Islam Empire- Class Presentations

Alon- Geography and Climate of the Arabian Peninsula:
From this presentation I've learnt that the Arabian peninsula is arid or semi-arid, without many geographical feature and hardly any elevation. It has no rivers, only oases and underground water. Obviously it's surrounded by bodies of water at three sides but none are potable. Also, there isn't much vegetation, only date palms. Geographically, it is made up of 9 countries but politically, only 7. It has a population of 77,983,936 and 1/3 are under 15 years old. Also an interesting fact- Arab means nomad.

Katja- Islam Extremism: 

Everything in this presentation was new to me, I had no previous knowledge so it was eye opening. First I've learnt about the Jihad and how innocent children are manipulated. I've also learnt about Al-Qaeda, how, where, and by who it was founded. I found out about their agendas and worldwide terrorism. We realized the greed, power and money are the perfect recipe for disaster. 

David- Islamic Religion:

I've learnt that the Islam Religion was started by Muhammad but it became more popular over time, spreading wider after his death. It spread through military conquest, trade, cultural diffusion, and is now adopted by 26% of the world's population. There are 100 million Muslim followers in Africa, 500 million in Asia, 30 million Muslims in Europe and 10 million in US. They all follow the Koran and respect the Five Pillars. They pray 5 times a day and fast during Ramadan.

Simeon- Military before and during Islam:

From this presentation I've learnt that before the Islam Empire started, Bedouins fought each other for food and resources using weapons such as the jambiya, tabar and scimitars. During the Islam Empire their technology evolved and they started using more complex weaponry, such as gun powder, muskets, cannons and grenades. The empire was at it's peak in 750, but it's expansion was stopped in a battle against the Franks. However, war seemed to have its good part- it spread the Islamic religion wider.

Annie-Trade in the Islam Empire:

From this presentation I've learnt how much trade impacted the Islam Empire. The Silk Road had a major impact- a 5000 mile long road passing many important cities, connecting the Roman Empire with China and bringing wealth to the Muslim world. She also taught us important cities and the benefits they brought. Trade affected the spread of religion as well as knowledge. They improved in science, literature, technology and maths. Without it the empire would have never reached it's golden age.

Rea- Prophet Muhammad:

From this presentation I've learnt everything about the prophet's early and personal life, as well as, the changes he overcome after receiving the message from God. He was born circa 570 and became an orphan at the age of 6. He married a wealthy widow and had 3 kids. He started the Islamic religion at the age of 40 but it wasn't very successful, however after moving to Medina and taking over oases, it spread. He wrote the Koran and died June 8, 632.

Sara- Islam Religion:

This presentation focussed on three major, deeply elaborating them. The first one was the Koran- the holly book, a "bible" for the Muslims. It was written between 570-632 by Muhammad himself, and contains 114 chapters. The second was their beliefs- they believed that Allah was the only god and Muhammad was the prophet. They also made references to angels. The third topic was Ramadan- the fast. The date of it depends on moon and it's celebrating the first time the words of God were revealed, as well as, the fight between Mecca and Medina. The people can’t eat or drink during the day, aren't allowed to consume alcohol or smoke. This makes them thankful for what they take for granted and teaches them a lot.

Svetlana- Islam Architecture:

The materials used for building are suited to weather and climate. Houses are usually rectangular, with high windows and only one door. They are clustered together so more families fit in less space. However, the inside is more fascinating than the outside, there are many corridors and doors. Rich houses have rooms to split men and women apart while other have curtains. The design of the hous is meant to prevent from heat and sand storms. The roof are intricately decorated with mosaics or paintings.