The Middle East

-Overview-
Understand and know the five geographical
regions of the Middle East
 The Middle East
The area we call the Middle East is
quite small in size

It represents 12% of the worlds land

and 6% of its population

Despite its size, it is one of the

worlds most influential areas

It is at the center of the worlds

history

The Middle East is one of the most

politically contentious and diverse
regions of the world
 The Middle East
The Middle East also includes the
North part of Africa

Africa south of the Sahara is very

different

The term Middle East is not an

accurate representation of the region

That term was invented by the

French in the early 1900s

A better way to refer to it would be

South Western Asia
 The Middle East

The Middle East is often in the news

It has been home to the Iraq Wars, al-

queda, Islamic Fundamentalism,
Israeli-Arab conflict, nuclear
weapons, terrorism, extremism and
most recently the Arab Spring
movement

Religion is frequently the main cause

of conflict

If not religion then oil

 The Middle East
The Middle East is a cultural
crossroad

It is the area that joins east to west

Technology, ideas, religions all cross

what is known as the Middle East

With this convergence of culture,

ideas and religions, it is not
surprising there is so much violence

The area is often misunderstood by

westerners
 The Middle East
Geographically speaking, the area is
frequently divided into five regions

Trier = Turkey and Iran

The region is distinguished by its

high plateaus, mountains and
frequent rains

It is much greener than the majority

of the Middle East and has better soil

This has led to frequent conflict in

history due to the richness of the
land
 The Middle East
The Arabian Peninsula = Arabia,
Oman, United Arab Emirates,
Yemen, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait

It is an inhospitable region with little

greenery

It has a very small population

It is marked by its vast central desert

It is also home to a massive oil

reserve and incredible wealth

It is home to Islam
 The Middle East
The Fertile Crescent is an arc that
follows the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers

This is the cradle of civilization

It has been a frequent area of war

and bloodshed

The wealthiest region was the area

called Mesopotamia

It was home to some of the Ancient

Worlds greatest civilizations
 The Middle East
The Nile Valley encompasses
Northwestern Africa

This area has been rich due to the

Nile River

It is home to the great Egyptian

Civilization

High mountains in the south

received vast amounts of snow
which melts, floods the Nile

The Nile flooding creates very good

soil for farming
 The Middle East
The Magreb = (North
Africa),Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco,
Libya, Chad, Niger, Mali

Magreb means Western Isle

It is separated from Europe by the

Mediterranean, from Africa by the
Sahara and Atlas Mountains

This area has been a firestorm in the

news of late

It is the birth place of the Arab

Spring movement
Early Civilizations
Understand and know the characteristics of the
early civilizations of the Middle East
 The Middle East
1st known civilization was that
of the Sumerians

Their civilization grew up

along the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers

By 3,500 BC the early farming

communities had grown into
powerful city states

Uruk, Ur, Kush often fought

against one another
 The Middle East
The Sumerians believed that their
Gods were all powerful

They believed it was the Gods who

sent famine and natural disasters if
angered

Sumerian priests were the only

ones who could keep the gods
happy

Each city state had a ziggurat

From the ziggurat, priests appeased

the Gods, collected taxes and
taught religion
 The Middle East
The Sumerians were one of the
first civilizations to develop a
writing system

This allowed them to transfer

their ideas, rules and beliefs to
others

At first, like in Asia, they used

pictographs but later, they added
phonetics

Romans called their handwriting

cuneiform [wedge]

They wrote on clay tablets with a

stylus
 The Middle East
The Sumerians also invented
many other technologies

Wheeled carts, sailing ships,

plow, calendar, advanced math

They also invented time

measurement

60 second minute and 60 minute

hour as well as the 360 degree
circle
 The Middle East
Other Middle Eastern
civilizations include: Egyptians,
Assyrians, Babylonians,
Persians, Phoenicians,
Hebrews, Palestinians

The Assyrians were one of the

most warlike

It was common for them to put

their enemies on pikes

They would also dismember

their victims
 The Middle East
Another of the most renowned early
empires were the Babylonians

They lived in the region we know

today as modern Iraq

In 1700 BC, King Hamurabi

conquered the majority of the fertile
crescent

He established one of the earliest

law systems, the Code of Hamurabi

This written law system would

become part of almost all other
cultures
 The Middle East
In 1500 BC, the Hittites entered
the Fertile Crescent

They transformed the world by

mastering Iron

With this mastery they created

better weapons of war and
dominated other cultures

Another great civilization ruled

the seas, the Phoenicians

They discovered purple dye,

phonetic alphabet
 The Middle East
By 500 BC, it was the Persians who
reigned supreme

Under Darius I, a great system of

laws and government, had united a
vast empire

The Persians dominated the region

by divided it into 20 easy to rule
areas

They collected taxes to keep order,

a coined money system and did
away with barter

Their practices spread throughout

the Middle East
The Middle East
-Religion: Judaism-
 Re-cap
What is another name for the Middle East?

Why is the Middle East at the center of many

world conflicts?

What are the five geographical regions of the

Middle East?

List three inventions introduced by the

Sumerians

Who were the Assyrians?

Understand the basic beliefs and practices of
Judaism.
 Founder Who started this faith?

Deity What do they call their god?

Sacred Book Religious codes/ book/ laws

What do they believe? Concepts

Key Beliefs
of Heaven and Hell.

Symbols Any sacred symbols or icons?

