New
New
Year 5
The geography of the Umayyad Caliphate
I can identify where the Islamic Empire started and the regions it covered.
New
New
Year 5
The geography of the Umayyad Caliphate
I can identify where the Islamic Empire started and the regions it covered.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- The Umayyad Caliphate was the second dynastic caliphate and was the largest; it ruled the last united Islamic caliphate.
- This empire covered the Middle East, parts of Asia as far as India, North Africa, and most of Spain.
- It controlled a vast network of trade routes, allowing wealth and knowledge to spread throughout Islamic civilisation.
- Muslim control of the trade routes from Southern Europe to East Asia, known as the Silk Roads, was very lucrative.
Keywords
Umayyad - Umayyad was the name of a line of caliphs based in Damascus that ruled from 661 CE to 750 CE
Dynastic - dynastic means that power and leadership is handed down from one generation of a ruling family to the next
Silk Roads - the Silk Roads refers to a network of ancient trade routes between China and Europe
Lucrative - when something is lucrative, it makes a lot of money
Common misconception
The Silk Roads were specific, defined roads.
The Silk Roads were not actual roads nor a single route; it was in fact a network of trade routes running between China and Europe.
Talk about what the children might consider to be luxury goods. Compare it to the luxury goods of those traded on the Silk Roads.
Teacher tip
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of upsetting content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
The revelations that Muhammad (PBUH) received were written in the , which contains the teachings of Islam.
Q2.
Which city is a place of pilgrimage for Muslims?
Baghdad
Jerusalem
Medina
Q3.
The Muslim leader and ruler and next-in-line of Muhammad (PBUH) after his death was known as the...
Q4.
The first caliphate after the death of Muhammad (PBUH) was the Caliphate.
Byzantine
Persian
Arabian
Q5.
Which religion spread as a result of the expansion of the Rashidun Caliphate?
Christianity
Judaism
Hinduism
Q6.
Why was capturing Jerusalem in 638 CE important to the Muslims?
It forced the Persian Empire out of the area.
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
The Umayyads were a line of ...
kings
presidents
prime ministers
Q2.
The Umayyad Caliphate followed a dynastic rule. What does dynastic mean in the context?
The leader was chosen.
Someone volunteered to be the leader.
Q3.
The Silk Road was lucrative for the Umayyad Caliphate. What does lucrative mean?
The Umayyad Caliphate lost a lot of money because the roads were so bad.
Robbers stole most of the goods on the Silk Road, which left the Umayyads poor.
Q4.
What was the main reason why traders on the Silk Road travelled in caravans?
camels prefer travelling in herds of straight lines
traders travelling on their own would often get lonely
Q5.
Goods that were transported for trade on the Silk Road, like tea, salt, sugar, porcelain and spices, were goods.
cheap
every-day
Q6.
Why did traders use camels to carry goods on the Silk Road?
Camels are very fast.
Camels are good guard animals.
Additional material
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