G E O G R A P H Y C H A L L E N G E

© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute The Origins and Spread of Islam 1

The Arabian Peninsula and Surrounding Lands

60°E

20°N

40°E

20°E0°20°W

40°N

Rome

Athens

Constantinople

AlexandriaCairo

Aden

Makkah(Mecca)

Rome

Athens

Constantinople

AntiochHerat

Baghdad

AlexandriaCairo

Jerusalem

DamascusTripoli

Medina

Aden

Jeddah

Makkah(Mecca)

Cordoba

SamarkandSPAIN

PERSIA

FRANCE

EGYPT

SYRIA

ARABIANPENINSULA

N

S

EW

0 500 1,000 kilometers

0

Azimuthal Equal-Area Projection

500 1,000 miles

Islamic lands by 750

MW_ISN_U02_01 The Islamic World by 750Third ProofTCI20 65

G E O G R A P H Y C H A L L E N G E

© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute The Origins and Spread of Islam 2

Geography SkillsAnalyze the maps in “Setting the Stage”. Then answer the following questions and fill out the map as directed.1. Locate the continents that surround the Arabian Peninsula and label them on your map.

2. Locate the body of water Arab traders crossed to reach Europe. Label this body of water.

3. Label the other oceans and seas on your map.

4. What cities on the Arabian Peninsula do you think would have been important trading centers? On your map, draw a black dot for each one, and label it. Why do you think these cities became important trading centers?

5. How would the route of a trader traveling from Makkah to Cairo differ from that of a trader traveling from Makkah to Baghdad?

6. Lightly shade the areas on your map that were under Islamic rule by the year 750. After spreading along the northern coast of Africa, Muslim armies crossed the Strait of Gibraltar where Africa and Europe nearly meet. After conquering that peninsula, they were likely slowed by what physical feature?

7. According to the map, which city on the Arabian Peninsula is closest to Cairo? How do you think this might have affected the relationship between these two cities?

G E O G R A P H Y C H A L L E N G E

© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute The Origins and Spread of Islam 3

8. Locate the physical feature that formed the southern boundary of Islamic lands in Africa. Label this feature. Why do you think the empire stopped here?

Critical ThinkingAnswer the following questions in complete sentences.9. How might the location of the Arabian Peninsula have contributed to the rapid spread of

Islam?

10. Based on what you have learned about the religion, economy, and physical geography of medieval Europe, why do you think the Muslims were not able to conquer most of that continent?

11. How did the location of the Arabian Peninsula help the Muslims conquer territory beyond the Arabian Peninsula?

I N T E R A C T I V E S T U D E N T N O T E B O O K

© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute The Origins and Spread of Islam 4

How did Islam originate and spread?

Muhammad began the religion of Islam in the 7th century. Look at the map showing the modern-day distribution of the followers of Islam, called Muslims. Then answer the following questions:• WhichpatternonthemaprepresentsthehighestconcentrationsofMuslims?Thelowest?

• InwhatregionsoftheworlddothemostMuslimslive?Thefewest?

• Basedonthismap,inwhatregionoftheworlddoyouthinktheIslamicfaithmayhaveoriginated? Why?

Muslim Population, 2006

The Origins and Spread of Islam

P R E V I E W

Europe 4%

Northern Africa 92%

EasternAfrica 33%

WesternAfrica 55%

MiddleAfrica14%

SouthernAfrica

2%

MiddleEast95%

Central Asia 37%

SoutheastAsia40%

East Asia 3%

SouthAsia30%

Oceania 2%

NorthAmerica

2%

Latin America

0.5%0–5%

6–20%

21–40%

41–60%

61–100%

MW_ISN_07_RN-1.eps World: Muslim PopulationSecond ProofTCI20 35

0 1,000 2,000 kilometers

0

Robinson Projection

1,000 2,000 miles

0 1,000 2,000 kilometers

0

Robinson Projection

1,000 2,000 milesN

S

EW