Starter quiz
- The capital of the Abbasid Caliphate was ...
- London.
- Baghdad. ✓
- Rome.
- Damascus.
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- What is a caliph?
- a political leader in ancient Rome
- a spiritual leader in Hinduism
- a religious leader in Buddhism
- a political and religious leader in Islam ✓
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- Match the word to its definition.
- science⇔the systematic study of the natural world ✓
- medicine⇔the study of the human body, diseases and treatments ✓
- philosophy⇔the study of questions about existence, knowledge, values and mind ✓
- Why was Baghdad a wealthy city?
- It had rich mineral deposits.
- It had abundant natural resources.
- It had vast farming lands.
- It had a strategic location along trade routes such as the Silk Road. ✓
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- What is geometry?
- the study of the Earth's magnetic field
- the study of the Earth's atmosphere
- the study of shapes, sizes and spatial relationships ✓
- the study of the mountains, rivers and countries
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- What is meant by the Islamic Golden Age?
- a time of scientific, cultural and intellectual growth in the Islamic world ✓
- the spread of Islam across Europe and Asia
- the rise of powerful Islamic empires in the Middle Ages
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Exit quiz
- Which of the following facts are true about caliph Harun al-Rashid?
- He established the House of Wisdom. ✓
- He established the House of Forgetting.
- He paid scholars to translate texts to Arabic. ✓
- He paid scholars to translate texts to English.
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- The House of Wisdom was established in the capital city of the Abbasid Caliphate called ...
- 'Baghdad' ✓
- Match the word to its meaning.
- optics⇔the study of light and vision ✓
- compass⇔an instrument for finding direction ✓
- abstract art⇔art that doesn't try to show things exactly as they look in real life ✓
- What was the House of Wisdom?
- a marketplace for trading goods
- a centre for learning and knowledge ✓
- a royal palace for the caliphs
- a military fortress for defence
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- Who was Galen?
- a renowned Indian mathematician
- a famous Roman emperor
- an important Islamic scholar
- a well-known Greek doctor ✓
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- What is a feature of Islamic art?
- use of geometric patterns ✓
- depiction of realistic human figures
- use of bright neon colours
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Worksheet
Presentation
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- The caliphs paid scholars to come to the House of Wisdom to translate Greek, Persian and Indian texts into Arabic.
- They used these texts to create new knowledge that was spread throughout the Islamic world and even further afield.
- Scholars translated the works of Greek and Roman doctors like Galen, saving and spreading this medical knowledge.
- Scientists and scholars in Baghdad made many discoveries such as how lenses and the human eye work and making compasses.
- Geometrically patterned art looking like flowers and plants spread across the Muslim world from Baghdad.
Common misconception
The House of Wisdom was exclusively Muslim.
The House of Wisdom was inclusive and multicultural, attracting scholars from various religious and ethnic backgrounds, including Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians. This diversity helped in the exchange of ideas and knowledge.
Keywords
Scholar - a scholar is someone who spends a lot of time studying and learning; they often become experts in their chosen areas and share what they learn with others
Galen - Galen was a doctor in Ancient Greece, who lived during the 2nd century CE, and made many important discoveries about medicine and the human body
Compass - a compass is a tool for showing direction; a magnetic compass has a needle that points north
Abstract - abstract art is a style of art that doesn't try to show things exactly as they look in real life but instead uses shapes, colours, and patterns to express ideas or feelings