2.1. Before the Age of Discovery and Exploration Flashcards
When was the time of great discovery and exploration in Europe?
In Europe, the 1400s and 1500s CE are known as a time of great discovery and exploration.
What did Europeans do during the time of great discovery and exploration?
European merchants found new trade routes. New ideas and inventions changed how Europeans thought about the world.
Before the 1400s and 1500s, what was the centre of the trading world?
For many hundreds of years before the 1400s and 1500s, the centre of the trading world was the Middle East.
What did merchants from India and the Far East sell to European traders?
Merchants from India and the Far East travelled to Middle Eastern cities to sell silk, spices, carpets and precious jewels to European traders.
What did European merchants from Europe sell to traders from India and the Far East?
The European traders brought goods from Europe, such as woolen cloth, iron, timber, and salt, to sell in the Middle East, and to traders from India and the Far East.
When was Baghdad considered the central ‘trading hub’ and one of the biggest cities in the world?
About 1000 years ago, Baghdad was a central ‘trading hub’ and one of the biggest cities in the world.
What types of goods from China were traded in Baghdad in the 9th century CE?
From China: spices, silk, porcelain, paper, ink, horses, saddles, rhubarb
What types of goods from the Byzantines were traded in Baghdad in the 9th century CE?
From the Byzantines: silver and gold vessels, coins, medicines, cloth, slaves, experts in water engineering and farming
What types of goods from Arabia were traded in Baghdad in the 9th century CE?
From Arabia: horses, camels, animal skins
What types of goods from North Africa were traded in Baghdad in the 9th century CE?
From North Africa: leopards and black falcons
What types of goods from Yemen were traded in Baghdad in the 9th century CE?
From Yemen: cloaks, giraffes, armour, indigo
What types of goods from Egypt were traded in Baghdad in the 9th century CE?
From Egypt: donkeys, fine cloth
What types of goods from Central Asia were traded in Baghdad in the 9th century CE?
From Central Asia: slaves, armour, helmets, grapes, sugar
What types of goods from Persia were traded in Baghdad in the 9th century CE?
From Persia: plums, soft woolen coats, honey, fruit drinks, glass
In what fields was the Middle East far ahead of many European countries?
The Middle East was far ahead of many European countries in science, medicine, engineering, mathematics, and astronomy.
In Baghdad, what attracted the best students from around the world?
There were vast libraries and colleges in Baghdad that attracted the best students (known as scholars) from around the world.
What did the scholars do? What were the results?
The scholars translated the books of writers from Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, as well as from India, China and Persia, As a result, ancient knowledge was preserved for future generations.
What was the astrolabe used for? Who invented it?
The astronomer al-Fazari invented an instrument called the astrolabe. The astrolabe made it possible to work out direction and location when travelling. European travellers and sailors soon began to use this new technology.
What was the “Canon”?
Ibn Sina wrote a medical textbook known as the ‘Canon’. The book was used for hundreds of years to train doctors in many different parts of the world.
Who wrote rules for algebra that influenced mathematicians?
Omar Khayyam was an Arab mathematician, astronomer, geographer and poet. He wrote rules for algebra that influenced mathematicians for hundreds of years.
What does the word “algebra” mean?
The word ‘algebra’ comes from the Arabic‘al-jabr, which means ‘reunion of broken parts’.
