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

  1. The Umayyad Caliphate was the second dynastic caliphate and was the largest; it ruled the last united Islamic caliphate.
  2. This empire covered the Middle East, parts of Asia as far as India, North Africa, and most of Spain.
  3. It controlled a vast network of trade routes, allowing wealth and knowledge to spread throughout Islamic civilisation.
  4. 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 (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
The revelations that Muhammad (PBUH) received were written in the , which contains the teachings of Islam.
Correct Answer: Qur'an, qur'an, quran, Quran
Q2.
Which city is a place of pilgrimage for Muslims?
Correct answer: Mecca
Baghdad
Jerusalem
Medina
Q3.
The Muslim leader and ruler and next-in-line of Muhammad (PBUH) after his death was known as the...
Correct Answer: caliph, Caliph
Q4.
The first caliphate after the death of Muhammad (PBUH) was the Caliphate.
Byzantine
Correct answer: Rashidun
Persian
Arabian
Q5.
Which religion spread as a result of the expansion of the Rashidun Caliphate?
Christianity
Judaism
Correct answer: Islam
Hinduism
Q6.
Why was capturing Jerusalem in 638 CE important to the Muslims?
Correct answer: It ensured Muslim control over Palestine.
Correct answer: It forced the Byzantine Empire out of the area.
It forced the Persian Empire out of the area.
Correct answer: Muslims believe that Muhammad (PBUH) ascended to heaven from Jerusalem.

6 Questions

Q1.
The Umayyads were a line of ...
kings
Correct answer: caliphs
presidents
prime ministers
Q2.
The Umayyad Caliphate followed a dynastic rule. What does dynastic mean in the context?
Correct answer: Leadership was handed down from father to son (or a male relative).
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.
Correct answer: The trade on the Silk Road brought in a lot of money for the Umayyad Caliphate.
Q4.
What was the main reason why traders on the Silk Road travelled in caravans?
camels prefer travelling in herds of straight lines
Correct answer: for safety reasons as traders were often attacked and robbed along the way
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
Correct answer: luxury
Q6.
Why did traders use camels to carry goods on the Silk Road?
Correct answer: Camels can go without water for a long time.
Camels are very fast.
Correct answer: Camels can carry heavy loads.
Camels are good guard animals.

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