Early Islamic Influence in Asia
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PBS Learning Media
Early Islamic Influence in Asia
In the seventh and eighth centuries of the common era, the Islamic religion was born in the Arabian peninsula and quickly expanded throughout the Near East, North Africa, and even Western Europe. Over the next few centuries, carried by Arab sailors and merchants, it continued to expand and reached into China, Vietnam, and as far as Indonesia. Today, Indonesia is the most populous of all Islamic countries; And the culture that has emerged in Islamic Indonesia is a unique blend of Islamic, Hindu, and general Southeast Asian cultural characteristics.
Review the images and descriptions in this Media Gallery. Then read the background essay and complete the attached worksheet.