36 exam-style questions on Dynasties and rulers (750-1500) — topic WHT.3 of World History Topics (Paper 2, choose 2 of 12) in the IB History syllabus — with answers and explanations. Samples below; the full set is free with an account.
State which dynasty came to power in the Islamic world following the revolution of 750, establishing its capital at Baghdad.
Answer: The Abbasid dynasty
The Abbasid Revolution of 750 overthrew the Umayyads; the Abbasids founded Baghdad in 762 as their new capital.
Determine which ruler is most closely associated with the cultural and economic 'golden age' of the Abbasid Caliphate around the year 800.
Answer: Harun al-Rashid
Harun al-Rashid (r. 786-809) presided over the height of Abbasid prosperity and patronage of scholarship in Baghdad.
Explain which title the Abbasid rulers used to claim both political and religious leadership of the Muslim community.
Answer: Caliph
The caliph ('successor' to the Prophet) claimed leadership of the whole Muslim umma; sultan (adopted by the Seljuks in the 11th century), vizier and emir denoted political, administrative or military power without that religious authority.
Identify the Turkic dynasty that dominated Baghdad and much of the Middle East in the 11th century while nominally preserving the Abbasid caliph.
Answer: The Seljuks
The Seljuk Turks entered Baghdad in 1055 and ruled as sultans, leaving the Abbasid caliph as a religious figurehead.
Determine at which battle in 1260 the Mamluks halted the westward advance of the Mongols.
Answer: Battle of Ain Jalut
At Ain Jalut (1260) the Mamluk army under Qutuz and Baybars defeated the Mongols, marking the first major check to Mongol expansion.
Identify the grandson of Genghis Khan who completed the conquest of China and founded the Yuan dynasty.
Answer: Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan founded the Yuan dynasty in 1271 and completed the conquest of Song China by 1279.
That was 6 of 36 Dynasties and rulers (750-1500) questions.
Practise all 36 freeDefineAO1 · 1–3 marks
Give the precise meaning — one sentence, the key terms in it, no example needed unless asked.
ExplainAO2 · 2–6 marks
Give reasons or causes: say what happens AND why, linking each step with 'because' or 'so that'.
IdentifyAO1 · 1–3 marks
Name or pick out the thing asked for from the information given. A label, not a paragraph.
36 Dynasties and rulers (750-1500) questions — free with an account. Spaced repetition, streaks and full exam simulations included.
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