How do you know a person is a

Behavior and Rituals
follower of this faith?
Are there any factions or groups
Factions
with differing beliefs?
 Judaism
In the area of the Fertile
Crescent lived pastoral nomads

They spent their lives herding

and raising animals and living
off the land

These nomads often traded with

the great surrounding cities

Most of the inhabitants of these

cities viewed the nomads as
second class citizens

They were called barbarians and

inferiors
 Judaism
The most important of the
nomadic groups were the
Hebrews

Around 2000 BC, Abraham and

his family migrated away from
Mesopotamia to Palestine

They called this new land

Canaan

It was a promised land given to

them by God. Abraham was also
promised a large posterity

Eventually these people came to

be known as Hebrews
 Judaism
The Hebrews were a peaceful
people

Their religion was surrounded

by the belief in one supreme god
called Yahweh [I am]

The religion was[is]

monotheistic, meaning they
worship only one god

Most religions at this time were

polytheistic [multiple gods]

Eventually this religion would

come to be called Judaism and
its people Jews
 Judaism
At a certain point in time, the
Hebrews were forced to leave
Canaan and move to Egypt

This story is told in the Old

Testament of the Bible

Jacob, the grandson of Abraham

had many children, one of
whom was Joseph

Joseph whose name means to

strengthen would greatly help
his people

Joseph was favored by his father

over all his brothers
 Judaism
Joseph was given a coat of many colors
and his brothers became jealous

In time, Josephs brothers plotted

against him, captured, beat him and
then sold him as a slave into Egypt

While in Egypt, Joseph gained favor

with the pharaoh after interpreting his
dreams

While in Egypt, all of the fertile

crescent was afflicted with a severe
drought

The Hebrews came to Egypt for help,

and Joseph, rather than shun his
people, he helped them move to Egypt
to safety
 Judaism
The Hebrews lived for many
years in Egypt in peace

After a time however, the

Egyptians began to view the
Hebrews as foreigners and
inferior

The next pharaoh turned them

all into slaves

Life for the Hebrews became

harsh and cruel

A new leader however would

arise and led them out of Egypt,
his name was Moses
 Judaism
Moses, as the Bible goes, requested
from the pharaoh the release of his
people

When the pharaoh refused, Moses

afflicted the Egyptians with the 10
plagues

The pharaoh ultimately conceded

and Moses led his people out of
Egypt, this was only after he parted
the Red Sea

Once in Sinai, Moses climbed a

mountain from which he received
the 10 commandments from God

These commandments became the

cornerstone of Judaism
 The 10
Commandments
1. No other Gods 6. Do not kill

2. No idols 7. Do not commit adultery

3. Do not use the Lords 8. Do not steal

name in vain
9. Do not bear false witness
4. Keep Sabbath Holy against your neighbor

5. Honor your father and 10. Do not covet

mother
 Judaism
Moses then led his people back
to Canaan

While traveling Moses was

instructed to build a tabernacle

This tabernacle was essentially a

mobile temple

The temple was used as a holy

center to make offerings to their
God and to commune with Him

It would become an integral part

of Judaism
 Judaism
Upon arriving in Canaan, Moses
died and the Hebrews came to be
ruled by Joshua

Joshua spent his reign fighting

foreign people off the land of
Canaan

Subsequent and important Hebrew

kings were David and Solomon

Solomon was a very wise leader

Under his rule the Hebrews built a

new capital city called Jerusalem

Within it he constructed the first

temple with the most precious
materials
 Judaism
After the construction of Jerusalem, the
Hebrews came to be known Jews

They obeyed strict religious procedures

contained in a book today known as
the Torah [essentially the Old
Testament of the Bible]

In addition to the 10 Commandments,

there are around 613 more laws

In time, after conquering all their

surroundings, the Jews began to fight
amongst themselves

Soon they divided their lands into 12

sections

Two major cities emerged

 Judaism
Those in the north were known as
Israelites and their capital was Samaria

In the south was Judah and its capital

Jerusalem

This division amongst the Hebrews

came at a critical time

In Mesopotamia, the Assyrians were

growing in power and expanding

In 722 BC, the Assyrians destroyed the

Israelites and captured Samaria

Jerusalem was a fortified city and was

not taken, thus the Jews were
preserved
 Judaism
In 598, BC the Babylonians
conquered Jerusalem

The Jews remained in Babylonian

captivity for 53 years

During that time they did not give

up their former traditions and beliefs

They compiled their writings into a

book called the Torah [Old
Testament]

In 539 BC, Babylon was defeated by

another new power, Persia

Cyrus the great was merciful to the

Jews and allowed them to return
and rebuild Jerusalem
 Judaism
The Jews returned and rebuilt the walls
of Jerusalem and also the temple which
had been destroyed

This was not the end for the Jews

however

Soon other invaders would come,

Alexander the Great who defeated
Persia

Later, the Romans

Through it all the Jewish faith held

strong

The greatest challenge to the faith

would not be by armies but by a single
man
 Judaism
Jews believe there is only one god, his
name is Yahweh or Jehovah

They believe that Yahweh created the

world, the heavens and everything in
them

They also believe that if they did not

observe Gods will, they would be
punished

They believed that God had made a

covenant with them, that if they
obeyed his laws The Ten
Commandments that they would be
blessed and preserved

Jews also believed in prophets, Gods

voice on earth Isaiah, Daniel
 Judaism
14 Million Adherents Practices: Circumcision at
birth, Bar/Bat Mitzvah at
Founded in Israel adulthood, Observing the
Sabbath, daily prayer,
Founder, Abraham wearing the tallit and
tefillin.
Branches: Orthodox, Reform
and Conservative Holidays: Hanukkah, Rosh
Hashanah, Purim.
Beliefs: One God, who
requires worship, ethical Text: Torah/Talmud
behavior and rituals. They
also believe in a Messiah. Symbol: Star of David
The Middle East
-Religion: Christianity-
 Re-cap
1) Who is considered the father of Judaism?

