Humanities Units 1 & 2 c.

600-1450 CE
Make a copy of this document in your shared Humanities Google Folder.

Rise of Islam in Asia and Africa: Museum Project

Summarize and evaluate the rise of Islam and its effects on the Umayyad and Abbasid
societies of Asia and the Ghana, Mali, and Songhai societies of Africa.

Your group will create an interactive living history museum exhibit. Students will be
responsible for researching, illustrating and documenting information for the SPICE
aspects of the assigned society.

Consider using presentation boards, a laptop for a virtual presentation or short videos,
costumes, art pieces, and appropriate décor/fabric to represent the culture. Be creative!
Think about what might be interesting to see at an exhibit while respecting all aspects of
the culture.

The time period for these topics is c. 600 C.E. – 1450 C.E.

You MUST cite the information used in the exhibit. We have provided a source list for
your use, but you may add resources of your own. Always use reliable academic
sources. If you use an outside source, include a bibliographic citation in your museum
exhibit.

Presentations must cover each of the SPICE-T categories.

Each group will create an exhibit with bulleted points/facts, illustrations, an interactive
activity, and presentation. Each member of the group will research and present a portion
of the exhibit.

Each group must produce a project containing the following items:

● Visuals (With Complete Captions) 10%
● Bulleted Points or Facts covering SPICE-T (Complete Sentences) 20%
● Accuracy & Organization (Accurate Information & Appropriate Titles) 20%
● Presentation Skills (Detailed Explanations, Clarity, Volume, & Eye Contact) 20%
● Interactive Activity (Student Engagement) 10%
● Exhibit Appearance (Illustrations/artifacts/textiles/etc., Neatness, Color, & Typed) 10%
 ● Citations & Time Management (On Task during Research & Construction) 10%

Early Islamic Empires Project Source List

ALL group members should read ALL of the following sources. The information from the sources will appear in
your tests and quizzes during this unit.

Don’t forget to fill out the Islam portion of your Major Religions Chart as you complete the project.

Citation information follows each source in parenthetical documentation. Use the same citation within your exhibit.

● The Earth and its Peoples textbook

○ Umayyads, Abbasids, Ghana (Bulliet 244-267)
○ Mali (Bulliet 372-374)
○ Songhai (Bulliet 499)

● Herndon’s History Slides: Rise of Islam and brief overview of the Umayyads and Abbasids (Rise of Islam Slide Deck 1-
36)

● Herndon’s History Slides: African Islamic Empires (African Islamic Empires Slide Deck 1-34)

● Read this document: Three of the World’s Most Influential Empires: Ghana, Mali, Songhai (Schnabel 1-7)

● Gardner’s Art through the Ages textbook Ch. 13: The Islamic World, especially Muhammad and Islam (Kleiner 340-363)

● Tatum’s Art Slides: Islamic Art (Islamic Art Image Set 1-16)

● Background information on the Islamic 5 Pillars of Wisdom and excerpts from the Qur’an from the World
Literature Masterpieces textbook (Prentice Hall 76-81)

● Read the background information and the story The Thousand and One Nights and The Fisherman and the Jinnee in
World Literature Masterpieces textbook (Prentice Hall 84-97).

● Information from World Civilizations history textbook:The Thousand and One Nights as a Mirror of Elite Society in
the Abbasid Era (Stearns 145)

● Read the background information and the story Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali in World Literature Masterpieces
textbook (Prentice Hall 128-140).

● Thinking Through Sources textbook Ch. 9: Voices of Islam (Strayer 444-453)

The following videos and articles are assigned to you in Khan Academy:
● “The Kaaba” (Macaulay-Lewis “The Kaaba”) ● “Spread of Islamic Culture”
● “The Dome of the Rock” (Macaulay-Lewis “The ● “The Development and Spread of Islamic
Dome of the Rock”) Cultures”
● “The Great Mosque of Isfahan” (Dalal) ● “Sunni and Shia Islam: Part 1”
● “Folio from a Qur’an” (Brey) ● “Sunni and Shia Islam: Part 2”
● “Introduction to Islam” ● “Golden Age of Islam”
● “Beginnings of Islam: Life of Muhammad” ● “The Great Mosque of Cordoba”
● “Beginnings of Islam: The Hijira to Medina and ● “The Alhambra”
the Conversion of Mecca” ● “The Great Mosque of Djenne” (Dainese)
● “The Spread of Islam” ● “Great Zimbabwe National Monument”
● “The Rise of Islamic Empires and States”
 Honors Humanities
Early Islamic Empires Museum Project
Group Plan

Group Members’ Olivia Coker, Cammie Sconiers, Tessa Aten, Adam Peterson, Harrison Williams, David
Names: Zoblisein, Xavier Bourgeois, Tyler Blankers

Assigned Empire: Mali

After your group members have read “How to Create Executive Team Norms” from the Harvard Business Review, create a
set of five norms for your group and record them below.

