The Islamic caliphates: conquests, trade, Baghdad and the House of Wisdom

Grade 7 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   Esme's chain has a blank box: what happened in 661?

   • The Umayyads took the caliphate and moved the capital to Damascus
   • The first four caliphs began ruling the Muslim community from Medina
   • The Abbasids took the caliphate and moved the capital to Baghdad
   • The community chose its first caliph after the death of Muhammad
2. 2.

   Jun's chain has a blank box: what did the caliph al-Mansur do in 762?

   • Gave the caliphate to the Umayyads
   • Closed the Silk Roads for good
   • Founded the new capital, Baghdad
   • Moved the capital to Damascus
4. 3.

   Luz reads the word caliph. What is a caliph?

   • A mapmaker who draws the capital cities
   • A scholar who translates old books into Arabic
   • A merchant who sails to India and back
   • A successor who leads the Muslim community
5. 4.

   Milo reads about the Umayyad family. What is a dynasty?

   Use the picture in question 3.

   • A line of rulers from one family
   • A school where books are copied
   • A tax paid on goods that cross a border
   • A group of ships on one sea
6. 5.

   Noah reads about the Silk Roads. What were they?

   • A guild of silk weavers in Baghdad
   • A canal dug by the caliph al-Mansur
   • Trade routes linking China to the Mediterranean
   • A single paved road across Iraq
8. 6.

   In which years did the first four caliphs rule from Medina, Pia asks?

   • 632–750
   • 632–661
   • 661–750
   • 750–762
9. 7.

   Which family ruled from Damascus, Tala asks?

   Use the picture in question 6.

   • The Umayyad family
   • The Persian emperors
   • The Abbasid family
   • The first four caliphs
10. 8.

    On Zee's map, one arrow runs north from Medina in 661. Which city does it reach?

    Use the picture in question 6.

    • Damascus
    • Alexandria
    • Mecca
    • Baghdad
12. 9.

    Which year does Ari's timeline give for the founding of Baghdad?

    • 750
    • 862
    • 762
    • 726
13. 10.

    In which direction does the dotted arrow run from Damascus to Baghdad on Bo's map?

    Use the picture in question 9.

    • South
    • East
    • West
    • North