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The Islamic World

Driving Question: How did the spread of Islam influence human communities and networks in Afro-Eurasia during this period?

Today, Islam is a world religion practiced all over the globe, but it didn’t start out that way. Islam began in seventh-century Arabia and quickly spread across Afro-Eurasia through trade, conquest, and cultural interactions. In many areas, it formed the basis of a new form of state known as the caliphate. During Europe’s Middle Ages, the Islamic world was experiencing a golden age.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Examine the extent to which the Islamic world experienced a golden age.
  2. Analyze how the collapse and recovery of empires affected the spread of belief systems and the expansion of trade networks like the Silk Road.
  3. Use the historical thinking practice of claim testing to evaluate the spread of Islam along networks of exchange.

Vocab Terms:

  • administrative
  • bureaucrat
  • caravan
  • Crusades
  • influx
  • mosque
  • province
STEP 2

A New Religion Emerges

Today, Islam is one of the largest religions in the world. Explore an article and video to get a better sense of how it began—and how it expanded to shape a vast global empire.

The Emergence of Islam External link

Islam, followed by nearly 2 billion people today, began in the seventh century with revelations to the Prophet Muhammad. These revelations were later compiled in the Qur’an. After the Prophet Muhammad’s death, the religion spread rapidly.

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.
STEP 3

Connecting Afro-Eurasia

Conflict and connections. It sounds like a board game, but it’s also a great way to describe history. Use the materials below to see how Christian-Muslim clashes reveal both.

Causes and Consequences of the Crusades External link

The Crusades were a centuries-long clash between Christian and Muslim kingdoms over control of the Holy Lands—but they also sparked new connections across the Mediterranean world.

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.
STEP 4

Closer: The Islamic World

Mapping the spread of Islam across Afro-Eurasia can help you expand your understanding the causes and impacts of the changes you’ve encountered in this lesson.