This extra credit opportunity is worth 2 points of extra credit PER question on your Unit 2 Quiz on February 23.
Mansa Musa’s empire consisted of parts of these present-day countries: Mali, Gambia, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Niger, and Mauritania. Mansa Musa built his wealth from gold and salt mines, both of which were extremely valuable. The Mali Empire was strategically situated on trade routes throughout Africa. Musa I was also a devout Muslim. In 1324 he made his hajj, or pilgrimage, to Mecca. This pilgrimage is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Mansa Musa returned from his hajj with the architect Ishaq El Teudjin, who built several buildings, including the Djinguerebe Mosque, which became one of three mosques of the University of Timbuktu. Mansa Musa also ordered the creation of several libraries and supported education in the Qur’an. Under Mansa Musa’s reign the Malian empire reached its greatest size. His cultural legacy is seen in Mali to this day. Central Historical Question: Was Mansa Musa the richest person in the world? Directions: Using the following document below and your previous knowledge of Medieval Africa, answer the prompts at the bottom of this post. An Account from Al-Umari an Arab Historian Al-Umari was an Arab historian from Damascus, Syria. He visited the city of Cairo in Egypt several years after Mansa Musa passed through there on his pilgrimage in 1324 CE. He then wrote this account of Mansa Musa’s visit, as told to him by the people of Cairo. From the beginning of my coming to stay in Egypt I heard talk of the arrival of this sultan Musa on his Pilgrimage and found the people of Cairo eager to tell what they had seen of the Africans’ extravagant spending. I asked the emir Abu and he told me of the opulence, manly virtues, and piety of his sultan. Abu said, “When I went out to meet him, Musa did me extreme honor and treated me with the greatest courtesy. He addressed me, however, only through an interpreter despite his perfect ability to speak in the Arabic tongue. Then he sent to the royal treasury many loads of unworked native gold and other valuables. I tried to persuade him to go up to the Citadel to meet the sultan of Cairo, but he refused persistently saying: ‘I came for the Pilgrimage and nothing else. I do not wish to mix anything else with my Pilgrimage.’” Mansa Musa flooded Cairo with his gifts. He left no emir or holder of a royal office without the gift of a load of gold. The people of Cairo made incalculable profits out of him and his caravan in buying and selling and giving and taking. They traded away gold until they depressed its value in Egypt and caused its price to fall. This has been the state of affairs for about twelve years until this day by reason of the large amount of gold which they brought into Egypt and spent there. Source: Al-Umari, Pathways of Vision in the Realms of the Metropolises, 1337-1338. Vocabulary sultan: king emir: a high ranking title opulence: great wealth, especially shown by extravagant living piety: religious devotion incalculable: huge depressed: lowered Guided Questions 1. (Sourcing) Who is Al-Umari? Do you think he is a reliable source of information on Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to Mecca? Why, or why not? 2. (Close Reading) How does the emir Abu describe Mansa Musa to Al-Umari? According to the emir Abu, what traits does Mansa Musa possess? 3. Do you think Al-Umari’s description of Mansa Musa is accurate? Why or why not? Due by FRIDAY February 23 by MIDNIGHT
5 Comments
Abby P
2/21/2018 04:04:38 pm
1) Al-Umari was an Arab historian from Damascus. I believe that Al-Umari was a mostly reliable source. I say this becuase he used multiple peoples stories from when Mansa Musa came through Cairo, when he was puting together this document. Also, Al-Urami was a historian, not some random guy making something up. He is more reliable than someone who only used one story as well.
Reply
Julia W
2/23/2018 06:16:55 pm
1) I completely agree with your answer. The fact that Umari was a historian made him a lot more reliable and a more trustworthy source. Also, the fact that he did incorporate many people accounts with Musa makes him more reliable.
Reply
Cassidy W.
2/23/2018 08:41:26 pm
I agree with you that Al-Umari is mostly reliable. I like that you point out the fact that he is a historian which makes him much more experienced in this topic and even more reliable. Also, pointing out that he has multiple sources is very good as well. Multiple sources are a way to get a lot of different views and see if everything matches up, which can strengthen your statements even more. I agree with all of what you have said.
Reply
Julia W
2/23/2018 05:56:52 pm
1) Al – Umari was an Arab Historian from Damascus, Syria. After Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage in 1324 CE Umari visited the city of Cairo Egypt and wrote an account of Musa’s passing based off stories from first hand sources who witnessed the event. I do believe Umari was a reliable source of Musa’s pilgrimage through Cairo because he was a professional historian. However, the only part that makes me think Umari is a bit less reliable of a source is the fact that he did not witness the event first hand and may have interpreted the stories the Egyptian people told him differently then they occurred.
Reply
Cassidy W.
2/23/2018 08:35:52 pm
1) Al-Umari was an Arab historian who went to Cairo in Egypt and wrote about what people (who saw Mansa Musa and was there when he had came) told about Mansa Musa. I think he is a reliable source, because he asked people who were there and saw Mansa Musa when he was visiting, like emir Abu who experienced Mansa Musa (the text states, '“When I went out to meet him, Musa did me extreme honor and treated me with the greatest courtesy.") Therefore, the people there are the most reliable and that is where he is getting his information.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Extra CreditStudents may receive extra credit by responding to and commenting on blog posts and comments on this page. Students must adhere to the following guidelines in order to receive credit. Categories
All
|