learning…with schools, universities, and libraries
Preserved the knowledge of the past (Greeks and Romans)
Advanced and built upon previous knowledge
Combined Greek ideas about reason and logic, with religious beliefs
Translated works from other cultures
Developed ways to test logic and reason
Set standards for the scientific and logical study of things like history

7. Math and Science
Al-Khwarizmi develops Algebra and a textbook to teach it
Using Algebra, Muslims figure out….
The circumference of the Earth
The Earth’s rotation and orbit around the sun
Orbits of the other planets and astronomical predictions

8. Medicine Muslims were building Hospitals in the Middle East
Start to require education and tests for doctors and pharmacists
Start to examine the idea of infection (Good Air vs Bad Air)
Begin to perform surgery on the eye to remove cataracts
Start specializing in different type of medicine and dividing people up based on there disease or injury