The Ottoman Empire
In this lesson, students will be able to
define the following terms:
Ottoman Turks
Istanbul
Suleiman the Magnificent
Cultural Diversity
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The Ottoman Turks were from Central Asia.
They emerged as rulers of the Islamic world
in the 1400s.
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The Ottoman Turks
• The Ottoman Turks were from Central
Asia.
• The Ottoman Turks were Muslims.
• They conquered a vast empire between
the 1400s and the 1600s.
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In 1453, the Ottomans conquered
Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine
Empire.
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The Fall of Constantinople
• In 1453, the Ottomans succeeded in
capturing Constantinople, the capital of the
Byzantine Empire.
• With the fall of the Byzantine Empire, the
Ottomans became powerful.
• The Ottomans renamed the city Istanbul.
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The Ottomans also conquered Egypt
and North Africa, reuniting most of
the Muslim world.
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Reuniting Most of the Muslim World
• The Ottomans conquered lands in
Southwest Asia, North Africa, and Europe.
• They reunited most of the Muslim world.
• However, the Ottomans never conquered
Persia or Afghanistan.
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Under the leadership of Suleiman
the Magnificent, the Ottoman Empire
was the largest empire in the world.
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Suleiman the Magnificent
• Suleiman the Magnificent was an Ottoman
Sultan who ruled from 1520-1566.
• Under his leadership, the Ottoman Empire
reached the height of its power.
• There was order and stability in the
Ottoman Empire.
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Look closely at the map.
Can you find the lands conquered during
the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent?
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Sultan
• A Sultan is a ruler of a Muslim kingdom.
This title is especially associated with the
Ottoman Empire.
• A Sultan was an all-powerful ruler.
• The Sultan was similar to a European
absolute monarch.
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There was great cultural diversity in the
Ottoman Empire.
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Diversity and Tolerance
• There was great cultural diversity in the
Ottoman Empire.
• The Ottomans recognized cultural diversity
by letting Christian and Jewish
communities largely govern themselves.
• The Ottomans did not force their religion
on others.
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The Ottomans controlled important
trade routes that led to prosperity.
However, European advances in
technology ultimately led to the fall of the
Empire.
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Questions for Reflection:
• Who were the Ottoman Turks and what did
they do?
• When did the Ottomans conquer
Constantinople and how did the fall of
Constantinople benefit the Ottomans?
• What did the Ottomans rename
Constantinople?
• Who was Suleiman the Magnificent and
what were his accomplishments?
• How did the Ottomans treat their culturally
diverse subjects? Explain your answer.
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