Baghdad in the 9th Century: A French Reading Worksheet 🐪
In this worksheet, the students travel to the 9th century. The Arab geographer Al Yacoubi describes Baghdad: the heart of the country, the abundance of water, the goods that arrive from China, India, Egypt and Persia. A short text, but a real historical source.
The objective is simple: read the text, work with the maps, and answer the questions. At the end, the students describe the city in a few lines. A good way to mix French and history, in one activity.
The three pages: the text of the geographer, the trade map, the questions and the sketch
✨ What students practise
First, the students read the text and the small vocabulary: le calife, la mosquée, les souks. Then they answer the first questions: in which period? on which continent? in which country? on which river? The answers are in the text and in the documents.
After, they complete the trade map: where do the silk, the spices and the gold come from? They choose the good title for the map, and they complete the legend of the sketch with the buildings of the city. In short, they read, they locate, and they write.
Read the text of Al Yacoubi and the vocabulary of the city.
Place Baghdad in time and space: the Middle Ages, Asia, Iraq, the Tigris.
Complete the trade map and the legend of the sketch.
Describe the city in a few lines, with your own words.
📚 What the worksheet contains
The worksheet has four documents and eight questions. Here is the detail:
Al Yacoubi presents Baghdad: the heart of the country, rich, full of water, with no equivalent in the East or in the West.
A trade map to complete, a reconstruction of the round city, and a sketch with a legend to fill in.
The period, the continent, the country, the river, the title of the map, and a short description of the city.
💬 The vocabulary of the city
The main words of the documents, with the English equivalent:
💎 Download the worksheet (Premium)
The PDF has the three pages, ready to print or to project. You have all the documents and the questions in one file, and you can use it directly in class.
Preview: the text, the trade map, the questions and the sketch
🎯 Recommended level
❓ Frequently asked questions
📚 What level is this worksheet for?
Mainly B1 for the text. The questions are more accessible, from A2-B1, if the students work with a little support.
🗂️ What does the worksheet contain?
Four documents: the text of Al Yacoubi, the trade map, the reconstruction of the city and the sketch. And eight questions, from the timeline to the description of the city.
🧭 Which skills does it practise?
Reading a historical text, locating a city in time and space, completing a map and a legend, and writing a short description in French.
🔑 What are the main answers?
The Middle Ages; Asia; Iraq; the Tigris. And the good title for the map: Baghdad at the heart of the great trade. The legend of the sketch covers the capital, the religion, the trade and the House of Wisdom.
💎 Is the worksheet free?
No, the PDF is reserved for Premium members.
