Global Tapestry 1.2

Analyze how the activities of merchants and missionaries contributed to the spread of Islam from India to Spain after the death of Muhammad in 632. What reasoning can you provide for why these groups were effective in spreading the religion?

• Merchants and missionaries traveled widely, facilitating cultural exchange and religious conversion through trade and communication.

• Merchants and missionaries forced conversions through military conquest alone.

• Merchants and missionaries only spread Islam within Arabia and did not travel beyond.

• Merchants and missionaries were not involved in the spread of Islam; only rulers played a role.

Evaluate the impact of the House of Wisdom in Baghdad on the transfer of knowledge throughout Afro-Eurasia. What evidence supports its significance in shaping society during the Abbasid Empire?

• The House of Wisdom served as a major center for learning, attracting scholars from distant regions and facilitating the transfer of knowledge across cultures.

• The House of Wisdom was only a religious institution with no impact on knowledge transfer.

• The House of Wisdom was primarily a military training center.

• The House of Wisdom was located in Europe, not Baghdad.

Using reasoning and evidence, explain how the rise of the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt (1250–1517) influenced trade and power dynamics in the Islamic world and Europe.

• The Mamluk Sultanate prospered by facilitating trade in cotton and sugar, but declined when Europeans developed new sea routes.

• The Mamluk Sultanate isolated itself from trade, leading to economic decline.

• The Mamluk Sultanate only focused on agriculture and ignored trade.

• The Mamluk Sultanate was never involved in trade with Europe.

Analyze how the shift in trade routes away from Baghdad impacted the city’s economic and social structure during the Abbasid era. Use evidence from the text to support your reasoning.

• The shift in trade routes led to Baghdad’s increased wealth and population, making it the most powerful city in the region.

• The shift in trade routes caused Baghdad to lose its traditional place at the center of trade, resulting in a decline in wealth, population, and infrastructure.

• The shift in trade routes had no significant impact on Baghdad’s economy or social structure.

• The shift in trade routes led to Baghdad becoming the capital of the Mongol Empire.

Using evidence from the text, explain how Islamic scholars contributed to the preservation and transmission of knowledge across cultures during the Abbasid period.

• They destroyed foreign texts to promote only Islamic teachings.

• They translated Greek literary classics into Arabic, studied Indian mathematics, and adopted Chinese paper-making techniques, thereby preserving and spreading knowledge.

• They isolated themselves from other cultures to maintain the purity of their own traditions.

• They only focused on religious studies and ignored scientific advancements.

Assess the impact of Turkic peoples on the political and cultural landscape of Islamic states after the decline of the Abbasid Caliphate, using examples from the text.

• Turkic peoples had no influence on Islamic states after the Abbasid Caliphate.

• Turkic peoples shaped later Islamic states, such as the Mamluks, Seljuks, Delhi Sultanate, Ottoman Empire, Safavid Empire, and Mughal Empire, influencing both political and cultural developments.

• Turkic peoples only influenced the economic policies of Islamic states.

• Turkic peoples replaced all previous Islamic traditions with their own.

Evaluate the impact of Sufi missionaries on the spread of Islam. In what ways did their approach differ from other Islamic scholars, and how did this affect the regions they reached?

• Sufi missionaries focused on military conquest to spread Islam.

• Sufi missionaries adapted to local cultures and traditions, interweaving local religious elements with Islam, which helped them win many converts.

• Sufi missionaries only taught the Quran and did not interact with local populations.

• Sufi missionaries discouraged any adaptation to local customs.

Compare and contrast the roles of merchants in Islamic society with those in European and Asian societies during the same period. What factors contributed to the higher status of merchants in the Islamic world?

• Merchants in Islamic society were viewed as less important than in Europe and Asia due to religious restrictions.

• Merchants in Islamic society were seen as prestigious because of the revival of trade, fair dealings, charity, and the example set by Muhammad, who had been a merchant.

• Merchants in Islamic society were only involved in local trade and had little influence.

• Merchants in Islamic society were not allowed to participate in religious activities.

Assess the significance of Ibn Khaldun’s contributions to the fields of historiography and sociology. How did his work shape the study of history and society?

• Ibn Khaldun was primarily known for his medical research.

• Ibn Khaldun’s historical accounts and theories are widely acknowledged as foundational in the fields of historiography and sociology, influencing later scholars.

• Ibn Khaldun focused only on religious poetry.

• Ibn Khaldun’s work was limited to the study of astronomy.

Analyze the Islamic approach to slavery as described in the text. How did Islamic law shape who could be enslaved, and what groups were exempt?

• Islamic law allowed the enslavement of all people, including Muslims.

• Islamic law prohibited the enslavement of Muslims, Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians, with slaves often imported from other regions.

• Islamic law did not address the issue of slavery.

• Islamic law encouraged the enslavement of merchants.