KS2: Baghdad AD 900 (6 lessons)

Contents Include:

An Introduction to Mesopotamia

Building Baghdad

The House of Wisdom

The Mongol Attack on Baghdad in 1258

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you have any questions. This pack is for educational purposes only.

This pack of lessons has been designed for Key Stage 2. The content can be easily adapted for specific year groups.

Lesson 1: Setting the Scene: Mesopotamia

In the continent of Asia, there are two important rivers named the Tigris and the Euphrates. In the past, like the Nile, these rivers would flood, giving the

gift of rich soil. The good soil and the water supply meant that the people who lived beside or between the rivers could farm, grow plenty of food and

build their homes. This warm and pleasant region was called Mesopotamia, meaning the place between two rivers. The region is known as the ‘cradle of

civilisation’ because many early societies developed here. The system of writing that developed in Mesopotamia was one of the first, if not the first, the

world had ever seen. The writing system was made up of a series of wedge-shaped marks which would have been made by a stylus in soft clay. The word

cuneiform means ‘wedge-shaped’, from the Latin ‘cuneus’ meaning wedge and ‘forma’ meaning shape. As an extension children could find out about

Hammurabi, the King of Babylon. Hammurabi collected laws from many different kingdoms and recorded them in a list. This record is called The Code of

Hammurabi and is one of the very first examples of written laws. Some of the laws may seem shocking to us today, but they were considered just and fair

at the time.

Learning Objective Core Knowledge Activities for Learning Related Vocabulary

Assessment Questions

To understand that an ancient civilisation began

in Mesopotamia.

The Tigris and the Euphrates rivers flood, creating fertile

land.

An ancient civilisation began in Mesopotamia.

A long time ago, people in Mesopotamia began to use

cuneiform writing.

Look at a map of the world and identify the region that was Mesopotamia. Look at the paths of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and discuss why civilisation was able to develop in the region.

Try out some cuneiform writing on squares of clay. This is a helpful alphabet to use. Children could try to write their names.

Look at some of the laws from the Code of Hammurabi and discuss how they may have come about. Explain the difference between criminal law (to do with punishing someone who has done something wrong) and civil law (to do with settling disputes). Discuss what laws children think are important and record their ideas (on stone or slate if possible).

Tigris Euphrates fertile Mesopotamia civilisation cuneiform Hammurabi code laws

Why did people start to settle and live in Mesopotamia?

What does civilisation mean?

What is cuneiform writing and why is it important?

What did the King of Babylon, Hammurabi, do that was important?

Resources: This website gives some helpful instructions for making a cuneiform clay tablet.

The Code of Hammurabi

Some of these laws might seem terrible to us today, but life

was very different in Ancient Mesopotamia. These were rules made for a very different time. Think about what these laws

tell you about the following:

Some examples of the laws in the Code of Hammurabi:

If a son should hit his father, his hands shall be cut off.

If a man puts out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out too.

If any man should hit a man of higher rank, he shall receive sixty blows

with an ox-whip.

If a builder builds a house for someone and that house collapses killing

them, then the builder shall be put to death.

If a man owes some money, but he can’t pay it back, he must sell his wife,

son or daughter.

If a woman does not keep her house clean and look after her husband, she

should be thrown in the water.

(During this time, people believed that the river had the power to show if someone

was innocent or guilty. Those who had been accused of a crime would often be thrown

into the Euphrates River. If they drowned, they were considered to be guilty, but if they

survived then the river had shown they were innocent.)

Fairness

Punishment

Protecting others

Lesson 1

Cuneiform Alphabet

Can you find out what the letters of our alphabet would look like in cuneiform writing?

A N

B O

C P

D Q

E R

F S

G T

H U

I V

J W

K X

L Y

M Z

Name:

Lesson 1

Lesson 2: Baghdad: The City of Peace

Many years after civilisation began in Mesopotamia, a city was built. The construction of Baghdad began in 762 AD when Caliph Al-Mansur laid the first

brick. The caliphs (pronounced kah-leaf) were the chief civil and religious leaders who were regarded as the successors of Muhammad. Caliph Al-Mansur

selected the location for building a city as it was close to the Tigris River and was a crossing point for many trade routes. The proximity to the Tigris River

also created fertile land around the city which was required for farming. Baghdad was designed to be a circular city with four gates connecting to routes

from the north, south, east and west. The trading routes across land and sea created a flow of knowledge, wealth and craftsmanship from China, India

and Armenia. Baghdad was known as the City of Peace and many important scholars came from around the world to think, study and talk.

Learning Objective

Core Knowledge Activities for Learning Related Vocabulary

Assessment Questions

To know that Baghdad is a city

that was built a long time ago.

Baghdad is a city that was built near the Tigris River, in

Mesopotamia, a long time ago.

Baghdad was built in this location because lots of people could travel through that land.

People came to Baghdad buy and sell things and also to

study.

Look at the location of Baghdad on a map and talk about where traders might have come from. This map indicates some trade routes as does this one. Explain that the city was the capital of an empire (the Abbasid Caliphate) so many people wanted to visit.

