Name:
Period:
1st Quarter Project
Part I - Ibn Battuta Virtual Tour Project: Tracing the Spread of Islam
Rationale:
The purpose of this project is to gain historical knowledge of the importance of the spread and
diffusion of Islam using Ibn Battuta’s travels as a reference. Students should gain an understanding
of the similarities and differences in the cultures of the peoples who adopted Islam. They should also
understand how the writings of certain interregional travelers illustrate both the extent and limitations
of intercultural knowledge and understanding.
Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to:
Illustrate how Muslim rule expanded to many parts of Afro-Eurasia due to military expansion.
Explain how Islam subsequently expanded through the activities of merchants and
missionaries.
Demonstrate how in key places along important trade routes, merchants set up diasporic
communities where they introduced their own cultural traditions into the indigenous culture.
Instructions:
Using your web browser, navigate to the following address:
http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200004/the.longest.hajj.the.journeys.of.ibn.battuta-editor.s.note.htm
While following in Battuta’s footsteps as he makes his way throughout much of Africa and Asia,
complete the following assignments.
1. Trace Ibn Battuta’s travels on the attached map. Be careful to note/label each of the three
journeys he took. You may have to scroll both left and right in order to see the entire map.
2. Read the introduction to familiarize yourself with Ibn Battuta.
3. You must read EACH of the 3 parts describing Ibn Battuta’s travels. For each of these 3 parts,
you are required to complete the attached graphic organizer.
Trace Ibn Buttata’s travels on this
map:
Name:
Complete this chart as you read EACH part of the Ibn Battuta website:
Part 1
Part 2
From Pilgrim
From Riches
To World Traveler
To Rags
List the places Ibn
Battuta travelled:
Give evidence of the
spread of Islam to
these areas of the
world:
List local customs
observed by Ibn
Battuta:
List methods of
transport used by Ibn
Battuta on his travels:
List evidence of trade
and interaction among
world regions as
observed by Ibn
Battuta
Part 3
From Traveler
To Memoirist
Part I - Ibn Battuta Virtual Tour Project:
Tracing the Spread of Islam
Project Rubric
Learning
Objective
Trace Ibn
Battuta’s travels
on a map of
Afro-Eurasia
Analyze each of
the 3 parts of
Ibn Battuta’s
travels
Criteria
Completed
(√)
Student provides:
A clearly labeled map showing Ibn
Battuta’s three journeys
Labels of major cities where Ibn
Battuta visited
20 points
(10 pts
ea.)
Student provides:
A list of places Ibn Battuta visited
Evidence of the spread of Islam to
these areas of the world
A list of local customs observed by
Ibn Battuta
A list of methods of transport used
by Ibn Battuta on his travels
Evidence of trade and interactions
among the world regions as
observed by Ibn Battuta
30 points
(6 pts ea.)
Total
Points:
Name:
Possible
Points
50
Period:
Points
Earned
Name:
Period:
st
1 Quarter Project
Part II – World Traveler City Guide Project
Historical Background
During the period 600 C.E. to 1450 C.E., improved transportation technologies and commercial
practices led to an increase in the volume of trade and expanded the geographical range of existing
and newly active trade networks. As a result, existing trade routes flourished and promoted the
growth of powerful new trading cities.
Some examples of existing trade routes were the Silk Roads, the Mediterranean Sea Lanes, the
Trans-Saharan, and the Indian Ocean Sea Lanes. In addition, new trade routes were being
established in Mesoamerican and Andes regions of the Western Hemisphere.
Ibn Battuta travelled along many of these trade routes and visited numerous important cities and
trading centers of the time period including:
Cairo
Mecca
Damascus
Baghdad
Samarkand
Dehli
Hangzhou
Timbuktu
Ibn Battuta witnessed the growth of interregional trade which was largely centered on the exchange
of luxury goods. Examples of these types of luxury goods were silk and cotton textiles, porcelain,
spices, precious metals and gems, slaves, and exotic animals.
He also experienced many technological improvements which led to an increase in the amount of
trade during this period. More sophisticated caravan organizations (caravanserai), camel and
horse saddles, the compass, the astrolabe, and better and larger ship designs, not to mention
extensive road and shipping networks, all allowed for increased speed and capacity of trade.
Of course, the growth of trade also hinged on the development of new forms of credit and
monetization. Traders often relied on bills of exchange, credit, bank checks, and banking
houses to help facilitate the buying and selling of goods.
Rationale
The purpose of this project is to gain historical knowledge of the importance of trading networks and
trading cities to the time period, using Ibn Battuta’s travels as a reference. Students should gain an
understanding of the daily lives of the inhabitants of these important trading cities and how the
citizens influenced (and were influenced by) social and political structures, religion, culture, and trade.
Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to:
Describe the importance of existing trade routes and how they promoted the growth of
powerful new trading cities
Locate at least one existing and/or developing trade route in the Western or Eastern
Hemispheres
Identify luxury goods traded within their assigned trading city
Identify transportation and commercial technologies used to reach or trade with the trading city
Identify an example of new forms of credit and monetization used in the trading city
Describe everyday life among the inhabitants of the city by focusing on important points or
places of interest, food, religion, cultural attractions or items, etc.
Instructions:
1. Read the Historical Background section on the preceding page.
2. Read the example article on Constantinople and compare it to the project rubric. Notice that
this example includes some information which is not required for the project. The
example also omits some information necessary for completing your project. Make sure
you complete all items in the rubric.
3. You will be assigned a trading city. This will be your assigned trading city. You may trade
your selection with another student only once.
4. Research your assigned trading city.
5. You must provide a bibliography using APA style citations. While you may refer to Wikipedia to
help start your research, you may not use it as a cited source. You must have a minimum of
2 appropriate cited sources.
6. Follow the rubric to make sure you obtain the necessary information to complete the project.
7. Compose a typed travel guide article which provides the necessary information as instructed in
the rubric.
8. Illustrate and/or provide pictures/drawings of places, objects, people, etc. related to your
assigned trading city.
9. REMEMBER: You are trying to persuade people to travel to the city so you want to make sure
your article makes the city sound interesting but, at the same time, you want to sound credible!
Don’t exaggerate and try to stay realistic.
Part II – World Traveler City Guide
Project Rubric
Learning
Objective
Describe the
importance of
existing trade
routes and how
they promoted
the growth of
powerful new
trading cities
Criteria
Student provides:
a description of the size of the city
during the period 600 to 1450CE
demonstrates how the city was
important to regional/interregional
trade
Locate at least
Student provides:
one existing
advice on what trade route one
and/or
would travel on to get to the city
developing trade
OR
route in the
if no named trade route is found,
Western or
then a geographically correct travel
Eastern
route of the student’s own
Hemispheres
choosing
Identify luxury
goods traded
within their
assigned trading
city
Student provides:
a description of what goods a
merchant would be able to buy and
sell in the city
a description of the luxury goods
used by inhabitants of the city
Identify
transportation
and commercial
technologies
used to reach or
trade with the
trading city
Student provides:
a description of different
transportation technologies a
merchant might use to reach the
city (caravanserai, camel and
horse saddles, compass,
astrolabe, ship design, road
networks, etc.)
Identify an
example of new
forms of credit
and
monetization
used in the
trading city
Student provides:
an example of new forms of credit
and monetization used in the
trading city (bills of exchange,
credit, bank checks, banking
houses, etc.)
Completed
(√)
Possible
Points
10
(5 pts ea.)
5
20
(10 pts
ea.)
10
5
Points
Earned
Learning
Objective
Describe
everyday life
among the
inhabitants of
the city by
focusing on
important points
or places of
interest, food,
religion, cultural
attractions or
items, etc.
Criteria
Student provides:
a description of people’s daily lives
in the city (including a wealthy
merchant, a middle class artisan, a
peasant, a soldier, and, if
applicable, a slave)
descriptions of famous/interesting
points or places of interest
descriptions of various types of
food to eat
a description of the local religion
and its practice (rites, rituals,
places of worship)
a description of any cultural
attractions (festivals, feasts,
sporting events, plays, etc.)
additional information suitable or
appropriate to a travel guide to a
city (e.g. places to stay, advice on
safety, what to wear, etc.)
Completed
(√)
Possible
Points
24
(4 pts ea.)
Points
Earned
Physical/
Design
Requirements
Physical
Design
Bibliography
Criteria
Completed
(√)
Travel Guide Article is:
Typed
Typed information is no bigger
than 12 point font (except for titles)
On 8 ½ x 11 paper
Travel Guide Article:
Includes a map indicating location
of the trading city
Includes a minimum of 3
pictures/drawings/illustrations
related to the city (e.g.
points/places of interests, people,
cultural attractions, religious
symbols/rites/rituals, etc.)
Holds the reader’s visual interest
(bright colors, eye catching
headlines, etc.)
Student will provide:
a bibliography of sources used in
APA format. A minimum of 2
sources must be included.
Wikipedia cannot be one of your
cited sources.
6
(2 pts ea.)
10
10
Total
Points:
Name:
Possible
Points
100
Period:
Points
Earned