Baghdad

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/baghdad

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How many people live in Baghdad?Estimated 7.7 million people (2023)
2. How big is Baghdad?Approximately 673 km² (260 mi²)
3. When was Baghdad built?762 AD by Caliph al-Mansur as the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate
4. What is Baghdad and why is it called the City of Peace?Baghdad was founded by Caliph al‑Mansur in 762 AD as the new capital of the Abbasid Caliphate. During the Islamic Golden Age it became known as the City of Peace because of its great learning and culture.
5. Who built Baghdad and why was its design special?Caliph al‑Mansur built Baghdad, and its circular layout was designed by architects and astronomers to show cosmic order and imperial power.

Abbasid Caliphate: A major Islamic caliphate that ruled from Baghdad from the 8th to the 13th centuries, overseeing a period of significant cultural and scientific advancement.
Bayt al-Hikma (House of Wisdom): A major intellectual and cultural center in Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age, instrumental in translating and preserving ancient scientific and philosophical texts.
Islamic Golden Age: A historical period of cultural, economic, and scientific flourishing in the Islamic world, roughly from the 8th to the 14th centuries, with Baghdad as a primary hub.