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Published byBruce Potter Modified over 9 years ago
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Islam
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Trade Trade began to prosper in the Arab Empire around 750 under the Abbasid dynasty. Gold and slaves came from south of the Sahara, gold and ivory from East Africa. India—sandalwood, spices and textiles. China—silk, porcelain. Egypt—grain, Iraq—linens, dates, jewels.
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Banking and coin usage developed making exchanges easier. Islamic cities surpassed the cities of Europe—they were administrative, cultural, and economic centers.
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Palaces and mosques were the most impressive buildings. They had public buildings. The bazaar was vital to every Muslim city.
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Most people farmed or herded in the empire. Free peasants owned most of the farmland. The wealthy landowner gained large estates while the peasant farmed along the Nile. Koran teaches that all people are equal to Allah— this has not been true in the Arab empire (rigid class system). Slavery was widespread in the Arab empire. Islamic law said to treat slaves fairly, and setting them free was considered a good act.
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The Koran tells men to treat women respectfully, and they could own and inherit property. Men dominated in the Arab Empire. Every woman had a male guardian. Women were secluded at home and kept from social contacts with men outside their family.
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Marriage was arranged. Men could have up to four wives but they tended to have fewer because of dowry. The practice of divorce was only extended to men even though women had the right. Women covered much of their bodies when in public (traditionally Arab not Muslim).
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The first few centuries of the Arab Empire scholars read and translated Plato and Aristotle. The translations were put into the library in Baghdad called the House of Wisdom.
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Mathematics texts were brought from India. Papermaking was brought from China—paper factories established in Baghdad. Europeans recovered the works of Aristotle and other Greek philosophers through the Muslim world.
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Islamic scholars created algebra and they had an observatory where they named stars. They also perfected the astrolabe used by sailors to determine their location—this instrument allowed Europeans to sail to America. Medicine was developed as a field of study.
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