Chapter 11 Islam Questions

Question 1

What was the capital of the Abbasid caliphate?

Accepted Answer

Baghdad

Question 2

What role does the hijra play in the development of Islam?

Accepted Answer

Muhammad went to Medina at the invitation of its elders, Starts the Islamic calendar

Question 3

What is the significance of having multiple systems of Islamic law?

Accepted Answer

Multiple systems allow for the details that people believe to be different, Allow for flexibility in interpreting islamic law

Question 4

What methods were employed by the Abbasid caliphs to achieve stability?

Accepted Answer

Used Arabic as official language, encouraged people to convert to Islam, Good relations with local leaders, many ethnic groups/religions among admin, Rotated officers so they couldn't become independent, Tried to unify the empire into a heterogeneous empire, standard taxes

Question 5

What were the differences between the Sultanate of Delhi and the Mughal Empire?

Accepted Answer

Mughal empire was started by Mongol and Turkish invaders, Sultanate of Delhi was started by freed slaves

Question 6

What is the significance of the Battle of the Talas River (751 CE)?

Accepted Answer

One of the few battles the declining Umayyad empire won, Opened central Asia to Muslim expansion through silk routes, missionaries

Question 7

What role did Timbuktu play in the development of Islam in sub-Saharan Africa?

Accepted Answer

Scholarship rivaled that in morocco, Had 150-180 Quranic elementary schools mid-16th-century, Center of Islamic scholarship under Mansa Musa

Question 8

What three critical events in Spanish history occurred in 1492?

Accepted Answer

Ferdinand and Isabella expelled the Jewish population from Spain, Columbus was sent to explore the new world, Granada Fell to Catholic rulers Ferdinand and Isabella, ending muslim rule

Question 9

What circumstances explain the decline and fall of the Umayyad caliphate?

Accepted Answer

Umayyad armies had to put down a Shi’a revolt and fight other groups, Overextended armies, lost major battles, Weak leadership

Question 10

When Muhammad died in 632 CE, what decision was made regarding the leadership of the Muslim community?

Accepted Answer

Abu Bakr was elected as the leader

Question 11

What did each of the following contribute to historical writings: al-Tabari; al-Juvaini; Rashid al-Din; Ibn Khaldun?

Accepted Answer

Al-Tabari: history of Prophets and Kings, started formal history writing, Rashid al-Din: wrote World History, first attempt at a collective history, al-Juvaini: wrote History of the World’s Conquerors, Ibn Khaldun: first to apply social science theory to history

Question 12

What was the Reconquista?

Accepted Answer

An effort to try to reconquer Muslim territory by Christian Iberian states

Question 13

Why is the creation of a community of believers crucial in Islam?

Accepted Answer

Need a base of believers to combine religion and government, Helps the spread of Islam, Create Dar-al Islam

Question 14

In what ways did Islam resemble Judaism and Christianity when it emerged?

Accepted Answer

Gender relations, sacred texts, Monotheistic, alms to the poor, Ritual prayer, Sacred texts

Question 15

What was the initial response by most Meccans to Muhammad’s teachings?

Accepted Answer

Found them too demanding and did not want to purify their current practices, Alarmed by the way he received revelations, which resembled a seizure

Question 16

What role did Ethiopia play in the spread of Islam to East Africa?

Accepted Answer

Estimated 1/3 were Muslim in the 1600s, Christian, resisted conversion

Question 17

What circumstances explain the continued vitality of Islam despite the fall of the Abbasid caliphate in 1258?

Accepted Answer

Law system survived, Sufi Muslims, Spread to other areas (India, Southeast Asia, Africa)

Question 18

What influence did the intellectual developments in Islam have on the developments in Europe?

Accepted Answer

Qanun fi’l-tibb (canon of medicine), translated into latin, 300 year use, al-Qanun al-Mas’udi supported the heliocentric theory

Question 19

What are the 5 pillars of Islam?

Accepted Answer

Shahada, praying 5 times a day, alms to the poor, Ramadan, hajj to Mecca

Question 20

In what way did the rationale of those who supported Ali (656-661 CE) as caliph differ from those who opposed Ali?

Accepted Answer

Sunnis opposed Ali b/c they thought any member of the umma could be caliph, Shi'as supported Ali b/c he was a relative of Muhammad

Question 21

Distinction between the spread of Islam to China and Southeast Asia compared to the spread of Islam to other regions?

Accepted Answer

Spread as religious system without gov. support vs spread as a legal system

Question 22

What circumstances explain the decline of the Abbasid caliphate?