2) How were the Hebrews different from the

rest of the people in Mesopotamia?

3) Who was Moses?

4) What was the significance of the Tabernacle

and Temple?

5) What are 3 beliefs and/or practices of

Judaism?
Understand the basic beliefs and practices of
Christianity.
 Founder Who started this faith?

Deity What do they call their god?

Sacred Book Religious codes/ book/ laws

What do they believe? Concepts

Key Beliefs
of Heaven and Hell.

Symbols Any sacred symbols or icons?

How do you know a person is a

Behavior and Rituals
follower of this faith?
Are there any factions or groups
Factions
with differing beliefs?
 Christianity
In 6 AD, Jerusalem fell under the control
of Rome

A Jewish priest class called the Sadducees

favored cooperation with Rome

The Pharisees in contrast advocated strict

obedience to religious laws

The zealots desired full out rebellion and

war against Rome

Still others looked forward to an ancient

prophecy concerning a savior

According to this prophecy, a deliverer

would be born who would led them to
victory over their enemies
 Christianity
Soon, a boy named Jesus Christ was
born to the Virgin Mary [Immaculate
Conception]

Christ, from and early age began to

proclaim himself as the fulfillment of
prophecy

Christ taught that he was the

deliverer, the Messiah, the Jews had
been looking for

He taught new and interesting

teachings such as loving your
enemies and obeying God

He initiated a break from previous

teachings that earned a great deal of
criticism
 Christianity
Jesus also drew criticism when
he announced himself as the
Messiah

Many of the Jews had been

looking forward to a warrior
leader, such as David of old

Christ was, however, a humble

man who taught about spiritual
conquest not physical

Many doubted the truth of his

teachings and refused to
acknowledge him as the
Messiah
 Christianity
Jesus chose apostles to help him
spread his teachings

The most famous of whom were,

Peter, James, John and later, Paul

Their teachings to the world are

contained in the New Testament of
the Bible

Many of Jesuss enemies plotted to

kill him for blasphemy and false
teachings, even one of his own
followers Judas

Jesus was arrested and turned over

to Roman authorities
 Law of Moses - Law of Christ

Circumcision Adultery - Lust

Burnt Offerings Kill - Hate

Abstain from Pork/

Love One Another
Shellfish
Temple/Worship Rites
Rites/Offerings Ended
and Clothing
Faith/Spirit Rather
10 Commandments
than Law
 Christianity
The Roman procurator [Pontius
Pilate], the person who oversaw
the affairs in Jerusalem, tried
Jesus

He himself found the

accusations against him false

The Jews however demanded he

be killed for his blasphemies

Pontius Pilate then sentenced

Jesus to death by crucifixion

After dying on the cross, Jesuss

body was taken to a tomb
 Christianity
Following three days, Jesuss body
was discovered to be missing

Soon he appeared to various of his

apostles in a resurrected form

He admonished them that he had

conquered death and to continue
teaching his word

Many of his apostles obeyed and

spread across the globe teaching of
Christ

Most of them died in the hands of

those they taught
 Christianity
The greatest converts came
amongst the Roman Empire

At first it was a small cult

amongst the Romans

Many Christians were

persecuted and killed

The greatest change came when

Constantine was converted,
placing Christianity into
Europe's mainstream

In Jerusalem and the Middle

East, the people remained
divided
 Christianity
The main differences between Jews and
Christians are as follows

Christians believe the messiah has

come in the form of Jesus Christ, the
Jews still await the messiah

Jews follow the Torah or Old Testament

while Christians follow the Bible and
New Testament about Jesus

In all, both are very similar but

disagree concerning Jesus Christ

As more and more of the world

converted to Christianity, the Jews
came under more persecution
 Christianity
In the Middle Ages and modern
times, the Jews have been
viewed as Christ killers

Many believed that God would

punish a people for harboring
Jews

For this reason, in the 1930s

many blamed Jews for the
depression

This has led to persecutions on a

great scale, such as in Germany
during the holocaust
 Christianity
2.2 Billion Adherents
Founded in Israel
Founder: Jesus Christ
Branches: Orthodox,
Catholic and Protestant
Beliefs: Jesus Christ is the
Messiah. Jesus is the Son of
God [differences].
Redeemed mankind from
death and sin.
Practices: Daily prayer.
Worship services on the
Sabbath. Baptism, Bible
study. Various Ordinances
for Salvation..
Holidays: Easter, Christmas.
Text: Bible [New Testament]
Symbol: Cross, Fish, Chi-
Rho, Alpha and Omega,
Anchor
The Middle East
-Religion: Islam-
 Daily Re-cap
1) Who were the Pharisees, Sadducees, and
Zealots?

2) Why did the Jews/Romans crucify Christ?

3) Why have the Jews been persecuted and

hated throughout time?

4) In what ways do Christianity and Judaism

differ?
Understand the basic beliefs and practices of
Islam.
 Founder Who started this faith?

Deity What do they call their god?

Sacred Book Religious codes/ book/ laws

What do they believe? Concepts

Key Beliefs
of Heaven and Hell.

