World History Homework Five Answers - Student Thirteen

Michelle F-mostly done, not quite though. :(

1. List the "Five Pillars of Islam."

1) Submit to Allah 2) Pray to Allah five times a day, while facing Mecca 3) Fast throughout the entire month of Ramadan (this does not mean that the Muslims cannot eat during this month, it means that they cannot eat while the Sun is up) 4) Almsgiving; give to the poor 5) The Hajj, or pilgrimage, must be made to Mecca at least once during a Muslim’s life

2. How is Islam different from Christianity?

Islam believes in submission to their god, Christianity believes in loving God, and serving Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, not simply submitting to Him mindlessly. Islam tries to force conversions; Christianity does not. Islam believes that it is blasphemous to portray Muhammad; Christians have done numerous portrayals of God and Jesus throughout the years.

3. Charles the Hammer, Pepin the Short, and Charlemagne: which one is your favorite, and why?

Charles Martel. He went through the hard work of expanding the Carolingian territory and expelling the Muslim invaders. If Europe had fallen to the Muslims, would America be Muslim? Would America have had the government it now has if we were all Islamic? I personally believe that God put Charles Martel in exactly the right spot at the perfect time, so as to forward His kingdom.

4. Describe what you like about feudalism in Western Europe.

It was a way to have at least some government in the absence of a great empire. It allowed for protection from barbarians, enabled trading and community in a lawless time, and led into the development of Europe as we know it now. It was a good transition from the collapse of the all-encompassing Roman Empire, to individual nations.

5. Explain the difference between the Sunnis and the Shiites, and give examples of one country controlled by each.

Sunni- Saudi Arabia Shiites- Iran

6. Current events: Comment on the table of Islamic populations by country. Do you notice anything interesting about it?

I find it interesting that there are so few countries between 40% and 80%. There are numerous countries over 80% and I would imagine that there are many more under 40%, but the amount between is surprising. My guess would be that most countries are either totally Islamic, or hardly Islamic at all.

7. Briefly describe four major civilizations or tribes in South America, as discussed in the lecture.

Teotihuacan, A.D. 100-900, created a large city with a possible population of 200,000. Polytheistic, they worshipped sun, moon, rain, and water god/goddesses. People lived in barrios around the city. Mayans lived in Central America, A.D. 300-900,on the Yucatan peninsula, with a population somewhere between 5 and 16 million people. The Mayans were somewhat knowledgeable, and understood zero. They had a fairly accurate calendar, with 18 months, and 20 days in each month. They had no currency, but occasionally traded in cacao beans. Like most South American civilizations, the Mayans practiced human sacrifice. The Incas were descended from the Moche civilization. They were first a civilization in A.D. 1250, but the height of their civilization was from A.D. 1438-1537. They did not have a written language; instead they used a cord with beads on it, called “quipu”, used to record government business. They were called “big ears” by the Spaniards, because of the earrings they wore that stretched their ears. The Incan rulers were mummified after their death, like the Egyptians. Aztecs, A.D. 1200-1521, were much like many of their other South American neighbors, just a lot more warlike. They practiced human sacrifice more often. This lessened the population, which made it easier for the Spaniards to conquer the Aztecs, in A.D.1521.