Short answers, pulled from the story.
Caliph Al-Mansur commissioned the construction of Baghdad on the 30th of July 762 to serve as the capital of his Abbasid Empire. The city took four years to build between 764 and 768 involving over 100,000 workers who laid bricks measuring 18 inches square.
Mongol forces led by Hulegu captured Baghdad on the 10th of February 1258 after a siege that ruined many quarters through fire siege or looting. The Mongols massacred most of the city's inhabitants including Caliph Al-Musta'sim and destroyed large sections of the urban fabric while also demolishing the canals and dykes forming the city's irrigation system.
In 1948 approximately 150,000 Jews numbered constituting 33% of Baghdad's population before persecution forced most to flee Iraq. By 2003 only about 1,500 people lived in Baghdad though many resided in old Jewish quarters like Bataween and Shorja.
Al-Rasheed Street stands as one of the most significant landmarks in Baghdad serving as an artistic intellectual and cultural center for many residents. It includes prominent theaters such as Crescent Theatre where Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum sang during her 1932 visit alongside Chakmakji Company recording music for various Arab singers.
Baghdad generates 40% of Iraq's GDP serving as the commercial and financial hub home to 22% of the population. The city connects trade routes between Turkey Syria India and Southeast Asia hosting government institutions state enterprises key sources of employment and regional headquarters for major banks and corporations.