Middle Eastern History Chapters 1 & 2

Arabic is part of which language group?

Semitic

The domestication of what animal made the traversal of the Arabian deserts possible for early Arab merchants?

Camels

Before the emergence of Islam, what other monotheist religions grew from the Middle East and were interacted with by Muhammad?

Judaism and Christianity

What tribe was the prophet Muhammad from?

Quraysh

What major caravan station, which has gained massive importance since the emergence of Islam, was also an important religious shrine and home to the Ka’ba?

Mecca

What early Arab tradition was the main form of artistic expression, and later impacted the traditions of maintaining the Quran and still remains as important part of Arab culture?

Poetry

Living conditions for the Arabs before Islam were often harsh because

most of the Arabian Peninsula was hot and too dry for settled agriculture

The Roman emperor Constantine converted to which religion?

Christianity

The early Christians, especially the Byzantines, argued heatedly about

the exact nature of Christ