Symbols Any sacred symbols or icons?

How do you know a person is a

Behavior and Rituals
follower of this faith?
Are there any factions or groups
Factions
with differing beliefs?
 Islam
South of Persia and Jerusalem
lay Arabia

The Arabs were a people similar

in nature to the early Hebrews

They were nomadic and spent

their lives searching for water
and food

The Arabs were organized into

tribes, each ruled by a Sheik

Each tribe was independent, but

loosely connected to other tribes
 Islam
Most Arabs were polytheistic and
worshipped many gods

The Arabs traced their ancestors, like

the Hebrews, to Abraham

They however differ over various

aspects of Christian and Jewish
teachings

The main one concerns Isaac and

Ishmael

Arabs contend that Abraham chosen

son was Ishmael not Isaac

From there the Biblical account differs

greatly and the Arabs have their own
history
 Islam
According to the Arabs, Abraham
built a sacred building in Mecca
[not Jerusalem] called the Kaaba
cube

The corner of the Kaaba is built

upon a special black stone,
thought by most to be an ancient
meteorite

The meteorite is thought to have

fallen 1000s of years ago and had
been worshipped over the years
by many religions

In time, the popularity of Mecca

and the Kaaba grew as the city
became an important trade route
 Islam
It was this bustling trade city that
Muhammad was born into in 570
AD

Muhammad was orphaned at the

age of 5

He grew up a merchant and married

a widow named Khadija

Over time, Muhammad became

troubled by the constant war and
bickering among various tribes in
Mecca

He also became disenchanted with

the greed of merchants and the
disparity between the rich and the
poor
 Islam
Muhammad often went out to
ponder and pray

On one occasion, while praying, he

was visited by the angel Gabriel

Messages were given to Muhammad

by Gabriel and he was instructed to
recite and teach what he had heard

Muhammad believed that Allah,

God, had called him as his prophet

He believed that Moses was a

prophet as was Jesus and that he
was Gods final prophet
 Islam
The revelations that Muhammad
received are now contained in the
holy book of Islam called the Quran
also Koran

The Quran contains ethical

guidelines in which followers of
Allah are to live by

Those who follow these teachings

are called Muslims

Islam has only one god, Allah, and

Muhammad is his prophet

After receiving this revelation,

Muhammad returned home and told
his wife what had occurred
 Islam
Khadija urged Muhammad to follow
Gabriels message and she became
his first convert

Over the next three years,

Muhammad spread the message
given him by Gabriel

In those years, he gained only 30

followers in Mecca

Soon, he and his followers were

persecuted and Muhammad moved
northward, to the city of Yathrib,
now called Medina

There Muhammad gained great

success, especially amongst the
bedouin nomads
 Islam
Muslims came to see no separation
between political and religious
authority

Muhammad became both a political

and religious leader

Muhammad was instructed to go on a

pilgrimage to Mecca

The Meccans were hostile to the

Muslims and some fighting ensued

In 630 AD, Muhammad led an army

into Mecca and captured it

Overtime the citys inhabitants

converted to Islam
 Islam
Muhammad entered the Kaaba,
and cleansed it of all idols

Muhammad then dedicated the

Kaaba and the Sacred Black Rock
to God

Muhammad died in 632, but by

the time of his death, nearly all of
Arabia had converted to Islam

Mecca became the holy land for

Muslims, and all were instructed
to come to Mecca on a Hajj at least
once in their lifetime
 Islam
Like Christianity and Judaism,
Islam is a monotheistic religion

They believe in only one god,

Allah

Islam emphasizes salvation and

a hope of an afterlife following
death

Those who desire to achieve life

after death must submit
themselves to the will of Allah

To Muslims, Muhammad is not

a god but a prophet, the last one
 The Middle East
The teachings of Islam are
contained in the Quran

This consists of 5 pillars

1) There is one God, Allah

and Muhammad is his
prophet

2) Alms giving

3) Pray 5 times a day

4) Fast during Ramadan

5) Hajj to Mecca
 The Middle East
Muhammad had met Jews
and Christians

He believed they all

worshiped the same God

Christians and Jews were

considered to be people of
the book

As such, they were to be

treated with tolerance
 Islam
In all, Islam is a very simplistic religion
that is similar in many ways to
Christianity

It suggests a certain lifestyle people are to

live by

It differs in some aspects referring to

Christ's teachings and also incorporates
some parts of Judaism that Christians
reject

Muslims practice honesty and justice in

dealing with others

They are forbidden to gamble, eat pork,

drink alcohol and from being dishonest

There emerged different forms of Islam in

the years after Muhammad death, some
are considered radical
 The Middle East
When Muhammad died in 632
he left his people with a problem

He had no sons, nor did he

name a successor

Muhammad's followers turned

to Abu Bakr, Muhammads
father-in-law, to become caliph

The caliph was both a political

and religious leader

Under Bakr, Islam swept

through the Middle East
converting almost everyone
 The Middle East
Bakr used a principal in the Quran
to justify his expansions

This principal is called Jihad. Jihad

is the duty of all Sunni Muslims

Jihad means more than just holy

war, it consists of four parts and
purpose is to please God

1) Heart - War against personal vices

and passions

2) Tongue - Only speak the truth and

spread the teachings of Islam

3) Hand - Chose to do the right and

correct wrongdoing

4) Sword - Defend Islam against

enemies
 The Middle East
Jihad - Sword has come under fire in
recent years by westerners

