Download World History 9 Chapter 10, Section 2 – “Islam Expands

World History 9
Chapter 10, Section 2 – “Islam Expands”
Muhammad’s Successor Spread Islam
1. What is a caliph? What is a caliphate?
 Successor/deputy
 Rule of a caliph
2. What is a jihad? Why did Abu-Bakr use it?
 Striving/struggle against evil/armed struggle against unbelievers
 To encourage and justify expansion
3. How large was the Muslim empire by 750?
6,000 miles from the Atlantic to the Indus River
4. What were three reasons for the success of Muslim conquerors?
 Well-disciplined and trained armies
 Weakness of the Byzantine and Sassanid Empires (both north of Arabia)
 Persecution of people under Byzantine and Sassanid rule who did not follow Christianity or
Zoroastrianism; attracted by the message of equality and hope; didn’t have to pay a poll tax
(tax on person, not property)
5. How did the Muslims treat conquered people?
 No forced conversion/could keep own religion
 “People of the Book” paid a poll tax to be exempt from military service
Internal Conflict Creates a Crisis
6. Why did the Muslims have a difficult time maintaining a unified rule?
 Murder of rulers
 Umayyads moved capital to Damascus – Arab Muslims felt it was too far
 Umayyads also began living luxuriously – similar to non-Muslim rulers
 Led to a division in Muslim community
7. Who were the Umayyad?
Family that came to power, moved capital of Muslim Empire to Damascus
8. What were the three groups that Muslims split into? Describe the beliefs of each group.
 Sunni – accepted Umayyad rule, Muslim rulers should follow Sunna (Muhammad’s example)
 Shi’a (Shiites) – believe ruler must be descendant of Muhammad
 Sufi – rejected luxurious life of Umayyad; pursued a life of poverty and devotion to a spiritual
path
see http://www.channel4.com/news/sunni-shia-islam-muslim-syria-middle-east-key-questions
9. Why did the Umayyad caliphate fall?
Religious and political opposition
10. Who were the Abbasids?
Replaced (overthrew) the Umayyad caliphate; came to power in 750
Control Extends Over Three Continents
11. Where did the Umayyad caliphate relocate? What was the Muslim state there called?
Southern Spain ; al-Andalus
12. How did the Abbasids solidify their power?
 Moved capital to Baghdad which was located on key trade routes
 Developed a strong bureaucracy
o Treasury to keep track of money
o Department of the army
o Diplomats travled to Europe, Africa, Asia
 Taxed land, imports and exports, and non-Muslim wealth to support govt.
13. Why did the Abbasid’s power decline?
 Lasted to 1258
 Failed to complete political control
 Independent states sprang up and local leaders dominated some regions
14. Who were the Fatamid and where did they spread?
 Caliphate formed by Shi’a who claimed descent from Fatima, Muhammad’s daughter
 Began in North Africa and spread across Red Sea to western Arabia and Syria
15. What four things united the various Muslim groups to the Abbasid caliphate?
 Religion
 Language
 Trade
 Economy
16. Why was the Muslim Empire so successful at trade?
 Access to land and sea trade routes
 Needed only a single language and single currency
 Set up banks in cities across empire – used letters of credit and “sakks “ (checks)