Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
B. The first Arabs were nomads, or wanderers, who sought water and grazing pastures in oases, or areas watered by springs and wells.
C. Some oases became trading centers for nomad families.
B. Towns along the trade routes became prosperous trading centers.
C. Arabian cities had wells where travelers could find water, and bazaars, or marketplaces, where traders could sell their goods.
B. The Quraysh tribe negotiated peace treaties with neighboring tribes and sponsored caravans to encourage travel through Mecca.
C. For centuries, Arabs had come to Mecca to worship at the Kaaba, a shrine that held the idols of many tribes.
D. The Quraysh tribe, by ensuring safe passage, encouraged merchants and others to make pilgrimages to Mecca to worship.
Lesson at a Glance Outline
Chapter 3, Lesson 1, Desert Bloom -- Caravan Cities (pp. 52-57)
I. The First Arabs
A. The Arabian peninsula is made up of sandy deserts and rocky grasslands.
II. Towns in the Desert
A. Caravan trade routes served to carry people and goods across the Arabian peninsula and linked the Mediterranean world with the East.
III. The Holy City of Mecca
A. The city of Mecca was located at the crossroads of two heavily-traveled trade routes, a location that helped it grow.
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