The 1258 Sack of Baghdad and Its Impact
About:
The Sack of Baghdad in 1258 CE was one of the most destructive events of the medieval period, when Mongol
forces led by Hulagu Khan captured and destroyed the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate. The city, once a center of
learning and trade during the Islamic Golden Age, suffered enormous damage, and the last Abbasid caliph in
Baghdad was killed. This event marked a major turning point in Middle Eastern history and the end of Baghdad
role as the leading center of the Islamic world. This worksheet explores the causes, events, and lasting effects of
this historic siege.
What’s Included:
This worksheet features Article (5 paragraphs), True/False (16 statements), Comprehension Questions (6),
Multiple Choice (15), Word Search (15 words), Crossword (10 clues), and Odd One Out (30 words).
Target Grades:
Grades 5-8
Teacher Note:
This topic involves a historical event with significant loss of life, so it works well framed around cause and effect
rather than graphic detail. Encourage students to connect this event to the earlier Mongol Empire and Abbasid
Caliphate lessons, since it ties those two topics together. The comprehension questions are useful for a guided
discussion on how the destruction of a city can affect trade, learning, and culture for generations