Revision 1 – Year 6 UAE Social Studies

Name: __________________________________________________________ Section: _____________

Learning Objective: To recall prior knowledge.

Success Criteria: I can frame structured answers based on the questions asked.

Read the text on the Shang Dynasty and answer the questions that follow:
Right at the top of the social hierarchy was the king and his royal family, who lived a life of sheer
luxury. They lived in the capital city in ornately decorated palaces made from wood and clay bricks,
containing beautiful tiles and intricately carved
bronze and jade sculptures.

The priests, who were skilled writers, worked

as scribes for the king. They would carve the
king’s questions onto ‘oracle bones’ and then
heat the bones up during a special ceremony.
The king would ask his dead ancestors to
provide the answers and then he would
interpret the heat cracks which appeared in the
bones as divine messages from them.

The priests and government officials were of paramount importance to the king and ruling family, and
because of this they also enjoyed a very comfortable lifestyle, nestled safe within the walls of the city.

The noble warriors were also held in high regard. Although they lived outside the main city walls, they
often lived in luxurious palaces. The noble warriors spent their time hunting and managing the land
which they ‘rented’ from the king.

Peasant farmers paid taxes to the noble warriors to be allowed to live and work on the land. The farmers
were allowed to keep some of the produce themselves, but most went to the noble warriors who, in turn,
paid much of it in tribute to the king. The noble warriors also had the very important job of providing
protection for the king and ruling family. They were skilled fighters and defended the capital city from
external attacks.

Shang slaves were usually prisoners of war, and sometimes convicted criminals. They were made to
undertake hard labour, often building tombs and palaces. Shang slaves were treated very harshly and
were sometimes sacrificed to the gods. They were also frequently buried alive with their masters, as it
was thought they could then continue to serve them in the afterlife.
Questions:
1. Name the social class that lived in ornately decorated palaces.
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2. Which social class, in your opinion, had the least privileges compared to the other social classesof
the Shang dynasty? Justify your response.
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3. Explain the role of the ‘The King and his Royal Family’.
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4. Find the sentence in the text that says ‘The Priests and government officials’ were rewarded for
carrying out the king's duties.
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State whether the following statements are true or False: Correct the statement if False:

1. The House of Wisdom was founded by Bayt Al-Hikma.

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2. The famous mathematician Al-Zahrawi is famous for his contributions to the development of
Algebra.
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 3. Ilkhanate Mongol armies and their allies attacked many Islamic lands. They destroyed the House
of Wisdom, burned Baghdad and killed thousands of people.
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4. The House of Wisdom was a library and research facility which collected and translated scientific
writing from many languages including Persian, Indian, Ancient Greek and Roman texts.
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Name the following:

1. The year the Shang dynasty ended.
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2. The social classes of the Shang dynasty.
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3. Another name for a library and research facility which translated scientific writing from many
languages.
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4. The father of Algebra.
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5. The Islamic scholar who invented the first camera.
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6. A political-religious form of government which led the Muslim community in the lands of the
Islamic civilisation.
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7. The first four Caliphs.
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8. The names of the other 2 caliphates.
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9. Baghdad was built in…by…
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10. The Golden Age of Islam existed between the years…
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How are the following medical conditions treated with modern medicine? How do you think they
were treated by Islamic and European doctors in the Middle Ages? Which treatment option would
you prefer?