Continuing Conflicts in

the
Presentation, Graphic Organizers, & Activities
 STANDARDS:
SS7H2 Analyze continuity and change in Southwest Asia
(Middle East).
a. Explain how European partitioning in the Middle East
following WWI led to regional conflict.
c. Describe how land and religion plays a role in
continuing conflicts in the Middle East (i.e. the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the division between Sunni
and Shia Muslims, and Kurdish nationalism).

© Brain Wrinkles
 TEACHER INFO: CLOZE Notes
• The next pages are handouts for the students to
use for note-taking during the presentation.
(Print front to back to save paper and ink.)

• Check the answers as a class after the

presentation.

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 Ottoman Empire
• The Ottoman Turks were known for their ruthless _________________________ .
• At its height, the Ottoman Empire was six times the _________________________ .
• Its lands stretched from what is now Turkey and parts of southeastern Europe, northern Africa,
and _________________________ .
Collapse
• Over time, the Ottoman sultans were not very capable of ruling and the empire
_________________________ .
• During World War I, the Ottoman Empire sided with the Central Powers, who ended up
_________________________ .
• Afterwards, the government collapsed and the land of the former Ottoman Empire was divided
among the _________________________ .
• The League of Nations gave France and Great Britain _________________________ the
Ottoman territory.
Partitioning
• After partitioning, France took control of Syria, Lebanon, Algeria,
_________________________ , and Tunisia.
• The British were in charge of Egypt, _________________________ , Palestine, Jordan,
and a chunk of Saudi Arabia.
• Great Britain heavily _________________________ that were put in place in the
territories it controlled, and for years, these countries remained under British supervision.
• The _________________________ by this land division have persisted in the Middle East
today.
New Borders
• Great Britain and France desired immediate control of the area in order to
_________________________ , so they quickly drew up new borders.
• Unfortunately, they drew borders without regard to which tribes, religious groups, and ethnic
groups would be forced _________________________ .
• Arab countries _________________________ about the division of the territory.
© Brain Wrinkles
 Land Disputes
• As they divided the land, they drew borders that _________________________ to local
cultures.
• This caused some ethnic and religious groups to be separated by boundaries, while other rival
groups were _________________________ .
• Claims over land led to long periods of _________________________ in the region.
• For example, from 1980 to 1988, Iran and Iraq _________________________ over
disputed oil-rich territory
Kurds
• Another problem created by the land division has impacted _________________________
, an ethnic group that have lived in the region for centuries.
• Despite their large population, Kurds did not get their _________________________
when Europeans partitioned the Middle East.
• The Kurds were divided between _________________________ , Iran, Syria, and Iraq.
• These countries are uneasy with the vibrant ethnic group and
_________________________ them with an iron fist.
• The Kurds were not given their own homeland, which has left the Kurdish people vulnerable to
_________________________ .
• Throughout the last decades of the 20th century, Iraq’s former dictator Saddam Hussein
_________________________ his country’s Kurdish population.
• Today, Kurds are suffering greatly from _________________________ .
Religion
• _________________________ also lie at the heart of the continuing conflict in the region.
• Some of the conflicts started when Europeans took control of the region, while others
_________________________ long before Europeans came.
• The hostility between _________________________ , and among different Islamic
factions, forms the basis of the region’s modern history.
© Brain Wrinkles
 Palestine & Israel
• In 1948, the United Nations _________________________ into the Jewish nation of
Israel and the Arab Muslim state of Palestine.
• Palestinians refused to _________________________ as a nation and as soon as it was
established, fighting broke out.
• Palestine, with help from the neighboring Arab countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and
Iraq, _________________________ with Israel that has lasted for decades.
• Arab nations do not recognize Israel as a nation, and Jewish Israel lives in
_________________________ from its neighbors.
• There is constant conflict between Palestinians and Israelis living in the area called the
_________________________ .
• The land in Israel is _________________________ Jews and Muslims, so the two groups
are constantly fighting over it.
Shia & Sunni
• Many conflicts also occur within the _________________________ in Southwest Asia.
• As a result of European partitioning after WWI, Sunni and Shia Muslims, who were often rivals,
