New
New
Year 5

Baghdad, the ‘City of Peace'

I can explain the founding of the city of Baghdad.

New
New
Year 5

Baghdad, the ‘City of Peace'

I can explain the founding of the city of Baghdad.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The Abbasid Caliphate overthrew the Umayyad Caliphate in 750 CE and ruled land from Tunis to Multan.
  2. Baghdad was founded in 762 CE by caliph Al-Mansur to become the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate.
  3. Built by 100,000 workers to show off Abbasid wealth and power, it became the richest, most populous city in the world.
  4. It was built on the fertile banks of the River Tigris in the Mesopotamia valley.
  5. Baghdad had a circular layout and many public facilities like parks, hospitals, and libraries.

Common misconception

Baghdad was a place of unrest.

Baghdad was a wealthy and populous city, often referred to as the City of Peace.

Keywords

  • Abbasid - an Abbasid was a member of the third dynasty of caliphs that ruled the Islamic Empire after Muhammad (PBUH)

  • Al-Mansur - Al-Mansur was the second caliph of the Abbasid caliphate

  • Populous - a populous city or place has a large number of people living there

  • Public facilities - public facilities are spaces, equipment and services that can be used by anyone in the community

Ask children to imagine a city with bustling marketplaces, colourful stalls and merchants selling goods from across the known world. The markets would have been filled with the sights of vibrant textiles and smells of exotic spices.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
A Muslim leader and ruler of a caliphate is known as a ...
Correct Answer: caliph, Caliph
Q2.
The first caliphate after the death of Muhammad (PBUH) was the __________ Caliphate.
Persian
Ottoman
Umayyad
Correct answer: Rashidun
Q3.
The __________ refers to a network of ancient trade routes between China and Europe
Correct answer: Silk Road
Trade Road
Tea Road
Silk Highway
Q4.
Why was the Silk Road important to the Umayyad Caliphate?
Correct answer: it helped spread Islam to places within the Islamic Empire
Correct answer: it helped spread ideas, knowledge and inventions to different parts of the world
Correct answer: it made the Umayyads a lot of money
it brought an end to farming
Q5.
In which city was the Umayyad Caliphate based?
Medina
Mecca
Jerusalem
Correct answer: Damascus
Q6.
Match the place to its description.
Correct Answer:Mecca,holiest city according to Muslims

holiest city according to Muslims

Correct Answer:Ka'ba,cube-shaped building and holiest site for Muslims

cube-shaped building and holiest site for Muslims

Correct Answer:Medina,focus of the Hijra

focus of the Hijra

Correct Answer:Baghdad,'City of Peace'

'City of Peace'

6 Questions

Q1.
Al-Mansur was a caliph of the __________ Caliphate.
Rashidun
Umayyad
Correct answer: Abbasid
Q2.
The capital city of the Abbasid Caliphate was ...
Correct Answer: Baghdad, baghdad
Q3.
Which of the statements about caliph Al-Mansur are true?
Correct answer: he founded Baghdad
he founded Jerusalem
Correct answer: he was the second caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate
he was the second caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate
Q4.
Baghdad was built on the __________ River.
Euphrates
Correct answer: Tigris
Thames
Nile
Q5.
Which of the following statements about Baghdad are true?
Correct answer: it had many public facilities
Correct answer: it had a circular design
very few people lived there
Correct answer: it was populous
Q6.
Match the words about the founding of Baghdad to its matching statement.
Correct Answer:public facilities,hospitals, libraries and parks

hospitals, libraries and parks

Correct Answer:762 CE,the city is founded

the city is founded

Correct Answer:Al-Mansur,the city's founder

the city's founder

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