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Teachers Notes 

Welcome to this website dedicated to improving the knowledge of teachers and pupils on the new topic of Early Islamic Civilisations. 

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In the National Curriculum 2014 it states 'Pupils should learn about a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history – one study chosen from: early Islamic civilisation, including a study of Baghdad c. ad 900; Mayan civilisation c. ad 900; Benin (West Africa) c. ad 900–1300'. While we found lots of information on the other studies identified, we found very little on Early Islamic Civilisations.

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Key Word Glossary: 

Caliph: Political and religious leader

Dynasty: A ruling family 

Empire: Group of countries under the rule of one leader  

Golden Age: A time of great developments in the sciences and arts 

House of Wisdom: Also known as the Bayt al-Hikma, a place of learning that had a huge library with knowledge from around the world 

The Round City: The city of Baghdad was also known as The Round City due to its architectural design 

Important Dates: 

751: Arabs learn to make paper 

762: Caliph Al-Mansur founds the city of Baghdad, making the decision to build it 

c. 768: The Round City is finished 

c. 800: Baghdad becomes the largest city in the world 

c 810: Baghdad becomes the centre for learning, with great advancements in maths, science and other disciplines 

c 950: The Abbasid Caliphate starts to decline 

1258: The invading Mongols destroy Baghdad 

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