Transition of Rule: Byzantine to Early Islamic Land of Israel

Name: Date:

This worksheet is designed for 10th-grade Land of Israel Studies. Read the prompts and write your answers using specific historical dates, sites, and primary archaeological evidence.

Identify the decade of the 7th century CE in which the Rashidun armies conquered Byzantine Palestine.
Define the term 'dhimmi' and explain one obligation and one right associated with it.
Name the city founded in 715 CE by the Umayyad caliph Sulayman to serve as the new administrative capital of Jund Filastin, replacing Caesarea.
Explain what the continuation of mosaic laying in churches during the 8th century indicates to archaeologists about Christian communities after the conquest.
Read the following source excerpt: 'They asked for terms of peace... they should pay the jizya as much as the people of other towns do, and should permit travelers to pass through... their churches and homes shall not be taken.' Based on this text, analyze whether the early Islamic conquest represents a sudden cultural destruction or an institutional negotiation, and justify your answer.

Personal AI lessons and practice, from preschool to university

Answer keylessoons.com

Transition of Rule: Byzantine to Early Islamic Land of Israel

Answer key

Identify the decade of the 7th century CE in which the Rashidun armies conquered Byzantine Palestine.
The 630s CE (specifically marked by battles such as Yarmuk in 636 and the surrender of Jerusalem around 638).
Define the term 'dhimmi' and explain one obligation and one right associated with it.
Dhimmi refers to non-Muslim protected monotheists (mainly Christians and Jews) living under Islamic rule. Obligations included paying specific taxes (jizya and kharaj) and accepting political subordination; rights included physical protection, freedom of private religious practice, and internal legal autonomy.
Name the city founded in 715 CE by the Umayyad caliph Sulayman to serve as the new administrative capital of Jund Filastin, replacing Caesarea.
Ramla.
Explain what the continuation of mosaic laying in churches during the 8th century indicates to archaeologists about Christian communities after the conquest.
It indicates that Christian communities retained economic resources, artisan traditions, and sufficient legal freedom to maintain, build, and decorate their houses of worship decades after the Islamic takeover.
Read the following source excerpt: 'They asked for terms of peace... they should pay the jizya as much as the people of other towns do, and should permit travelers to pass through... their churches and homes shall not be taken.' Based on this text, analyze whether the early Islamic conquest represents a sudden cultural destruction or an institutional negotiation, and justify your answer.
It represents an institutional negotiation. The conquerors secured revenue (jizya) and logistical compliance (travel routes) in exchange for leaving existing civilian structures, homes, and places of worship intact, preserving community life rather than systematically leveling it.