Write a letter from one scholar in Baghdad to another elsewhere in the world explaining why Baghdad is such an exciting city to study in. Design a capital city- what buildings and natural features would a city need? Children can consider trade, food, defence, religion, water, homes etc.

Write a speech for Caliph Al-Mansur explaining his dreams for the city and what he wants it to look like.

Caliph Al-Mansur Tigris River trade route

fertile City of Peace

Why was it important to build Baghdad near to the Tigris River?

Can you describe what the city of Baghdad would have looked like in AD 900?

Why did people come to Baghdad during this time?

Resources: This article from The Spectator: Baghdad’s rise, fall - and rise again is useful for enhancing subject knowledge. This is a short video introducing the city of Baghdad.

Name: Date:

Learning Objective: To know that Baghdad is a city that was built a long time ago.

Write a letter from a Baghdad scholar to his friend encouraging him to come and study in Baghdad.

Name:

Caliph Al-Mansur’s Speech

Write a speech for Caliph Al-Mansur describing his plans, hopes

and dreams for the city of Baghdad. Explain why the city has been

designed in a round shape and describe what it might look like

when it has been built.

Lesson 2

Lesson 3: Baghdad: Building a City

In this lesson, children will learn how the city of Baghdad was planned and built. They will find out about the different buildings that could be found inside the city walls. They will explore the reasons why Baghdad’s location enabled it to become a cultural capital. Children will also find out about the different jobs people may have had at the time when Baghdad was growing. As children have learned in the previous lesson, Baghdad was built in a circular shape. At the centre of this round city was the Mosque and a palace, in the surrounding areas were government buildings and accommodation for guards. Outside the city walls were markets and homes. Four avenues of trees spanned out from the centre of the city stretching to each of the four city gates. This enabled people to access the city from whichever direction they were travelling in.

Learning Objective Core Knowledge Activities for Learning Related Vocabulary

Assessment Questions

To recognise Baghdad in AD 900 as a round city.

The ancient city of Baghdad

was a round city.

In the centre of the city there was a Mosque and a palace.

Around the outside of the city

were markets and homes.

Draw and label a diagram of the original layout of Baghdad. Write a description of the original layout of Baghdad from the point of view of a builder working on the construction of the city. Write a description of Baghdad from the point of view of a trader coming into the city. Look at the size of the Abbasid Empire and discuss what produce you may have been able to buy in a market in Baghdad. Extension: Look at other examples of circles in Islamic architecture. Circles play an important role in Islamic Architecture as they have no end, reminding Muslims that Allah is infinite.

location Mosque Palace

government accommodation

guards avenue

Describe the shape of Baghdad in AD 900. What could be found inside the city walls in AD 900? What could be found outside the city walls at this time? When designing a city, what do you think it might be important to consider?

Resources: This image shows the layout of Baghdad when it was first constructed. These slides explain how geometry is used in Islamic architecture.

Lesson 4: Baghdad: A Centre for Learning

It is important for children to understand that Baghdad became a hugely significant city by AD 900. People came from all over the world to study maths, science, medicine, philosophy and law. Baghdad’s location near to a river made paper production easier and lowered the cost of producing books. A Chinese method of making paper from flax and hemp also arrived in the region around this time adding to the availability of paper for book making. Libraries and book shops sprung up all over the city. Translation of important texts was a vitally important activity and many people worked on translating texts from Greek, Aramaic, Persian and Sanskrit into Arabic. Acting as a library, translation centre and school, the House of Wisdom brought together scholars from many countries. Language, ideas and cultures were shared which led to Baghdad’s development as a truly cosmopolitan city. Not only did people bring together knowledge, but they also built on this knowledge and made scientific and mathematical discoveries of their own. In AD 900, Baghdad had the largest collection of books in the world.

Learning Objective Core Knowledge Activities for Learning Related Vocabulary

Assessment Questions

To understand that many people came to Baghdad from around the world to

trade, teach and learn.

In AD 900 people came from all

over the world to learn in Baghdad.

One of the places where people

went to learn was called the House of Wisdom.

In AD 900 Baghdad had the

largest collection of books in the world.

Look again at the location of Baghdad on a map and look at where traders might have come from. This map indicates some trade routes as does this one. A good illustration of the extent to which trading occurred with Europe is the story of Offa’s coin. Look at some of the original translations and other work completed in the House of Wisdom. Discuss the importance of translation in sharing knowledge. Find out about al Tabari who was a historian who wrote and taught in Baghdad. Design an advertisement or prospectus for the House of Wisdom explaining all the things people can learn there. Include information about the library and the translation work.

AD 900

medicine philosophy

law translation House of Wisdom scholar

Why did people come from all around the world to Baghdad in AD 900? What sort of things did people learn about in Baghdad? Why was translating important in Baghdad?

Resources: How to make medicine from honey, Text from the Qu’ran, Text from an Arabic translation of a Hindu story, Medicines in Arabic. This video explains how Baghdad became a centre for learning.

Offa’s Coin

Kingdom of Mercia, England, AD 773-96

Offa was a King of the Anglo-Saxon

kingdom of Mercia.

This gold coin is very important because it gives us some clues

about the time when it was made.

