Question

In the early 700s a "Golden Age" of Jewish life in what's now this European country began with the Muslim conquest.

a) Spain
b) France
c) Italy
d) Germany

Answer 1

In the early 700s, a Golden Age of Jewish life began in Spain with the Muslim conquest. This period of tolerance and cultural exchange in Spain led to significant advancements in areas such as astronomy, navigation, and mathematics, which influenced Europe as a whole. However, as centuries progressed, the Jewish experience in Iberia turned grim with political enactments, forced conversions, and massacres.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is Spain (a).

In the early 700s, a "Golden Age" of Jewish life began in Spain with the Muslim conquest. When Muslim rule was established in 711, the legal and economic status of Jews improved. Often well-integrated into the governments and economies of Muslim Al-Andalus, many Jews spoke Arabic and wore the same clothes as their Muslim neighbors.

This period of tolerance and cultural exchange in Spain led to significant advancements in areas such as astronomy, navigation, and mathematics, which influenced Europe as a whole. However, as centuries progressed, the Jewish experience in Iberia turned grim with political enactments, forced conversions, and massacres.