1. The roots of Islam: Life in Arabia
Social Studies for 10th EBG – Teacher: Mauricio Torres
2. Life in a desert land
The Arabian Peninsula is located in the southwest
corner of Asia. It is right between Africa, Europa and
Asia.
Its climate, location and physical features have
shaped its life.
3. Physical Features and Climate
Arabia is a region with hot and
dry air; blazing sun with clear
skies, which leads to a summer
max of 100º temperatures.
This climate has forged deserts
filled with sand dunes (sand
hills).
Here, water is a limited and
highly valued resource. It is found
mainly in oases
An oasis is a wet, fertile area in the
middle of a desert.
These served as “gas stations” in
the desert for thousands of years!
4. Two Ways of life
Being a desert
environment, life here is as
difficult as it can get. In order
to survive, people developed
two lifestyles:
Nomads lived in tents and
raised herds of sheep, goats
and camels. These animals
provided milk, meat, wool and
leather.
They traveled along the desert
carrying their loads searching
for food an water.
Being a nomad had its
advantages:
Being part of a tribe, gave an
5. Two Ways of life
While nomads moved around the
desert, other Arabs chose to live in a
sedentary life.
They made their homes in oasis where
they could farm.
Later, these settlements, became
towns, especially those around trade
routes.
Here merchants and craftspeople live and
worked. They worked with people in the
caravan trade
Caravan: is a group of traders that travel
together.
Towns became centers of trade an had
bazaars, where nomads and merchants
interacted with each other!
8. Ask Yourself
Define:
What is a caravan?
Draw conclusions:
How did nomads and merchants rely on each other?
Describe:
What is the environment that predominates on the
Arabian peninsula?
Explain:
What is an oasis and what is its importance?
9. Bibliography
Burstein, S. M., & Shek, R. (2012). World History
(Teacher´s Edition) (1st Edition ed.). (H.
McDougal, Ed.) Orlando, Florida, US.: Houghton
Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Ellis, E. G., & Esler, A. (2009). World History. (P.
Hall, Ed.) Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, US:
Pearson Education INC.
Images taken from www.google.com
