The Safavid Empire

1. The Safavid Empire Ch. 2 Sec. 2

2. UEQ and LEQ • UEQ: How was absolutism expressed in different regions around the world? • LEQ: How did Shah Abbas help start a golden age in the Safavid Empire?

3. Vocabulary • Safavid • Isma’il • Shah • Shah Abbas • Esfahan • Persians

4. Map Activity • Turn to page 71 in your textbook. • Take out the map that you colored in the Ottoman Empire and then grab one colored pencil. • Using the map on page 71 in your textbook, color in the Safavid Empire.

5. The Safavid Empire Grows • Safavids • Originally were members of an Islamic religious brotherhood. • Brotherhood was founded by Safi al-Din • The land they lived on was between two Empires, so the Safavids built a huge army for protection.

6. Taking Over Present Day Iran • The Safavids continue to build their army until 1499. • In 1499, a twelve year old boy named Isma’il becomes leader of the military and uses the Safavid army to take over Persia, which the country of Iran today. • Isma’il has himself named shah, which means king.

7. Life under Isma’il • Unlike Ottoman rulers, Safavid rulers like Isma’il hated other religions. • Any citizen that did not convert “change” religion to Shi’ism was killed. • In a war with Ottomans, Isma’il destroyed the entire Sunni religious population in the city of Baghdad. • By killing all the Sunnis in Baghdad, Isma’il caused the Ottoman ruler, Selim the Grim, to order the execution of all Shiites in the Ottoman Empire, these people practiced the same religion as Isma’il.

8. Sunnis vs. Shiites • Read the article that I have given you and underline answers in the article to the questions below… • How are both religious groups similar? How are they different? • What percentage of Muslims are Sunni and Shiite? • What happens to Shiites if Sunnis have a bigger population? • Sunnis in Iran are treated poorly, how? • What happens to power between the Sunnis and Shiites? • What do Sunnis believe about Shiites? Sunnis and Shiites

9. Shah Abbas • After the death of Isma’il, Shah Abbas “Abbas the Great” becomes ruler in 1587. • Shah Abbas starts the golden age “time of wealth” • Reforms: • Limited power of military • Created two loyal armies • Punished corruption in the government • Brought Christian worshippers into the empire so Europeans would move into the empire.

10. Shah Abbas and the Golden Age

11. Changes under Shah Abbas • Shah Abbas built a new capital called Esfahan. • Allowed different groups of artists, painters, and sculptors to help design and build the city. • Art Work: • Abbas allowed hundreds of Chinese artists to create paintings, glass windows, pottery, that decorate the churches in Esfahan. • Carpets: • Countries wanted carpets made in the Safavid Empire • With so many countries wanting carpets, this helped the Safavid Empire become friends with different countries.

12. Safavid Art How are they similar? How are they different?

13. Safavid Carpets

14. The Safavid Empire Falls apart… • Mistakes of Shah Abbas • Killed and blinded his oldest sons. • Chose his weak grandson Safi to be the next ruler. • Final Ruler • Nadir Shah Afshar becomes the final Safavid ruler in 1736. • He was so cruel that one of his soldiers assassinated him • After his death in 1747 the Safavid Empire collapsed.

15. Cultural Blending • Turn to page 78 in your textbook. • Work with the person sitting next to you answer these three questions… • What is Cultural Blending? • Where does cultural blending occur? • What are cultures exposed to when they meet another culture?

16. Causes of Cultural Blending • Cause Number 1 • Migration • People moving to different areas or different countries.

17. Causes of Cultural Blending • Cause Number 2 • Religious Freedom • Moving to a country where you can practice your religion.

18. Causes of Cultural Blending • Cause Number 3 • Trade • Buying or selling different things to other people or countries.

19. Causes of Cultural Blending • Cause Number 4 • Conquest • Taking over another country by force.

20. What are the 5 impacts of Cultural Blending? • Using the section titled, “Results of Cultural Blending” read over the short section from the bottom of page 78 to the middle of page 79. • Write down the 5 impacts that cultural blending has on different parts of a culture and give a brief explanation in your own words about what each means.

21. Impact of Cultural Blending • Language: Languages are mixed together, or a cultures writing is mixed together. Chinese language used in the country of Japan…

22. Impact of Cultural Blending • Religion: religions spread into different countries but change their ideas. Buddhist monks believe in different things from Japanese Zen monks.

23. Impact of Cultural Blending • Government: government ideas spread into different countries but they are not the same. American democracy lets people vote for leaders, Chinese democracy does not let people vote for leaders.

24. Impact of Cultural Blending • Race: different races come together through marriage. Mestizo are people living in Mexico that have European and Mexican families.

25. Impact of Cultural Blending • Art and Architecture: styles of art and architecture are mixed together when building new buildings. Builders of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C. borrowed ideas from Greek buildings in Europe

26. Exit Ticket • Answer the LEQ • “Why is cultural blending important for any group of people, or country today?” • This is your opinion, but explain your answer…