It has different meanings

Some radical Muslims use Jihad to

remove political leaders who are not
of their faith

Others use Jihad as an act of

terrorism to attack foreign influence
that harms Islam

Shias or Shiites believe that only

the spiritual leader can declare Jihad
 The Middle East
After Bakrs death, problems again
emerged as to who would rule

The next three caliphs were

assassinated, including Ali,
Muhammads son in law who was
born in the Kaaba

His death began to cause a faction

among the Muslims

In 661 AD, General Mu Awiyah

became caliph

He established the Umayyad Dynasty

He moved the capital from Medina to

Damascus in Syria
 The Middle East
A huge controversy ensued

Many said the Caliph had

to be a direct descendant of
Muhammad [Shiite]

Others believed that any

Muslim could become a
Caliph [Sunni]

The result has been many

Islamic wars over the
generations that still
continue to this day
 Islam
1.6 Billion Adherents
Founded in Arabia
Founder: Muhammad
Branches: Suni, Shia, Sufism
Beliefs: One God, Allah.
Muhammad is his last
prophet
Practices: Five Pillars,
Mosque Services on Fridays,
No Alcohol or Pork
Holidays: Al-Hijira,
Ramadan, Id Al-Fitr.
Text: Quran
Symbol: Star and Crescent,
Name of Allah in Arabic,
Mosque Silhouette
The Middle East
-The Creation of Israel-
 Daily Re-cap
1) What is a key difference between Muslims,
Christians, and Jews concerning Abraham?

2) Who was Muhammad? Explain his life story.

3) What set the stage for militarism to enter

Islam?

4) What is the difference between Sunni and

Shia Muslims?
Understand the how Israel became a nation
and the challenges it has created for the Middle
East.
 The Roman Empire
In 66 AD, the Jews, spurred by the
zealots, rose up against their
Roman oppressors

The Roman Emperor, Nero, sent

Vespasian to deal with the
uprising

The Romans besieged the great

city of Jerusalem

They dug a trench around the city

and killed any Jews who tried to
flee
 The Roman Empire
The siege remained for four long years

100s of 1000s of bodies remained

crucified without the walls

In 70 AD, the Roman general Titus

began to break down the walls of
Jerusalem

Within the city, countless dead were

found that had starved to death or
died of disease

The Romans killed the majority of

those who remained and pillaged the
rest
 The Roman Empire
The Jewish Temple was raided,
burned and torn down brick by
brick

The Jews still lament the

destruction of the Temple to this
very day

When all was said and done, over

1,100,000 people were killed within
Jerusalem

In 71 AD, the Romans sought to

root out and destroy the last
resistance of Jews located in
Masada
 The Roman Empire
The resistance of Masada and its fall is
legendary

The city was almost impossible to

reach

However, the Roman engineers proved

their genius by constructing an earth
ramp to reach the city

100s of Jews and Christians threw

themselves from the cliff rather than
surrender

Inside the city, the Romans discovered

967 people who committed suicide
rather than give in to the Romans
 The Roman Empire
The Romans carried 97,000 Jews back
into Rome as slaves

The rest fled to other lands for safety

This scattering of the Jews is known as

the diaspora

The Jews left Jerusalem, and would

not return until after WWII

They lived on and kept their traditions

alive in various parts of the world

Foreigners, Palestinians from Arabia,

took control of the remaining Jewish
lands
 The Creation of Israel
The Jews became a people without a land and
lived across Europe in segregated suburbs
called Ghettos

Ghettos were not always dirty slums

In some areas, such as Venice, they were very

affluent

Jews became great artisans and money lenders

During the plague, many were targeted and

burned to death

It was thought that God was punishing

Europeans for harboring Jews

Under persecution, many Jews fled to Eastern

Europe

Life was not always easy

 The Creation of Israel
In the 1800s, Jews were once again
targeted by Europeans

Social Darwinism held the Jews in

unfavorable light

Many Europeans saw them as racially

inferior

In 1903, a book entitled the Protocol of

the Sages of Zion was written in Russia

It held that the Jews were plotting to

control the world by assuming
positions of power and controlling the
press
 The Creation of Israel
The book was published all across
Europe leading to mounting fears

In the US, Henry Ford supported the

book and had 1000s of copies made
and sold

Under growing persecution, many

Jews sought to return to their original
homeland

However Jerusalem had become

occupied by Arabs and other peoples
from the Middle East

The city was under Muslim control

 The Creation of Israel
Theodore Herzl, an Austrian journalist
began a strong push to unify Jews and
return them to Jerusalem

The movement became known as

Zionism

Herzl sought support from the

Ottoman Empire and was denied the
right to create a Jewish state

Great Britain supported the idea of a

Jewish state, but they had assigned
Uganda for settlement

The Jews would settle for nothing less

than their ancestral homeland
 The Creation of Israel
Many Europeans desired a homeland
for the Jews

It was not always out of kindness but

rather out of racism

Many Jews began migrating to

Palestine

Palestinian violence flared and fighting

began

During WWI, the British, in need of

support, signed the Balfour
Declaration

It supported the idea of a Jewish

homeland in Palestine
 The Creation of Israel
Following the War, Jews began to
migrate and settle in Palestine

The Jews had British support and by

1925, 108,000 Jews were living in
Islamic Palestine

As Hitler came to power in Germany,

new waves of Jews pushed into the
Palestine

By 1933, 238,000 Jews were living in

Palestine

Palestinians were growing more and

more upset and acts of violence began
to be carried out
 The Creation of Israel
The British struggled to maintain peace
in the region

During WWII, Adolf Hitler murdered 6

million Jews in Europe

Many became aware of the plight of

the Jews and supported the Zionist
movement

The United Nations stepped in and

created a new Jewish state for Jews in
Palestine

The called the area Israel and it was

partitioned out from Palestinian land
 The Creation of Israel
Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon
gathered forces in an effort to repel the
Jews from Palestine

The conflict was the first in a series of

wars that in many cases continue today

The Jews, with British and American

support defeated the Palestinian
coalition army

In 1949 a truce was signed and the

region was re-organized

The Jews and their state of Israel

continued to grow in size, as war and
conflict continued in attempt to drive
them away
Growth of Israel
 Daily Re-cap
1) What was the Diaspora?

