Introduction
You have been traveling for most of the night, and you feel tired. Yet, as the dawn breaks and the sun starts to light up the landscape before your eyes. In the distance, your sight meets with a view that brights you up and lightens your weariness: Cordoba, heart of the Caliphate and the greatest city in the western world.
You are a spice merchant from the 10th century, who has just completed his journey through the Silk Road, from China to al-Andalus, and you are now going to the market of Cordoba to sell your products. Will Allah smile upon you and give you good fortune in your business?
Task
As a spice merchant, everybody likes you. However, you have just started this new profession, and you have no knowledge or experience. We will go over these activities to make sure you have what it takes to be a successful merchant. Pay attention, and you might learn something...
Don't forget to upload these questions to Showbie!!!
Exercises
1. Who are you? I mean, you have an arabic name, right? So please, tell me your name and what does it mean.
2. Nice to meet you. I am your mudaris (teacher, in arabic). So, which spices do you sell? Tell me at least the name of five of the spices that you sell.
3. Those are funny names. Where do you get these spices? Is it far away from Cordoba?
4. That is a long way from home! Would you do something for me, please? I would love to travel, but I have no time to do it. Tell me about your journey through the Silk Road: which cities do you visit, and how long is your journey?
5. That sounds interesting, but I don't know anything about the places you talk about... Draw your itinerary on a blank map of Europe and Asia so I can see it better.
6. If I want to buy your spices IN East Asia, would they be cheaper than here? Why are the spices in Cordoba so much more expensive than in East Asia?
7. Talking about money... Now, what type of coin do you use to sell and buy your spices? What are the names for the gold and silver coins?
8. Thank you for your time, I think I am going now. Oh, I almost forgot... What's the name of the place where the market is located in a muslim city?
Process
Are you lost? Here are some indications so you can find yourself! You have to answer the questions proposed in the TASK tab through these websites. Sometimes the answer may not be clear, so you need to use your head to answer some of the questions.
After completing the questions using whatever app that you want, upload your answers to Showbie!!!
Resources
Exercise 1:
https://www.searchtruth.com/baby_names/names.php
Exercise 2:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indian_spices
https://www.teacoffeespiceofindia.com/spice/spice-origin
Exercises 3, 4 and 5:
Look at the map in this website:
https://www.ancient.eu/Silk_Road/
Use this blank map to draw your journey. You can make the journey up, but use real infirmation. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3d/e6/1d/3de61df4944d2748ea4a87fffe488c8b.png
Exercise 6:
Think about this answer by yourself.
Exercise 7:
Edubook, Unit 2, Point 5.B (Discover).
Exercise 8:
Edubook, Unit 2, Point 5.B (Discover)
Conclusion
Congratulations! If you did well, you will be able to amass a fortune! Other merchants will be jealous of you due to the knowledge you have learnt today. If not, then maybe you should think again about becoming a spice merchant in the 10th century!
As last words, think about how hard it would be for you to get your favorite spices in the past. People had to literally walk across half the globe to get most of them! Now, we can take a flight from Spain to Japan in less than fifteen hours. Technology has really made the world smaller.
I am giving you one last question. Would you have made the long journey through land? Could you imagine an alternative route to East Asia by boat, taking into account that the world is rounded?
Credits
Made by:
Mr. Carlos García.
Mr. Luis Carlos Nogués.