It has been made to look like a gold dinar from Baghdad in the

Abbasid Caliphate. This is interesting because it means that

people in Anglo Saxon England had either seen dinar brought

to England by traders or perhaps they had travelled to places

where people had used them.

There is Arabic text on the coin, but the person that inscribed

it probably didn’t read Arabic. We know this because it is not

copied very well. The English writing ‘Offa Rex’ means King

Offa but it has been written upside down in relation to the

Arabic.

Although it is a copy of a gold dinar, it is close enough to the

original that it would have been accepted for trading. At that

time in the Mediterranean, dinars were rare and valuable. By

including his name on the coin, Offa ensured that people in

far lands would know of his importance.

Offa made lots of other coins but they were mostly of a

Roman style. The gold dinar coin was something much more

special.

Latin

Greek

Arabic

Farsi

Sanskrit

geography

medicine

poetry

stories

maths

science

philosophy

astronomy

What could be studied in the House of Wisdom?

Use these flashcards to support content when writing about the House of Wisdom.

Scholars at an Abbasid library

Maqamat of al-Hariri Illustration by Yahyá al-Wasiti, Baghdad 1237

Explain that later civilisations also had centres of learning for example The Academy at Athens and the Library in Alexandria.

Lesson 5: The Mongol Attack on Baghdad

This lesson covers the fall of Baghdad in 1258. The Mongols (originally from Mongolia) were a tribe of nomads who rode on horseback across central and northern Asia. One army of Mongols, led by Hulagu Khan, were set a target of conquering Syria, Persia and Egypt. To do this they needed to destroy the Abbasid Caliphate who ruled Baghdad. Over several hundred years before this point, Baghdad had been in decline. Other centres of learning had sprung up around the world and the city was no longer the cultural centre that is was before. In 1258 the Mongols entered Baghdad and complete destruction ensued. Baghdad’s Mosque, hospitals, libraries and palace were completely destroyed. Thousands of books are said to have been thrown into the Tigris River, making the river run black with ink. Over 200,000 people were killed during this time. Entire regions were depopulated and were left uninhabitable as means of irrigation and growing crops were ruined. The Caliphate was destroyed and Baghdad’s golden age had come to a violent end.

Learning Objective

Core Knowledge Activities for Learning Related Vocabulary

Assessment Questions

To know that the Mongol attack on

Baghdad destroyed the

city.

The Mongols attacked Baghdad in

1258.

The Mongols destroyed the city and killed its inhabitants.

Thousands of books were thrown

into the Tigris River and lost forever.

Look at this tapestry showing the invasion of Baghdad in 1258.

Create some art work showing the tribesmen on horseback attacking the city. Children could include details such as the Tigris River running black with the ink from the books that were thrown into it. Show children how ink from a page (use an ink pen to write on some paper) can be washed into water. Children could write some accounts of the attack from different perspectives, for example from a Mongol tribesman, from a trader who escaped the invasion, or from a child living in Baghdad at the time who escaped during the invasion.

Mongols Asia Abbasid Caliphate depopulate uninhabitable irrigation

Who were the Mongols? What did the Mongols do in 1258? How did Baghdad change after 1258?

Resources: Teacher Knowledge- The Mongols Invade Baghdad

The Mongol Invasion of Baghdad in 1258

Name: Date:

The Caliph

Mongol

Tribesman

Market trader

Child living

outside the city

Lesson 6: Assessment Task

In this lesson, children will apply the knowledge they have learned throughout the unit. Some possible activities are suggested, but any relevant form of assessment can be used at this stage. Children should now understand that Baghdad is a city that was built a very long time ago in a place called Mesopotamia which is now called Iraq. They should be able to describe the shape and layout of the city. Children will have learned about the House of Wisdom and should be able to explain that people from all around the world came to Baghdad to study. Finally, children should be able to explain what happened when the Mongols invaded Baghdad in 1258. You may want to extend this unit by reading some of the stories from 1001 Nights, such as The Blind Beggar of Baghdad.

Learning Objective Core Knowledge Activities for Learning Related Vocabulary

Assessment Questions

To write a report.

(Change as appropriate)

Baghdad is a city that was built a long time ago in

Mesopotamia.

Lots of people came to Baghdad to trade and to

study.

Baghdad was invaded in 1258 and much of the city was

destroyed.

-Write a report organised into paragraphs. Give children tools for organising their ideas, such as picture prompts or mind maps.

-Create an information book with pages on each of the areas studied.

-Present what children have learned to an audience (recording on film, parents, other classes etc.)

-Create a booklet or fact file split into three stages: the construction of Baghdad, the growth of Baghdad and then finally the destruction of Baghdad in 1258. Children can show what they have learned about how the city changed during this period.

All previously covered

vocabulary. Why did Caliph Al-Mansur decide to build Baghdad in that specific location?

Explain why people came to Baghdad around AD 900?

How was Baghdad destroyed in 1258?

Resources: Blank map of Iraq from Enchanted Learning. Text to retell the story of The Blind Beggar of Baghdad.

The Construction of Baghdad- AD 762 The Growth of Baghdad– AD 900 The Destruction of Baghdad– AD 1258

Name: Date: Baghdad Assessment Task