Materials

• Blank outline maps of Europe, Asia, and Africa
• Timeline and brief outline of the history of the Ottoman Empire
• Text or other reading

Instructional Activities

NOTE: The following Web resource may be helpful in teaching this session:

• Ottoman Empire. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/ottomanempire_1.shtml>.
• Istanbul. <http://www.princeton.edu/~asce/const_95/const.html>.

1. Introduce this unit by writing the term Ottoman Empire on the board or overhead. Ask students to share information on what they know about this empire. Write their responses on the board or overhead.
   
   
2. Provide a brief timeline of the Ottoman Empire for students, and provide a brief outline of the history of the empire.
   
   
3. Distribute blank outline maps of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Instruct students to draw the boundaries that represent the extent of the Ottoman Empire on the map. Instruct them to label the present-day countries that include the territory that made up the Ottoman Empire.
   
   
4. Instruct students to identify the location of Constantinople and label it. Explain that this city was the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Instruct students to draw a star beside the city’s name to indicate that it was a capital. Instruct them to then draw a line through Constantinople and write in Istanbul. Explain that the city was renamed to reflect the new ruling power.
   
   
5. Instruct students to draw the symbol of the Muslim faith on the map. Also instruct them to draw the symbols of other religions that were accepted within the Ottoman Empire.
   
   
6. Explain to students that the Ottoman Empire was involved in trade in coffee and ceramics. Instruct students to draw symbols on the map to reflect these products.
   
   
7. Assign a teacher-selected reading, worksheet, or other reinforcement activity.