1 Transparent communication when tasks are completed or left unfinished.

2 Positivity and no one having a bad attitude

3 Complete items that were left unfinished in a timely manner.

4 Enthusiasm used in work/ passion toward subjects of research.

5 Accountable for your part.

As a group, brainstorm ideas for exhibits that relate to each of the historical themes:

THEME Exhibit Ideas

Social Audio Tour P1 Olivia

Political Interactive Map - explains geography and kingdoms of the time pd. + Audio Tour Tessa +
Harrison

Interaction w/ Audio Tour P2-Adam

Environment

Culture Recreation of Art (artifacts) + Explanation - Xavier + Cammie

Economic Gold exhibit. Goldx = item y, Gold 2x = item 2y… David

(gold value comparison) USE GOLD COINS

Technology Audio Tour P3-Tyler

Project Jobs List

Student in Charge Exhibit Item Due Date Check
(Describe item and identify theme when
covered.) finished

Everyone Read the information on the source list. ASAP

Everyone Find SPICE-T elements ASAP

Everyone Cite Sources ASAP

Tessa Interactive map ASAP

Olivia Social Script ASAP

Tyler Technology script ASAP

Finish art stuff ASAP

David Econ Gold Game Monday

David Econ Bullet Points Monday

David Print all Pictures Monday

Daily Progress Report

Date Today’s Accomplishments Collaborative Reflection (Evaluate the Next Steps

group’s progress, dynamics, and
challenges)

10/11 - Read all sources - Everyone was on task, and the - Cite evidence
- Collaborated on Spice - T information was gathered - Finish Spice-
Chart efficiently. T
- Brainstormed interactive - Citing our evidence. - Create Script
ideas. (Audio tour + game) for Audio
recording w/
visual
element.
10/12 - FInished reading sources - Today was difficult to stay on - FInish
 - Added to Spice - T Chart task because of the PSAT Citations,
- Finalized Interactive ideas. - Finalize
Spice-T
- Work
individually
on interactive
elements.

10/17 - Made a to-do list - Today went well, everyone was - finish
- Assigned last bit of jobs on task and everyone knows what individual
- Looked at all of the they are supposed to be doing. assignments
supplies for exhibit

THEME SPICE-T

Social - 80-85% of people were farmers (African Islamic Empires SIld 26 )

- tripartite division into horonw(majority of pop. traders, farmers, warriors, as well as
ruling elites), nyamakalaw (skilled laborers), and slaves. (Sirio Canos-Donnay )
- Women typically treated poorly,however, sometimes they could participate in
government and business and ownership of property (slide 8 Ancient Mali)
- one of the largest countries in Africa but it has a relatively small population (Baker)
- People marry outside their ethnic group and speak languages that differ from those of
their ancestors without changing their cultural affiliation. (Clark)
- Mali rulers had a triple income: they taxed the passage of trade goods, bought goods and
sold them on at much higher prices, and had access to their own valuable natural
resources. (Cartwright)
- Pastoralism--herding of cattle, goats, sheep, and some camels--predominated in the dry,
sparsely populated north (VDOE)
- The Manding languages were spoken in the empire (Okoro)

