Understanding World Societies:
Printed Page 265

Chapter Chronology

> CHAPTER 9 STUDY GUIDE

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

Now, take a step back and try to explain the big picture. Remember to use specific examples from the chapter in your answers.

THE ORIGINS OF ISLAM

  • What characterized the social and economic environment in which Muhammad lived and preached?
  • What are the core teachings of Islam? How do they compare to the core teachings of Christianity and Judaism?
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ISLAMIC EXPANSION

  • Argue for or against the following proposition: “The single most important factor explaining the rapid expansion of Islamic territories was the religious fervor of Muslim leaders and their armies.” What evidence can you present to support your position?
  • What explains the fragmentation of the Islamic world after 900? How did internal factors contribute to this trend? What about external threats?
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ISLAMIC SOCIETY, COMMERCE, AND CULTURE

  • Compare and contrast Roman (Chapter 6) and Islamic slavery. What role did slaves play in each society? How would you explain the similarities and differences you note?
  • Compare and contrast Islamic and Confucian ideas (Chapter 7) about merchants and trade. How did such attitudes shape the social and economic trajectories of the Islamic and Chinese civilizations?
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Looking Back, Looking Ahead

  • What older Persian and Byzantine institutions and ideas did Islamic states incorporate into their own governments? How were those ideas and institutions modified by Islamic beliefs and practices?
  • What connections can you make between the history of Muslim-Christian interactions and the contemporary relationship between Western and Islamic societies? How do long-held beliefs shape each society’s view of the other?
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