GSTA World History: 2013

The Fifth Pillar of Islam: Hajj

The pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah.

This takes place in the Islamic year's 12th month.
Every Muslim who can do so are expected to make the hajj once during their lifetime.
Millions of people come together for this event at Makkah.

Ramadan

During Ramadan, Muslims are also encouraged to avoid arguments and bad deeds, to give thanks, and to forgive people.

The Fourth Pillar of Faith: Siyam

Siyam is daily fasting. It is performed from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

Muslims break their fast after dark
The end of Ramadan is celebrated with prayers, food, and gifts
Ramadan also encourages generosity, equality, and charity

The Third Pillar of Faith: Zakat

Muslims believe that wealth is purified by giving some of it away, that sharing helps control greed, and that giving reminds people of God's gifts.

They give 2.5% of their annual income
Zakat pays for orphanages, hospitals, soup kitchens, and shelter for the poor.
Jews and Christians also believe in giving charity

The Second of Pillar Faith: Salat

Perhaps the most well-known practice among non-Muslims is ritual prayer, or Salat, which is performed 5 times a day: at dawn, midday, afternoon, sunset, and evening.

Muslims prayer 5 times a da, wherever they are
They always face the direction of the Ka'ba in Mecca

A qibla is used to determine the correct direction

A prayer mat is used so that a person does not have to kneel directly on the floor
Before prayer, Muslims perform ritual washings of the hands, arms, face, and feet
A muezzin makes the call to prayer
The imams are prayer leaders

The First of Pillar: "Shahada"

The declaration of faith.

To show belief in one God and in Muhammad's prophethood, a Muslim says,

"The only God is Allah and Mohammad is his prophet."

According to Muslims, Allah is the one, all-powerful God who crated the universe
Muslims believe that all three monotheistic religions (Jews, Christians, and Muslims) believe in the same God.
Muslims believe that angels do Allah's work throughout the universe. They believe that everyone will face God's jugement; some will go to paradise, others to hell

The Five Pillars of Faith

The Sunnah

The Sunnah of Mohammad includes his specific words, habits, practices, and silent approvals. This book is significant because it addresses ways of life dealing with friends, family, and government.

The Qur'an

The Qur'an is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims believe to be the verbatim word of God. It is regarded as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language.

The Qur'an and The Sunnah

"Jannah" is the Islamic conception of paradise.

These two books are considered to be the the sources of Islam. The Qur'an is the Muslim Holy Book, which is believed to be inspired by God. The Sunnah provides the examples Mohammad set during his time on Earth.

Michael Hart's List of the 100 Most Influential Persons in History

Click here to see this list through Wikipedia.

Click here to see website devoted to his list.

Michael Hart is a historian who wrote a book ranking the 100 most influential people in history. Hart's book fostered many arguments, and many people disagreed with his list. Hart ranked Muhammad first because of his influence in various roles: as a politician, military leader, social reformer, and religious leader.

People often have different opinions about which historical figures have most shaped our world or were most influential. Take a look at the list and see how many names you recognize.

For more information on Muhammad go to the "Handouts" tab. On that page you will find a chapter from the book A Little History of the World written by E.H. Gombrich.

Bedouins

The Bedouins are a desert-dwelling Arabian ethnic group traditionally divided into clans or tribes. These nomadic peoples (whose name means, 'Owners of Herds') travel in caravans and live in tents.

A Bedouin musical band featured in the Guardian Magazine

A Bedouin family in Oman

The hostile desert environment lead to a fabulous hospitality towards other desert travelers.

A Bedouin tent

Bedouin food

Bedouin Food

Bedouin Clothing

Bedouin Veils

For more information, click on the following links...
Geographia.com
Bedawi.com
Encyclopedia.com

Arabia: Birthplace of Islam

Geography of the Middle East from Michael Klingensmith

Geography of the Middle East

Geography of Arabian Peninsula from Kimberly Martin

The Geography of the Arabian Peninsula

the blue and red lines mark trade routes along the Silk Road

Arabia lies at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe. In ancient times, great civilizations grew up in the lands around Arabia. To the northeast, Sumerians built their complex civilization along the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in present-day Iraq. To the west, the Egyptians built their society on the banks of the Nile River in North Africa. Later, the Greeks, Romans, and Persians all had a major influence on the Middle East.

The Desert

Satellite image from NASA of the Saudi Arabian Desert. The yellow lines enclose the desert area.

About 3/4s of the Arabian Peninsula is covered by desert. the hot, dry environment is very harsh with summer temperatures above 120 degrees and droughts that can last for years,

The Oases

The desert is dotted with oases, areas where fresh water is available. Oasis are important because they provide plant life and shade as well.

Oases occur in areas where water has been trapped underground. The water seeps to the surface as a spring or waterhole.

The Coastal Plain

Arabia's Coastal plain runs along the coasts of the peninsula.

The coastal plain ranges between 5 and 40 miles inland. It ends at a series of rocky cliffs.

The Mountains

Arabia's largest mountain ranges run along the western and southern edges of the peninsula. They divide the coastal plain from the desert.

Arabia's mountains rise from 1,000 to 12,000 feet high. These mountain ranges have a very different climate from the rest of the peninsula. Most winds from the Indian Ocean bring as much as 20 inches of rain each year.

Chapter 7 Vocabulary and Terms

caravan

a group of people with animals or vehicles who travel together for safety, especially through a desert

plateau

a large area of flat land that is higher than the land around it

nomad

a member of a tribe that travels from place to place instead of living in one place all the time, usually in order to find grass for their animals

nomadic (Bedouin) women

nomadic (Bedouin) woman wear their wealth

sedentary

a sedentary group of people tend always to live in the same place

barter

to exchange goods, work, or services for other goods or services rather than for money

irrigation

to bring water to a dry place in order to grow crops

women gathered around a water well

terrace

one of a series of flat areas cut out of a hill like steps, and used to grow crops

This is an example of terrace farming in the Hazar Mountains of the Arabian Peninsula. This is also an example of a sedentary community.

The Byzantine Empire

Chapter 6
OBJECTIVES
Students will...

explain the importance of the city of Constantinople as a trading hub and how it emerged as the capital of the Byzantine Empire.
describe the importance of the reign of Justinian I and the lasting impact of the new code of laws organized during his reign.
trace the development of the Eastern Orthodox Church and its relations to the west.