were now _________________________ together in one country (Iraq).
• The two religious groups have fought for _________________________ for decades.
• The more aggressive Iraqi Sunnis _________________________ with the Iranian Shiites.
• In 1979, fundamentalist Muslims _________________________ and imposed a strict
interpretation of Islamic law on all of the country’s citizens.
• Since then, they have worked hard to remove all influences of
_________________________ .
© Brain Wrinkles
 Ottoman Empire
• The Ottoman Turks were known for their ruthless pursuit of land.
• At its height, the Ottoman Empire was six times the size of Texas.
• Its lands stretched from what is now Turkey and parts of southeastern Europe, northern Africa,
and southwestern Asia.
Collapse
• Over time, the Ottoman sultans were not very capable of ruling and the empire began to decline.
• During World War I, the Ottoman Empire sided with the Central Powers, who ended up losing the
war.
• Afterwards, the government collapsed and the land of the former Ottoman Empire was divided
among the victorious European countries.
• The League of Nations gave France and Great Britain control of partitioning the Ottoman
territory.
Partitioning
• After partitioning, France took control of Syria, Lebanon, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia.
• The British were in charge of Egypt, Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, and a chunk of Saudi Arabia.
• Great Britain heavily influenced the governments that were put in place in the territories it
controlled, and for years, these countries remained under British supervision.
• The problems created by this land division have persisted in the Middle East today.
New Borders
• Great Britain and France desired immediate control of the area in order to control oil profits, so
they quickly drew up new borders.
• Unfortunately, they drew borders without regard to which tribes, religious groups, and ethnic
groups would be forced under one government.
• Arab countries were not consulted about the division of the territory.
© Brain Wrinkles
 Land Disputes
• As they divided the land, they drew borders that paid no attention to local cultures.
• This caused some ethnic and religious groups to be separated by boundaries, while other rival
groups were grouped together.
• Claims over land led to long periods of conflict and bloodshed in the region.
• For example, from 1980 to 1988, Iran and Iraq fought a war over disputed oil-rich territory
Kurds
• Another problem created by the land division has impacted the Kurds, an ethnic group that have
lived in the region for centuries.
• Despite their large population, Kurds did not get their own territory when Europeans partitioned
the Middle East.
• The Kurds were divided between Turkey, Iran, Syria, and Iraq.
• These countries are uneasy with the vibrant ethnic group and attempt to rule them with an iron
fist.
• The Kurds were not given their own homeland, which has left the Kurdish people vulnerable to
extreme persecution.
• Throughout the last decades of the 20th century, Iraq’s former dictator Saddam Hussein
attempted to eliminate his country’s Kurdish population.
• Today, Kurds are suffering greatly from civil war in Syria.
Religion
• Disputes over religion also lie at the heart of the continuing conflict in the region.
• Some of the conflicts started when Europeans took control of the region, while others date back
long before Europeans came.
• The hostility between Arabs and Jews, and among different Islamic factions, forms the basis of
the region’s modern history.
© Brain Wrinkles
 Palestine & Israel
• In 1948, the United Nations partitioned Palestine into the Jewish nation of Israel and the Arab
Muslim state of Palestine.
• Palestinians refused to recognize Israel as a nation and as soon as it was established, fighting
broke out.
• Palestine, with help from the neighboring Arab countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and
Iraq, engaged in conflict with Israel that has lasted for decades.
• Arab nations do not recognize Israel as a nation, and Jewish Israel lives in virtual isolation from
its neighbors.
• There is constant conflict between Palestinians and Israelis living in the area called the Gaza
Strip.
• The land in Israel is sacred to both Jews and Muslims, so the two groups are constantly fighting
over it.
Shia & Sunni
• Many conflicts also occur within the Muslim sects in Southwest Asia.
• As a result of European partitioning after WWI, Sunni and Shia Muslims, who were often rivals,
were now forced to get along together in one country (Iraq).
• The two religious groups have fought for power in Iraq for decades.
• The more aggressive Iraqi Sunnis have also clashed with the Iranian Shiites.
• In 1979, fundamentalist Muslims overtook Iran’s government and imposed a strict interpretation
of Islamic law on all of the country’s citizens.
• Since then, they have worked hard to remove all influences of western society.
© Brain Wrinkles
 Continuing Conflicts in the

© Brain Wrinkles
 • The Ottoman Turks were known for their ruthless
pursuit of land.

