Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Chapter 9 Islam

Islam:
  • Different people coming from different places, looking different were all participating in the same spiritual ritual unity.
  • There was a lot of diversity in people.
  • Muslim had a very big presence in the United States, 8 million muslims, 1,200 mosques.
  • Christianity and Islam emerged more from the margins of mediterranean and Middle Eastern civilizations.
  • The spread of Islam was very big and important.
  • it continued in the modern era their was around 22% , 1.2  billion people who identified themselves as Muslims.
  • Mecca was home to people from various tribes and clans and it also housed exiles, refugees, foreign merchants.
  • However Mecca had wealth but it was only held by a few people.
  • Muhammad Ibn Abdullah believed that he was Allah's messenger to the Arabs, He believed that he was the one that was going to bring them a scripture that they could understand.
  • The message of Quran was made into five requirements that were known as the pillars of Islam.
  • A lot of changes started happening after Muhammad's death in 632.
  • Arab empires were built: islamic community wanted wealth and wanted to make a profit out of the trade routes.
  • People were able to practice their own religion as long as they paid tax (jizya).
  • Conversion to the religion was not an easy process.
  • Allah made men superior to women, and good women were obedient
  • Polygyny was permitted, men were limited to four wives, He had to treat them all equally
  • Women in general had to follow strict rules and were very limited when it came down to doing whatever they wanted.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Silk, Sea, Sand Roads

Silk roads:

  • Started in China
  • There was more than one road.
  • Luxury items traveled through those routes.
  • They were smaller things, usually for the wealthy
  • They were very protected in China on how to make the goods.
  • People were doing well in China can only make the silk.
  • People would walk around seven days ti get somewhere.



Sea Roads:

  • Spices, livestock, slaves
  • Mass exposure to goods
  • Some problems are rotting food on the boat.
  • Diseases were more common
  • A lot of people died on their journey
  • Sinking, lost at sea, strong currents


Sand Roads: 

  • A lot of camels go at the same time.
  • Slaves transported kola nuts, dates.
  • The Spread of the Islam religion and culture
  • Dangers were heat, no water, no food.
  • The people traveled at night, their was a very small camel to human ratio.
  • They rely a lot on camels and navigation.
  • Women were really not brought with them