Baghdad, Cordoba and the Work of Translation · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Baghdad and the Books That Survived

History · World History · ages 12-13
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Scholars in Baghdad turned Greek books into which language?

    • Arabic
    • Spanish
    • Chinese

  2. In which city did the House of Wisdom stand?

    • Rome
    • Baghdad
    • Paris

  3. Cities like Baghdad and Cordoba drew scholars with libraries and paid posts.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. Which of these shows Baghdad as a meeting point of ideas?

    • Muslims, Christians, and Jews working together
    • One scholar working alone in a locked room
    • A market selling only one kind of spice

  5. A Greek book about stars reaches Paris in 1200 in Latin. How did it likely travel?

    • Copied in Rome and kept there
    • Through Arabic copies made in Baghdad
    • Written fresh in Paris

  6. Paper workshops mattered because they made copying books faster and cheaper.

    Circle one:   True   False

  7. Two cities want scholars. One builds a library and pays translators. The other builds only a wall. Which plan works?

    • The wall, because walls attract readers
    • Both plans work the same
    • The library, because scholars follow books and pay

  8. Tom says Greek science reached Europe straight from ancient Greece with no stops. What is wrong?

    • Greek books never left Greece at all
    • Nothing is wrong, Tom is fully right
    • Many works came only by a long detour through Arabic
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Baghdad and the Books That Survived W1-mt_ZkjqYHk0cN-s1

  1. Arabic · The translation drive turned Greek works into Arabic for new readers.
  2. Baghdad · Caliph al-Mamun built it up in Baghdad as a home for scholars.
  3. True · Rulers paid scholars, built libraries, and paper made books cheap.
  4. Muslims, Christians, and Jews working together · People of three faiths shared the work, and traders brought ideas daily.
  5. Through Arabic copies made in Baghdad · Lost Greek works survived in Arabic, then passed west and into Latin.
  6. True · Cheap paper meant more copies, more readers, and more argument.
  7. The library, because scholars follow books and pay · Baghdad and Cordoba prove it: books, pay, and paper pull scholars in.
  8. Many works came only by a long detour through Arabic · Europe had lost the works, so they returned west through Arabic copies.
Worksheet · LightMySky