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Muslim Culture. Trade Networks. Econ facilitators Single language & single currency Banks Letters of credit (sakk) Exchange for cash @ other banks In Europe pronounced check. Setting the Stage. Abbasids Prosperous period of Muslim history Riches flowed in from
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Trade Networks • Econ facilitators • Single language & single currency • Banks • Letters of credit (sakk) • Exchange for cash @ other banks • In Europe pronounced check
Setting the Stage • Abbasids • Prosperous period of Muslim history • Riches flowed in from • Europe, Asia, & Africa • Luxurious cities • Patronized arts & thought • Preserved knowledge • Produced original learning • Sophistication matched only by Tang (China)
Social Classes • 4 classes • Upper class = Muslim born • Converts to Islam • “Protected people” • Christians, Jews & Zoroastrians • Slaves • POW • All non-Muslim • Jobs • Household work • Serve in military • Manual labor
Women • Qur’an • Socially • Men are dominant • Control affairs of women • “Righteous woman is obedient” • Religiously • Equal as believers
Women • Shari’a • More econ & property rights than • European, Indian & Chinese @ same time period • Expected to submit to men • Men could have 4 wives • If he can provide for them ($)
Literature • The Thousand and One Nights • Collection of fairy tales, parables & legends • Core = India & Persia • Muslims added stories & arranged them • King Shahryar • Marries a new wife each day • Kills her the next day • Scheherezade • Tells him stories 1001 nights • King falls in love w/ her
Art • What was discouraged? • Why? • Purpose? • Reflect = glory of Allah
Art • Two types? • Calligraphy • Pictures using letters • Decorative arts • Woodwork, glass, ceramics & textiles • Style = Arabesque • Complex ornate design • Flowers or geometric patterns
Architecture • Greatest cultural blending • Mosque @ Damascus • Huge dome & vaulted ceilings Byzantine • Syria Roman • Baths & heating systems • Cordoba • Great Mosque • 2 levels of arches (original)
House of Wisdom • Library, academy & translation center • Scholars collected & translated • Scientific & philosophical text • From: • Greece, India, Persia & elsewhere
Science • Problem solving: • Greeks observation & logical • Muslims experiments in lab • Mathematics • Al-Khwarizmi • “the art of bringing together unknowns to match a known quantity” • al-jabr algebra
Medicine • Al-Razi • Great physician • Wrote: • Comprehensive Book • Treatise on Smallpox and Measles • Ibn al-Haytham • Optics • Revolutionized ideas about vision • Telescopes & microscopes
Astronomy • Observatories charted • Stars, comets & planets • Fulfill 3 of the Five Pillars • Need an accurate lunar calendar • Ramadan • Hajj • Study the sky fix locations of cities • Pray face Mecca • Travel & trade
Astronomy • Inventions • Astrolabe • Fix plate map of sky • Rotating rete daily movement of the earth • Purpose: • Calculate time, celestial events & relative position • Armillary Sphere • Calendar