2) Why were Jews persecuted?

3) What was the Zionist Movement?

4) Why does Israel and Palestine hate one

another?

5) How has the Israel/Palestine conflict led to

hatred toward the US?
 The Middle East
-The Early Modern Period. Turkey and Iran.
 Review
1) What was the Diaspora?

2) Why were Jews persecuted?

3) What was the Zionist Movement?

4) Why do Israel and Palestine hate one

another?

5) How has the Israel/Palestine conflict led to

hatred toward the US?
Understand how the Modern Middle East was
formed following WWI.
 The Middle East
After Muhammads death,
problems emerged as to who
would rule

Muhammads father in law, Abu

Bakr, was elected and created the
position of Caliph

He spread Islam throughout much

of the Middle East

Upon his death, new issues of

leadership emerged

Muhammads son in law, Ali, was

favored, but was assassinated
 The Middle East
The assassination ignited a conflict
that divided the Muslim world

Shiites claimed that the Caliph had

to be a relative of Muhammad

Sunnis claimed any righteous

individual could rule

Eventually, the two sides drifted

apart

Sunnis encompass Arabia and

Turkey while the Shiites dominate
Iraq and Iran
 The Middle East
As the conflict between Muslims
abated, immense progress ensued

The Middle East enjoyed a golden

age

They imported and translated

Greek writings

The developed algebra, military

tactic, gunpowder and astronomy

These achievements propelled the

Middle East ahead of Europeans
who were languishing in a dark
age
 The Middle East
In 1055 AD, a new power emerged from
Turkey

They were called the Turks and they

captured Baghdad and removed the
Caliph

A sultan became the new political ruler

with the caliph delegated as only a
religious leader

In 1071, the Turks advanced on

Constantinople and defeated the
Byzantines [Romans] at Manzikert

The Byzantines requested help

The Pope answered calling the first

Crusade
The Seljuk Turk Empire
The Ottoman Empire
 The Middle East
During WWI, the Turkic
[Ottoman] Empire aligned itself
with Germany

Though a weak ally, the Turks did

assist and participate in WWI

Great Britain attacked the Turks

from within

They were aware that many

people were not happy to be part
of the Turkic [Ottoman] Empire,
namely Arabia, which broke away
and achieved independence in
1916
 The Middle East
Following WWI, the Turkic
[Ottoman] Empire collapsed

Great Britain and France divided it

up

Turkey was created for the vast

majority of the Turks

Other nations were created, carved

from former Turkic holdings

They are: Palestine, Iran, Iraq, Syria,

Lebanon, Yemen and Cyprus

The Middle East was effectively

created
 The Middle East
Turkey was a nation that was
quick to recover and modernize
following WWI

Colonel Mustafa Kemal created a

democratic government and
became the nations 1st president

He came to be known by the

name Ataturk, or father Turk

He eliminated all Arabic elements

from Turkey

He abolished Arabic writing and

adopted the Roman alphabet
 The Middle East
These reforms were just the
beginning

Ataturk also reformed the

education system modeling it after
the west

He made all Turks take last names

as in the west

He modernized factories and

farming methods

He also caused the separation of

church and state and abolished the
Caliph in 1924
 The Middle East
In 1908, oil was discovered in Persia

Britain was the first to capitalize

with trade agreements

Following WWI, revolts consumed

Persia driving it towards a civil war

Britain and France continually

mediated the disputes

In 1925, Reza Shah Pahlaui took

control of Persia

He issued reforms similar to

Ataturk
 The Middle East

In 1935, Persia was renamed

Iran

Iran began to fall under

extreme pressure from France
and Britain as both nations
competed for its oil supplies

This led Iran to make

agreements and side with Nazi
Germany
 The Middle East
Iran, under Reza Shah, prospered
greatly with the discovery of oil

In the 1950s and 60s Iran saw itself as

a major ally of the US

However, these dangerous ties brought

criticism from the Iranian people

Many believed Iran had become too

westernized

They thought they had become greedy

and materialistic like America

Soon, a movement began to grow

against the Shah
 The Middle East
Leading the movement against
western lifestyles was Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini a Muslim cleric

Ayatollahs followers attacked and

the shah fled

They formed the Islamic Republic

and Iran came to be run by Islamic
extremists

All those who supported the shah

were executed or forced to flee the
country

The US embassy was attacked and

52 hostages remained in Iranian
control for over a year
 The Middle East
Since Ayatollahs death. Iran has
become more moderate

However, the current leader is still

strongly opposed to the US

To the west of Iran lies Iraq, another

troubled nation

Iraq has remained unstable since its

creation following WWI

The main problem concerns religion

as leaders have been Sunni whereas
the nation is predominately Shiite
The Middle East
-Arab Spring-
 Review
1.Who are the Shiite Muslims?

