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Difficulty: EasyPolitical Fragmentation and Rise of Islamic States

"As the central political authority of the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad weakened after the ninth century, new regional Islamic states emerged, such as the Seljuk Empire in the Middle East and the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt. Despite this loss of centralized political unity, trade, artistic patronage, and scientific inquiry continued to expand across the Islamic world, facilitated by a shared religion and the use of the Arabic language."

Which of the following developments in the period 1200–1450 is best supported by the passage?

  1. The political fragmentation of the Abbasid Caliphate occurred alongside the continued expansion of trade and intellectual activity.Answer
  2. B
    A widespread decline in Islamic scientific and cultural achievements following the collapse of centralized political authority in Baghdad.
  3. C
    The adoption of European feudal structures, such as decentralized serfdom, by new regional Islamic states.
  4. D
    The total disruption of Silk Road trade as bulk agricultural goods replaced high-value luxury commodities.

Answer

The political fragmentation of the Abbasid Caliphate occurred alongside the continued expansion of trade and intellectual activity.
The correct answer is correct because the passage explicitly states that despite the fragmentation of centralized political unity under the Abbasids, trade, artistic patronage, and scientific inquiry continued to flourish across the regional states of the Islamic world.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the provided historical passage.
The passage describes the decline of centralized Abbasid authority and the rise of regional states, noting that trade, art, and science continued to expand.
Understanding the core argument of the stimulus is necessary to evaluate the options.
2
Evaluate the options against the passage's argument.
The option asserting that political fragmentation coexisted with cultural and commercial vitality aligns perfectly with the passage.
This identifies the option that best reflects the historical development shown in the text.

Key Concept

Political Fragmentation and Rise of Islamic States
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Political Fragmentation and Rise of Islamic States

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