Grade 8 · Social Studies · Unit 2 of 6
The Islamic World
Scholars, cities and empires
What your child practises
The early Islamic world and its cities, scholars and discoveries (such as algebra and optics), the exchange of knowledge through trade and translation, and the Ottoman Empire.
BC Curriculum learning standard: The rise of Islam and the Islamic world: learning, trade, cultural exchange and the Ottoman Empire
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
During which month do many Muslims fast from dawn until sunset?
- Ramadan
- Passover
- Diwali
- Vaisakhi
Show answer
Ramadan
Hint: Ramadan is a month of fasting, prayer and caring for others.
Question 2
The numerals 0 to 9 used today are often called…
- Egyptian symbols
- Roman numerals
- Hindu-Arabic numerals
- Mayan glyphs
Show answer
Hindu-Arabic numerals
Hint: They began in India and were spread by Arabic-speaking scholars.
Question 3
Fatima al-Fihri founded the University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez in 859. Why is it notable?
- It was a castle.
- It was built in Spain.
- It taught only farming.
- It is often described as one of the oldest universities still operating.
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It is often described as one of the oldest universities still operating.
Hint: Education in the Islamic world included women as founders, learners and teachers.
Question 4
Cordoba in Muslim Spain (al-Andalus) was known for…
- having no trade
- libraries, scholars and a mix of cultures
- being a remote fishing village
- being an empty desert
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libraries, scholars and a mix of cultures
Hint: Muslims, Christians and Jews lived and shared knowledge in al-Andalus for long periods.
Question 5
Baghdad became the capital of the Abbasid caliphate in 762. It was a major centre of…
- learning and trade
- ocean exploration
- farming only
- castle building
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learning and trade
Hint: Baghdad grew into one of the largest and most important cities in the world.
Question 6
Muslim scholars translated and preserved many writings from ancient Greece. Why did this matter later?
- It stopped scholars from learning.
- It destroyed the ideas.
- Europeans later learned many of these ideas through Arabic translations.
- It banned science.
Show answer
Europeans later learned many of these ideas through Arabic translations.
Hint: Translation kept knowledge alive and passed it on.