2.Which people swept into the Middle East and created a

vast new empire that redefined the Caliph?

3.What problems did France and Great Britain create in

the Middle East following WWI?

4.What discovery in the early 20th century created a wide

array of issues in the Middle East?

5.What did the US do in Iran that created tensions

between the nations that exist to this day?
Understand and define the Arab Spring
movement and the United States role in the
affair.
 Arab Spring
Many Middle Eastern nations, in
the modern era, have been ruled by
authoritarian regimes

These are forms of government that

control all aspects of life

Many people have begun to grow

uneasy with these institutions

They seek more freedom and

democracy

Democracy has always been seen as

a western cultural ideal and has not
been popular in the Middle East
 Arab Spring
In recent history, revolts have taken
place in the Middle East seeking
democratic rule

In Tunisia, a street vendor named

Mohamed Bouazizi was routinely
picked on by the local police

It was a symbol of poor

government and corrupt rule

Tired of oppression, Mohamed took

drastic measures

He set himself on fire in a form of

protest
 Arab Spring
Bouazizi was taken to a hospital for
treatment but ultimately died

As word spread across Tunisia,

riots broke out against the Tunisian
government

After weeks of violence and revolt,

Tunisian President Zine El Abidine
Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia

Tunisia ended two decades of

authoritarian [dictatorship] rule

This event kicked off a series of

modern events called the Arab
Spring
 Arab Spring
In January of 2011, protests spilled
over into Egypt

Mass protests occurred in the

streets demanding an end to
authoritarian rule

These popular protests were

sometimes involved in bloody
clashes and violence

President Hosni Mubarak resigned

Peace, however, was not fully

gained in Egypt

Subsequent leaders attempted to

consolidate power leading to
frequent fervent until 2014
 Arab Spring
Protests were not limited to Egypt
and Tunisia

Mass protests emerged in Yemen

and Syria

Yemen had experienced 3 decades

of authoritarian rule

Protests in Yemen turned very

violent as President Ali Abdullah
Saleh refused to leave office

Eventually power was transferred

via a peaceful election in 2012
 Arab Spring
Hearing of two regimes toppled by
protest, revolts spilled into Bahrain

The government sent out the

military to put down the uprising

The crackdown was exceedingly

harsh

Protesters were beaten, tortured

and an estimated 2,929 people have
been killed

The brutal crackdown stopped the

protests and the authoritarian
government remains in control
 Arab Spring

Protests also broke out in Libya

In Libya, President Moammar

Gadhafi vowed he would rather die
than give in to protesters

He mobilized the army which

opened fire on civilian protesters

The UN protested against the

brutality of civilian populations

When Gadhafi failed from holding

back, the UN intervened
 Arab Spring
The UN seized Gadhafis assets
and prevented access to weapons

The UN instituted a no fly zone

above Libya

Western nations showed futility

without US support

Gadhafi was killed by rebel forces

The government was replaced by a

democracy which held political
elections

Democratic reforms were

instituted, but problems remain
 Arab Spring
Syria remains the current hotbed

President Bashar al-Assad remains

in power

He has waged continual war

against the rebels

The US has been petitioned for

help, but little has been done

Russia continues to support the

current Syrian regime, making US
intervention difficult

Over 400,000 people have been

killed and 5 million have left as
refugees

Fighting continues to this day

Summarize
The Middle East
-Iraq-
 Review

1.What event started the Arab Spring Movement?

2. What nations have gained freedom?

3. Which nations struggle to gain freedom?

4. What role has the US taken in the Arab Spring

Movement?
Understand why the US became involved in
two separate wars in Iraq
Conflict in the Middle East
The region where Iraq resides is full
of history

It is the cradle of civilization, where

the great cities of Sumer, and Ur
existed

It is positioned in the middle of the

Tigris and Euphrates River

The mighty city of Babylon once

stood there

It has witnessed a fair share of

conflict, from Persia, Greece, the
Mongols and Islamic Conflicts
Conflict in the Middle East

In the 1920s oil was discovered in

Iraq

Iraq used the money gained from

oil to modernize the country

Schools and Universities were built

Dams were reconstructed, the

ancient city of Baghdad was rebuilt

Iraq was destined to become one of

the Middle Easts greatest nations
Conflict in the Middle East
In 1979, Iraq took a turn for the
worse

Saddam Hussein came to power

Saddam was a Sunni Muslim and

quickly lashed out against Shias

He dreamed of a powerful nation

akin to Babylon of old

He quickly sought to expand Iraqs

territories and power

He invaded Iran

Following the Iran-Iraq War,

Saddam invaded the oil wealthy
nation of Kuwait
Conflict in the Middle East
Saddam accused Kuwait of slant
drilling and stealing Iraqi oil

The real concern was that Kuwait

was flooding the market with
cheap oil which hurt Iraqs
economy

He sought to annex it to better

control the price of oil

In 1990, unprovoked, Saddam

invaded

In 1991, the US entered the conflict

to liberate Kuwait
Conflict in the Middle East
The US launched operation Desert
Storm

It started with continual aerial

bombardments to soften Iraqi
positions

Then, foot and armored division

entered and cleared Iraqi forces out
of Kuwait

The US crossed into Iraqi lands, but

the invasion ended in a ceasefire

Saddam was not removed from

power
Conflict in the Middle East
During the conflict, Iraq lashed out
at Israel, launching Scud missiles

