Muslim Cities DBQ Essay

The Post-Classical Era was a time of goodness in the Middle East. Goods were plentiful, Islam was spreading, and the people were wealthy. The Muslim cities spread innovations throughout the world. The document groupings for the discussion of this topic are as follows: Documents 2, 1, and 5 are for city significance. Documents 3, 5, and 8 are for importance of trade. Finally, documents 4, 6, and 9 are for government and its role. Document 7 has been omitted due to the fact that it does not support my thesis. Muslim cities were abundant with knowledge, which they spread throughout the world. Scholars of all religions studied in Muslim cities, which were some of the first cities to produce books. In Document 2, a Muslim historian describes Cordoba, stating: â€Å"Unto it flocked seekers of science and poetry, for it was a resort of the noble and a mine of the learned.† It was a center of knowledge-seekers, perfect for any type of learned person. As the scholars came and went, they spread their knowledge with them, eventually spreading it all over the world. In addition to having much knowledge, Muslim cities also accumulated much wealth. Document 1 describes Damascus as â€Å"the paradise of the east†, discussing its luxurious features. Document 5 discusses the highly-priced silks that were sold in Muslim cities. I request an additional document, in which a non-Muslim describes Muslim cities, to better understand an outsider’s point of view. Trade was a large part of both Muslim and Arabic culture. It was how ideas and innovations spread all over the world; simply through word of mouth. Document 3 mentions Cairo’s numerous shops in the 11th century, of which the Sultan owned. Cairo was a rich city, of which was popular for trade. Document 5 describes trade in Tabriz, and the expensive materials that were traded. Document 8 is a map that shows numerous Muslim trade routes across North Africa, Southern Europe, and several parts of Asia. Muslim traded in many parts of the Eastern world, travelling by both land and sea. I request a trade catalog, to better prove where Muslims may have traded in the Post-Classical Era. Muslims were not always secure in government. In Document 4, Caliph Abd al-Malik forbade Syrian Muslims from making annual pilgrimage to holy cities  (some of which are mentioned in Document 9) due to the fact that they had a high chance of being attacked. The Muslim people were upset, but they were unable to convince their leader to change his mind. In Document 6, walls were built to guard Muslims from attackers (which was not always successful; as the Mongols and the Crusades had been successful attackers). In conclusion, The Muslim cities spread innovations throughout the world. Their populated and learned cities were a gateway to trade, which lead to successful trading all over the world. They shared their ideas with many nations, despite the fact that they occasionally had a weak government.