Chapter 6 Reading Guide
1. Why was the Islamic Civilization so different from previous civilizations?
2. How did the geography of the Arabian Peninsula affect the Bedouin culture and clan rivalries?
3. Why were Mecca and Medina significant in pre-Islamic Arabia?
4. How were women treated in pre-Islamic Arabia?
5. Who was Muhammad?
6. Who initially adopted Islam? Why was it popular and easy to adopt?
7. Who were the Umayyads? Why did they begin conquest? Who were their rivals for the area
they conquered? Why were their rivals unsuccessful?
8. How did Islam split into the Sunni and Shi’a branches? What is the difference between them?
9. Describe the Umayyad imperium. Who converted to Islam? How were women treated?
10. Why did the Umayyad’s decline? Who took over?
11. Who were the Abbasids and how were they different rulers?
12. Why did people begin to convert to Islam under the Abbasids?
13. Describe trade in the empire. What was the status of merchants? Who did they trade with?
What did they trade?
14. What technological, artistic, and intellectual achievements did they make?