The US used Patriot Missiles to

shoot them down

Many sought to remove Saddam

from power within Iraq but their
efforts failed

Later Saddam broke peace

agreements and the US and UN
enacted an embargo

The embargo severely crippled the

Iraqi economy
Conflict in the Middle East
In 2001, following the attacks on
the World Trade Center, the US
petitioned for the right to invade
Iraq

Iraq had reserves of chemical

weapons

They were also suspected of

developing nuclear weapons

The UN told the US they could not

invade Iraq

The US and Britain defied the UN

and invaded anyway
Conflict in the Middle East
After months of fighting, Saddam
Hussein was found

He was tried by the Iraqi people for

crimes against humanity and
executed

A new democratic government

came to power in Iraq

Struggles remain on the horizon as

Iraq is divided between Sunnis
and Shias

The Democratic experiment is one

all eyes of the world are anxiously
watching
 Re-cap
1) What powerful ancient empires once existed
in Iraq?

2) What was discovered in the 1920s in Iraq

that changed the nations future?

3) What are Sunnis and Shiites? Why is it

important when learning about Iraq?

4) Why did Saddam invade Kuwait?

5) Why did the US invade Iraq a second time in

2002?
The Middle East
-Afghanistan-
Conflict in the Middle East
Afghanistan, like Iraq, is filled with
turbulent history

The defining feature of Afghanistan

is the Hindu Kush Mountains

They are just as rugged and nearly

as high as the Himalayas

The word Kush means death and

is indicative of the difficulty of
crossing the mountain range

Over the centuries, many crossed

through the region journeying to
and from India, China, and Europe
Conflict in the Middle East
Due to the many travelers in
Afghanistan over the centuries, the
culture has become diverse

Afghanistan has two languages and

many cultural and religious
differences

During the 1800s Britain and

Russia competed for control of the
region

Neither force was able to win out

Afghanistan slowly evolved into a

buffer state between the Middle
East and communist Russia
Conflict in the Middle East
In 1979, with conflict raging in Iran
and Iraq, the Soviet Union invaded
Afghanistan

The invasion was a show of force

and a means to spread communism
into the Middle East

The US opposed the Soviets in

Afghanistan

Many people in Afghanistan fled to

the US and Pakistan

The US armed resistance fighters

and supported their uprising
against the Soviet Union [Taliban]
Conflict in the Middle East

Afghanistan became the Vietnam

for the Soviet Union

Fighting high in the Hindu Kush,

the Soviets could not defeat the
Afghan rebels

They withdrew in 1989

Factions vied for control of the

government

The US supported the Taliban

because of their stance against
communism
Conflict in the Middle East
In the 1970s Sayyid Qutb became a
major voice in the Middle East

He was opposed to Western

Culture and thought it was ruining
Islamic culture

He saw that American Culture was

obsessed with violence,
materialism and immorality

His teachings made a heavy impact

on Osama Bin Laden

Qutbs brother became a personal

teacher to Bin Laden
Conflict in the Middle East

Osama Bin Laden was born in

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

He was wealthy and well educated

He studied theology, and saw that

corruption came from America

Unhappy with American influence

he founded Al Qaeda

It was a group that sought to bring

Muslims together under strict
obedience to Islamic Law
Conflict in the Middle East

Bin Laden remarked that only the

Taliban in Afghanistan were
following Islamic Law correctly

Under the Taliban, laws were

incredibly strict and people faced
the death penalty for minor
infractions

The US supported the Taliban

because of their stance against
Communism

Following the defeat of the USSR,

the Taliban reigned supreme
Conflict in the Middle East

Osama Bin Laden found refuge in

Afghanistan

He was welcomed there and

supported

In Afghanistan, Bin Laden recruited

followers

He trained them to fight against

American influence

They grew in power and began to

carry out acts of terror across the
world
Conflict in the Middle East

Osama Bin Laden declared war on

the US and on Western Culture

His first attacks against western

culture began to be carried out

He attacked Egypt, Israel, several

locations in Africa and Europe

In 1993, he tried to destroy the

World Trade Center in the US by
detonating a car bomb

It failed to meet its objective so he

set out on a greater plan
Conflict in the Middle East
That plan led to the carefully
orchestrated attacks on the World
Trade Center in 2001

Upon learning of who carried out

the attacks, the US confronted the
Taliban in Afghanistan

The Taliban was given an

ultimatum

When they failed to turn over Al

Qaeda leaders, the US and its allies
invaded

Suspicion in Iraq led to its invasion

shortly thereafter
Conflict in the Middle East

Most of the Al Qaeda network has

been destroyed

Many fled Afghanistan to nearby

Pakistan

The US located and killed Osama

Bin Laden in a surprise night raid

The government held democratic

elections in 2004 and elected
Hamid Karzai

In 2014 Afghanistan held another

peaceful election
Conflict in the Middle East
Problems in Afghanistan remain

Al Qaeda has joined with other

Islamic groups to form IS [Islamic
State]

They seek to join all nations of the

Middle East together and to
reinstate the Caliph

They are terrorists in every sense of

the word

They have gained a strong hold on

Afghanistan, as well as other
regions
 Re-cap
1) In what ways does Afghanistan differ from
the rest of the Middle East?

2) Why did the Soviet Union invade

Afghanistan?

3) Why did the US support the Taliban?

4) What was Al Qaeda?

5) Why did Al Qaeda attack the US on 9/11?

6) What is ISIS?