Download Assessment: The Origins and Spread of Islam

Name __________________________________________________ Date ______________________________
Assessment: The Origins and Spread of Islam
Mastering the Content
Circle the letter next to the best answer.
1. Why is the city of Makkah important in Muslim tradition?
A. Most Muslims today live there.
B. It was the birthplace of Muhammad.
C. It was the capital of the Umayyad empire.
D. Muhammad moved there with his followers.
2. What geographic feature made Makkah a wealthy city?
A. sheltered harbor
B. deep mountain forests
C. location on trade routes
D. oasis water for agriculture
3. Before Muhammad was born, the people of Arabia were united by
A. a belief in one God.
B. a single social class.
C. a common language.
D. a central government.
4. What took Muhammad to places beyond the Arabian Peninsula?
A. searching for a wife
B. herding the family goats
C. conquering a vast empire
D. making caravan trips for trade
5. According to Islamic teachings, what did the angel Gabriel tell Muhammad to do?
A. teach monotheism
B. defeat the Syrian rulers
C. write down the most important laws
D. flee to the deserts of North Africa
6. The word Muslim means one who
A. surrenders to God.
B. follows Muhammad.
C. preaches the one true faith.
D. practices kindness toward all.
7. Why is the Qur’an the holy book of Islam?
A. It tells the story of Muhammad's life and death.
B. It records the words of God spoken by Gabriel.
C. It is a collection of sermons by the prophet Muhammad.
D. It records the history of the Arabs and the spread of Islam.
8. What teaching by Muhammad most upset the leaders of Makkah?
A. Children should learn to read.
B. Women should have more rights.
C. The rich should share their wealth.
D. Trade with unbelievers was wrong.
9. Why did the leaders of Makkah want to keep polytheism?
A. It taught people to obey them.
B. It kept peace among the tribes.
C. It let them sell expensive idols.
D. It brought pilgrims to their city.
10. How did some clans boycott Muhammad’s clan?
A. by tearing down their stores
B. by shutting them up in caves
C. by staging a seige of Madinah
D. by refusing to do business with them
11. What is said to have happened on Muhammad’s Night Journey?
A. A winged horse took him to Jerusalem.
B. He met an angel in a cave near his home.
C. He fled from Makkah to another city for safety.
D. He visited his sleeping followers just before he died.
12. What action by Muhammad in Madinah made that city important to his followers?
A. He prayed with Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.
B. He lived there while he drew more people to Islam.
C. He tore down the city walls and destroyed the ancient shrines.
D. He delivered his Last Sermon, announcing that he would retire.
13. How did the Muslim empire treat Jews and Christians differently from Muslims?
A. It charged them extra taxes.
B. It made them leave the empire.
C. It outlawed use of their prayers.
D. It burned their houses of worship.
14. After the first four caliphs, what changed in the Muslim empire?
A. The Qur'an was respected.
B. Leaders stopped making war.
C. Islam split into two branches.
D. Egyptian nomads took power.
15. Which question separated the Sunnis from the Shi’ah?
A. Is it wise to expand the empire?
B. Should nonbelievers be punished?
C. Should religious pictures of humans be permitted?
D. Must a caliph be descended from Muhammad?
16. How did the Umayyads contribute to the spread of Islam?
A. As wealthy traders, they spread Arab ideas.
B. As a ruling family, they conquered new lands.
C. As wandering preachers, they attracted converts.
D. As scholars, they translated the Qur'an into other languages.
Applying Social Studies Skills
Use the map and your knowledge of history to complete the sentences below.
17. Damascus was the capital of the Muslim empire for many years. A camel caravan going east across the
desert from Damascus would arrive at the Persian city of
18. In addition to camel caravans, Arab traders traveled by ships from ports in the ___________________, the
___________________, and the___________________.
19. Charles Martel prevented Muslim armies from conquering more of Europe
at the Battle of ___________________ in what is now the nation of ___________________.
Exploring the Essential Question: How did Islam originate and spread?
20. Select three events or developments that you believe were important to the origins and spread of Islam.
•The first should be important to the origin of Islam.
•The second should be important to the spread of Islam in Muhammad’s lifetime.
•The third should be important to the spread of Islam after Muhammad’s death in 632 C.E. You may use the
map on the previous page for reference.
Fill in the chart below with a description of each event and why you think it was important to the origin and
spread of Islam. Use complete sentences.