Political - King Sundiata took over the Ghana kingdom & trade cities in West Africa (African Islamic
Empires Slide Deck slide 18)
- Sundiata created an efficient gov’t, promoted farming, & controlled trade (African Islamic
Empires Slide Deck slide 18)
- Allowed local Chiefs to rule over their subjects and created garrison posts throughout the
empire to maintain loyalty and security (African Islamic Empires Slide Deck slide 20)
- Divided into provinces ruled by appointed governors ( African Islamic Empires Slide Deck slide
20)
- Following Mansa Musa, the Empire’s power disappeared due to weak successors (African
Islamic Empires Slide Deck slide 27)
- 7 different rulers in 50 years following a period of political turmoil( African Islamic Empires
Slide Deck 1-34 slide 22)
-
- Musa had an army of over 100,000 including a cavalry of more than 10,000 men. ( African
Islamic Empires Slide Deck 1-34 slide 22)
-
- They had a professional army, calvary and navy that helped them keep control and
 defend their empire. (African Islamic Empires Slide Deck 1-34 slide 29)
-
- The Mali empire developed from the state of Kangaba, on the upper Niger River east of
the Fouta Djallon, and is said to have been founded before 1000 CE (The Editors of
Encyclopedia Britannica).
- Their dislike of the Susu chief Sumanguru’s harsh but ineffective rule provoked the
Malinke to revolt, and in 1230 Sundiata, the brother of Kangaba’s fugitive ruler, won a
decisive victory against the Susu chief (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica).

Interaction w/ - Moved for 4000 years in search of farmland (Baker).

Environment - Most societies lived in farming villages in family-based clans
- flat and arid (Baker).
- fertile agricultural soil along its banks as well as creating pasture for livestock (Baker).
- The Niger River flows through its interior, functioning as the main trading and transport
artery in the country(Clark).
- Not landlocked(Baker).
- The Niger River flows through Mali for slightly more than 1,000 miles (Clark).
- Two basic relief features can be distinguished: plateaus and plains, which are crossed by
two of Africa’s major river systems, the Niger and the Sénégal. The highland regions are
localized and discontinuous (Clark).
- hot and dry climate, with the sun at its zenith throughout most of the year (Baker).

Culture - Influenced by mediterranean cultures, such as the Phoenicians and Romans (African
Islamic Empires Slide 5)
- Sub-Saharan people had a polytheistic culture/practiced animism. Spirits played a major
role in daily life (African Islamic Empire Slide 9)
- Classical cultures did not diffuse into isolated kingdoms in the south from the Sahara.
They were left to develop their own unique cultures( African Islamic Empire Slide 6)
- Mali either converted to Islam or honored it (African Islamic Empire Slide 20)
- Kings after Sundiata converted to Islam (African Islamic Empire Slide 21)
- They did not attempt to convert their subjects to Islam like Ghana did (African Islamic
Empire, Slide 20)
- Great Mosque became one of the most important buildings in town because it is a
political symbol for local residents and for colonial powers (Great Mosque of Djenné,
Paragraph 2, Line 3 (Elisa Dainese)
- Following hajj to Mecca, he built mosques and universities throughout the empire; the
Great Mosque became one of the most important buildings in town because it is a
political symbol for local residents and for colonial powers (African Islamic Empire 24)
- City of Jenne-jeno flourished as a center for trade, agriculture, and art (Clarke, Seated
Figure (Djenné peoples) Line 4 )
- Polytheistic culture/practiced animism African Islamic Empire, Slide 9)

Economic - The gold salt trade routes being opened eventually led to Mali becoming more rich and
more powerful than Ghana (African Islamic Empire Slide deck slide 20)
- Richest kingdom to ever exist in world history (Schnabel 1-7)
- Mansa Musa is regarded as the richest man in history (Schnabel 1-7)
- Richest kingdom ever to exist in world history (Schnabel 1-7)
- Mali had a triple income: they taxed the passage of trade goods, bought goods and sold
them at much higher prices, and had access to their own valuable natural
resources( Curtin et al.)
- Timbuktu was an important trade center in Africa (African Islamic Empire Slide deck
slide 20)
- Traded for salt from Europe, where Mali trade gold, slaves, ivory, ostrich, feathers
(South African History Online)
- Agriculture is the dominant economic sector in the country (Baker)
- City of Jenne-jeno flourished as a center for trade, agriculture, and art (Clarke)
 Technology - War technology consisted of heavy focus on calvary and iron weapons. This allowed for
the creation of the large and powerful empire.(Sirio Canos-Donnay))
- The desert, which has little rocks and stones available, required the Mali people to look
elsewhere for stones. Sudano-Sahelian architecture emerged which used mud bricks to
form the house and log beams that stick out for support. (Cartwright)
- After his hajj to Mecca, Mansa Musa returned to Mali and began to build mosques and
universities throughout the empire, such the Great Mosque of Timbuktu.(Islamic Empire
slide deck, slide 23)
- Textiles and cloth were used to be able to see and recognize different people. The Musa,
for example, was easily recognizable at council due to his elaborate clothing.(Sirio
Canos-Donnay)
- Great libraries were built that contained thousands upon thousands of books and some
even still survive today, such as the Great Library of Timbuktu(Cartwright).
- Pottery was built out of a variety of materials. Iron rods were used to reinforce it. Clay,
wood, and brass were common materials used to create the pottery itself.(Cartwright)
- Fondacs were warehouse-like buildings created that could store goods that could then be
transported elsewhere. They could also house 40 merchants inside.(Cartwright)
- Caravan trade was used to trade and transport goods. Camels were the main animal used
due to their ability to survive in the desert. Without camels, transport through the desert
would be impossible(South African History Online)
- They also had boats that were 100 feet long and 30 across and could carry 80 tons worth
of cargo. In 1311, a small group of Mali’s set out across the Atlantic, never to be seen
again. Whether they reached America or not, we don’t know.(Kresge et al.)