Accepted Answer

Various people established independent states within the caliphate, Civil war over succession 809, tax farmers, widespread use of slave troops, Seljuk Turks invaded, conquered cities & Baghdad, took control from caliph, Mongols invaded, devastating, executed caliph 1258

Question 23

What is the significance of the Battle of Tours (732 CE)?

Accepted Answer

Charles Martel beat Muslim crusaders, stopped Muslim expansion into Europe

Question 24

What circumstances explain the instability of the growing Muslim conquests during the caliphate of Umar I (634-644 CE)?

Accepted Answer

Conquerors lived separately from conquered people in conquered lands, Soldiers demanded higher pay

Question 25

What role did Mecca play before the emergence of Islam?

Accepted Answer

Important trading city in an oasis, Center for trade, with economic benefits for the tribe that controlled it, Religious center for surrounding tribes

Question 26

What was the purpose of the Spanish Inquisition?

Accepted Answer

To reduce heresy in Spain and keep power in the Spanish kingdom, Hunt down former muslims and jews thought to be insincere converts

Question 27

Demographic impact in the Islamic world with introduction of new agriculture from India between the 8th and 10th C?

Accepted Answer

Allowed for more food -> more people -> more cities, Improved irrigation techniques

Question 28

What did the following contribute to mathematics, astronomy, medicine: al-Khwarazmi; al-Biruni; al-Razi; Ibn Sina

Accepted Answer

al-Razi: medical encyclopedia from Greek, Syrian, Indian, Iranian, Arab, al-Khwarzami: used Indian and Greek texts to create algebra, al-Biruni: writings influenced trig, compilation of Islamic astronomy, Ibn Sina: Qanun fi'l-tibb (canon of medicine)

Question 29

In general, what was the relationship between Muslim invaders in South Asia and the existing Hindu majority there?

Accepted Answer

Hindus got dhimmi status because there were too many to fight, Muslims argued that behind many forms of god there was only one

Question 30

What were the conditions of dhimmi status?

Accepted Answer

Had to pay a fee, Could practice their religion freely, Could intermarry

Question 31

Why did the Umayyad caliph Mu’awiyah (661-680 CE) move his capital to Damascus?

Accepted Answer

Wanted a variety of influences and imperial administration, Wanted distance from the Muslim elite

Question 32

What variety of motivations inspired the Christian crusades?

Accepted Answer

Regain political control over the Middle East, Crusaders would attack cities/people for their own gain, God, indulgences, speedy forgiveness of sins, swift entry into heaven

Question 33

What is the expectant belief of “Twelver” Shias?

Accepted Answer

The Mahdi, will return as an apocalyptic messiah at the end of time

Question 34

What were the primary means by which Islam spread into sub-Saharan Africa?

Accepted Answer

Mansa Musa encouraged conversion in the 1300s, Almoravids conquered Ghana 11th century, Traders

Question 35

What is the significance of the Battle of Karbala (680 CE)?

Accepted Answer

Conflict between Sunnis and Shias, Husayn died as a Shia martyr

Question 36

What was the significance of the Battle of Manzikert (1071 CE)?

Accepted Answer

Seljuk turks became the dominant force in Anatolia allowing islam to spread, Seljuk turks defeated the byzantine empire

Question 37

What explains the migration of the Seljuk Turks and other Asiatic peoples westward beginning in the 7th + 8th C.’s CE?

Accepted Answer

Pressure from Tang Dynasty

Question 38

What is the Alhambra?

Accepted Answer

A building in Granada, Originally designed to be a military fort, A court and residence in the 13th century

Question 39

What was the significance of the Fourth Crusade (1202-04 CE)?

Accepted Answer

Roman Catholic armies attacked Byzantine, going against orders, Divided christianity further

Question 40

What is the significance of the Battle of Ain Jalut (1260 CE)?

Accepted Answer

A sultan in Cairo stopped the expansion of the Mongols

Question 41

What was the significance of the fall of Seville in 1248 CE?

Accepted Answer

All Muslim scholars there fled to Granada, which fluorished

Question 42

What is the significance of the Dome of the Rock?

Accepted Answer

Built by the Umayyads in Jerusalem, 691, Shows the triumph of the Umayyads

Question 43

What role did Sufis play in the spread of Islam?

Accepted Answer

Provided mysticism, which was attractive to many potential converts, Supported local rulers, which introduced Islam into government

Question 44

What does it mean that the Umayyads copied the structures of the Byzantine and Sassanid Persian Empires?

Accepted Answer

Lavish courts, Used violent wars to conquer territory, Bureaucratic admin, Monumental architecture

Chapter 11 Islam Questions

Questions 44

Chapter 11 Islam Questions

Questions 44