Medieval Europe, 9/e

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The Early Middle Ages: The Birth of Europe

The Ascent of Islam

Essay Quiz


1		Who was Muhammad and how did he become the leader of a new religious movement? How might a pious Muslim answer this question?



2		Is Muhammad best understood as a "prophet" or a "statesman."



3		"Muhammad is the most important individual in history." Discuss the "pros" and "cons" of this statement.



4		Why was Islam able to defeat the two great powers of the early 7th century -- the East Roman Empire (Byzantium) and Sassanid Persia?



5		Did Islam improve the position of Arab women?



6		What is it about the new faith that led to a social and political transformation in the societies it entered?



7		What are the basic beliefs and practices of Islam?



8		What accounted for the rapid expansion of Islam?



9		What was the outcome of the controversy over who would succeed the prophet?



10		What was the importance of the Battle of Tours for Christian Europe?



11		What problems did the Muslims face in governing their quickly acquired empire? What solutions did they adopt?



12		Compare and contrast the beliefs of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. What do they have in common? How do they differ?



13		Compare the spread of Islam with the spread of Christianity. What do the two processes share? How do they differ? Do you think that Islam will continue to spread at the same rate?



14		Why was Muslim rule successful in unifying conquered territories?



15		Describe the Umayyad and the Abbasid caliphates. What were the differences in their rule over the empire?



16		What were the intellectual gains made in the Muslim world?

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