Muslim InventionsClassroom Activity

Baghdad

one of the most glorious Muslim cities

Abbasid capital

located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers

was a crossroads of trade routes connecting distant parts of the empire

Mosquesmuslim house of worship

has a small balcony for the muezzin chanted the call to prayer.

has a fountain for washing before prayers.

Astronomycompass and astrolabes could be used to locate Makkah.

figured out exact times for prayer and length of Ramadan.

realized earth rotated like a spinning top.

thought that the sun and stars traveled around the earth.

Arabic language became the language of scholarship and science.

Muslims built schools, colleges, libraries and centers of learning.

Scholarship and Learning

Zoologywrote books describing structure of animals’ bodies.

represented theories about evolution of animals.

established zoos where exotic animals were displayed.

learned how to make medicines from animals.

Irrigation and Wells

restored old irrigation systems and designed new ones.

built dams and aqueducts to provide water for households, mills and fields.

improved existing systems of canals and underground wells. (some wells reached down 50 feet.)

Geography and Navigation

divided the world into different climate region.

realized that the earth was round.

calculated the earth’s circumference within nine miles of the correct value.

created extremely accurate maps.

made books of different countries listed useful facts about the lands under Muslim rule.

Mathematicscreated algebra.

created Arabic numerals.

spread the Indian concept of zero. Zero means “something empty” in Arabic.

Medicinemade their most important contributions in medicine.

established the first hospitals.

Pharmacists made hundreds of medications.

created various surgical procedures

Bookmaking and Literature

learned the art of paper making from the Chinese.

began making bound books - growth of Muslim literature.

famous story called Arabian nights.

Geometric and Designrejected the use of images of humans or animals in their visual art - only God can create something that is alive.

artists turned to shapes and patterns found in nature and geometry to create designs and decorations.

used a design called arabesque, which is a natural pattern that is repeated over and over again.

Calligraphy (means beautiful

handwriting)

highest form of decorative art.

felt that only calligraphy was worthy to record the words of God in the Qur’an.

honored calligraphers over all other artists.

Textiles

had been important to the Arab people as practical items and as trade goods.

clothes showed rank and served as status symbols in the Muslim world.

Music established the first conservatory (music school.)

singing was an essential part of their culture.

hired as entertainers.

musicians and poets worked together to create songs.

Pololearned the game from the Persians.

looked at horses as status symbols.

became popular with the wealthy.

began to raise champion Arabian horses to play polo.

Chesswas probably invented in India.

Persians introduced to the Muslim world in mid 600s.

became popular for all levels of society.

players enjoyed the intellectual challenge that chess presented.

Muslims introduced the game of chess to Europe.

Which one do you think is the

most important invention ?