Name: __________________________________ Topic: ___________________________________

Date: ______________________ Subtitles: _____________________________________________

Each student is responsible for these elements:

CRITERIA 10 – 8 7–5 4–2 1–0

P Detailed Presentation
R Explanations
E (worth 10 pts)
S
E Presentation
Skills
N (worth 10 pts)
T
A Very interactive
Uses knowledge to show
in-depth understanding
Uses facts to show a
clear understanding of
Uses facts to show
some understanding
Uses few facts and
shows an unclear
of topic the topic of the topic understanding of the
topic
Explained info in detail
Explained info and
read a bit from poster
Explained a bit &
Read info from poster Read info from poster
Very confident Confident Fairly confident Needs to work on
presentation skills
Clear vocals and Clear vocals and need Work on vocal clarity No clear vocals and
appropriate volume to speak up a bit more and volume hard to understand
Mostly interactive Somewhat interactive Not interactive at all

T Interactive
Students learned a great
deal from the
Students learned
something from the
Students learned a
little from the
Students did not
benefit from the

I Activity experience. experience. experience. experience.

(worth 10 pts)
O Complex questions Basic questions Very simple questions No questions

N
 Accuracy of Presentation & Accurate Mostly Accurate Partial Accuracy Not Accurate
Exhibit Information
(worth 10 pts)
7 – 5 bulleted points 4 – 2 bulleted points 1 – 0 bulleted points
10 (or more) – 8 bulleted
or facts or facts or facts
points or facts
Information (2-3 sentences long)
(worth 20 pts) Used complete
(1 sentence long)
Used complete
(Incomplete sentence)
Did not use complete
(brief phrases)
Did not use complete
sentences and proper
sentences and proper sentences and/or sentences and
punctuation.
punctuation. proper punctuation. punctuation.

E 4 Visuals w/captions 3 Visuals w/captions 2 Visuals w/captions 1 Visual w/captions or

No visuals at all
Visuals & Captions
X (worth 10 pts)
H Complete sentence
captions
Partial phrases
captions Name only of visuals No captions at all

I
Exhibit
B Appearance
Immaculate (typed -
complete use of color,
Neat (typed - mostly
colored, including
Somewhat messy
(some color & some
Very messy (little color
– all hand-written;
I (worth 10 pts) including all visuals) visuals, a bit messy)
hand-written – some
typed; not neat)
falling apart)

T Exhibit Organized Parts are unorganized Most of project Completely

unorganized unorganized
Organization
(worth 10 pts) Main and some
Main Title and Subtitles Subtitles Main and no Subtitles No Main or Subtitles

Citing & Time Used time wisely and Off task and turned in Wasted time; more Wasted time; more
turned in on time a day late than a day late (2-3 than a 3 days late
Management days)
(worth 10 pts) Complete citing of all Partial citing of most Attempted to citing of
information information all information No citing of info
https://lilicloth.com/products/casual-winter-text-letters-daily-regular-fit-long-sleeve-crew-neck-cotton-blend-regular-sweatshirts-for-women-14181928?sku=SW973DA4805C&utm_source=criteo&utm_mediu m=US

Links:

https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/grade-7-term-1-kingdom-mali-and-city-timbuktu-14th-century#:~:text=In
%20the%20ancient%20empire%20of,such%20as%20Ghana%20and%20Mali.

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/314362

https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/timeline-600-1450-c-e
Picture Citations:
Artifacts. Museum of North African and Southwest Asian History. (n.d.). Retrieved October 18, 2022,
from http://whap.weebly.com/artifacts3.html