• At its height, the Ottoman Empire was six times

the size of Texas.

• Its lands stretched from what is now Turkey and

parts of southeastern Europe, northern Africa,
and southwestern Asia.

© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
 • Over time, the Ottoman sultans were not very capable of
ruling and the empire began to decline.

• During World War I, the Ottoman Empire sided with the

Central Powers, who ended up losing the war.
• Afterwards, the government collapsed and the land of
the former Ottoman Empire was divided among the
victorious European countries.

• The League of Nations gave France and Great Britain

control of partitioning the Ottoman territory.

© Brain Wrinkles
 • After partitioning, France took control of Syria, Lebanon,
Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia.

• The British were in charge of Egypt, Iraq, Palestine,

Jordan, and a chunk of Saudi Arabia.

• Great Britain heavily influenced the governments that

were put in place in the territories it controlled, and for
years, these countries remained under British
supervision.

• The problems created by this land division have persisted

in the Middle East today.
© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
 • Great Britain and France desired immediate control of
the area in order to control oil profits, so they quickly
drew up new borders.

• Unfortunately, they drew borders without regard to which

tribes, religious groups, and ethnic groups would be
forced under one government.

• Arab countries were not consulted about the division of

the territory.

© Brain Wrinkles
 • As they divided the land, they drew borders that paid no
attention to local cultures.

• This caused some ethnic and religious groups to be

separated by boundaries, while other rival groups were
grouped together.
• Claims over land led to long periods of conflict and
bloodshed in the region.

• For example, from 1980 to 1988, Iran and Iraq fought a

war over disputed oil-rich territory.

© Brain Wrinkles
 Iraqi soldiers pose in front of a bullet-riddled
mural of the Iranian leader.
© Brain Wrinkles
 • Another problem created by the land division has
impacted the Kurds, an ethnic group that have lived in
the region for centuries.
• Despite their large population, Kurds did not get their
own territory when Europeans partitioned the Middle
East.
• The Kurds were divided between Turkey, Iran, Syria, and
Iraq.
• These countries are uneasy with the vibrant ethnic group
and attempt to rule them with an iron fist.
© Brain Wrinkles
 Distribution of
Kurdish People in
Turkey, Iraq, Iran,
and Syria

© Brain Wrinkles
 • The Kurds were not given their own homeland,
which has left the Kurdish people vulnerable to
extreme persecution.
• Throughout the last decades of the 20th century,
Iraq’s former dictator Saddam Hussein attempted
to eliminate his country’s Kurdish population.
• Today, Kurds are suffering greatly from civil war in
Syria.

© Brain Wrinkles
 Kurdish Refugees from Syria

© Brain Wrinkles
 • Disputes over religion also lie at the heart of the
continuing conflict in the region.
• Some of the conflicts started when Europeans
took control of the region, while others date back
long before Europeans came.
• The hostility between Arabs and Jews, and among
different Islamic factions, forms the basis of the
region’s modern history.

© Brain Wrinkles
 • In 1948, the United Nations partitioned Palestine into
the Jewish nation of Israel and the Arab Muslim state of
Palestine.

• Palestinians refused to recognize Israel as a nation and

as soon as it was established, fighting broke out.

• Palestine, with help from the neighboring Arab countries

of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq, engaged in
conflict with Israel that has lasted for decades.

© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
 • Arab nations do not recognize Israel as a nation,
and Jewish Israel lives in virtual isolation from its
neighbors.
• There is constant conflict between Palestinians
and Israelis living in the area called the Gaza
Strip.
• The land in Israel is sacred to both Jews and
Muslims, so the two groups are constantly
fighting over it.
© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
 Gaza Airstrikes

© Brain Wrinkles
 • Many conflicts also occur within the Muslim sects in
Southwest Asia.
• As a result of European partitioning after WWI, Sunni and
Shia Muslims, who were often rivals, were now forced to
get along together in one country (Iraq).
• The two religious groups have fought for power in Iraq
for decades.
• The more aggressive Iraqi Sunnis have also clashed with
the Iranian Shiites.

© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
 • In 1979, fundamentalist Muslims overtook Iran’s
government and imposed a strict interpretation of
Islamic law on all of the country’s citizens.

• Since then, they have worked hard to remove all

influences of western society.

© Brain Wrinkles
 TEACHER INFO: Conflict in SW Asia Blog

• Print off the blank Computer Screen handout for each student
and project the RED Directions slide (next page) onto the
board.

• Have the students create a blog and write a blog post that
explains how European partitioning in the Middle East
following WWI led to regional conflict.

• In the blog post, the students will discuss why they think there
is so much conflict in the region today.

© Brain Wrinkles
 Write a blog post that explains
how European partitioning in
the Middle East following WWI
led to regional conflict. In your
opinion, why do you think there
is so much conflict in the region
today?

© Brain Wrinkles
© Brain Wrinkles
 TEACHER INFO: Continuing Conflicts Snapchats
• Print off the Continuing Conflicts Snapchats handout for each
student.

• Have the students create “snaps” of 3 continuing conflicts in

the Middle East. The students will draw an illustration of the
conflict inside of each cellphone.

• In the gray textbox, the students will write a caption that

summarizes the conflict.

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 Directions: Create Snapchats for 3 continuing conflicts in the Middle East. Each snap should include a picture of the conflict and a caption (in the gray textbox)
so that your followers know what each picture is showing.
Kurdish Palestinian-Israeli Division of Sunni & Shia Muslims
Nationalism Conflict

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 TEACHER INFO: Create A Case
• Print off the Create A Case handout for each student.

• The students will design a phone case that could educate

others about what is going on in the Middle East. The case
should showcase how land and religion plays a role in
continuing conflicts in the region.

• In the textbox below, they will write an explanation of why

they chose this design for the phone case.

© Brain Wrinkles
 Directions: Design a phone case that could educate others about what is going
on in the Middle East. Be sure to showcase how land and religion plays a role in
continuing conflicts in the region. In the textbox below, write an explanation of
why you chose this design for your phone case.

Phone Case Description:

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 TEACHER INFO: Two Viewpoints
• Print off the Two Viewpoints printable for each student.

• The left lens will represent the perspective of the Jews. On the left lens of the
glasses, the students will write reasons to support the creation of Israel. They
will also include a small illustration that represents this viewpoint.

• The right lens will represent the perspective of Arabs in Palestine. On the right
lens of the glasses, the students will write reasons that do NOT support the
creation of Israel. They will also include a small illustration that represents this
viewpoint.

• You can also have the students color & cut out the glasses when finished.

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 Two Viewpoints
Directions: On the left lens, write reasons to support the creation of Israel (Jewish point of view). In the right lens, write reasons
that do NOT support the creation of Israel (Arab point of view). Include a small illustration or symbol to summarize each viewpoint.

Jews Arabs

Creation
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of Israel
 TEACHER INFO: Comprehension Check
• Print off the Comprehension Check for each
student.

• After the lesson, have the students answer the

questions. *This could also be used as a quiz.

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 1. What large territory was partitioned as a result of being on the losing side in World War I?
2. Which European countries were tasked with drawing new borders for Middle Eastern
countries?
3. Which Arab countries were consulted in partitioning the Ottoman territory?
4. France and Great Britain weren’t thinking about ethnic or religious difference when they
created the borders. What were they interested in?
5. What lies at the heart of conflicts in the Middle East?
6 What has happened to the Kurds as a result of the unfair partitioning of their homeland?
7. How do Palestinians feel about the creation of Israel?
8. What is a site of continual conflict between Israelis and Palestinians?
9. How might things be different in Iraq if the Sunni and Shia Muslims were each given their
own country?
10. What happened to Iran’s government in 1979?
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 TEACHER INFO: Ticket Out the Door

• Print off the Ticket Out the Door for each student (two-per-
page).
• Have the students create a First Aid kit to send to Southwest
Asia to help them solve one of their conflicts.
• They will draw symbols of things that are included in the kit.
• Below the kit, they will describe the significance of each item
and how it will help with the issue.

© Brain Wrinkles
Name: Name:

Create a First Aid kit to send to Southwest Asia to help them solve one of their Create a First Aid kit to send to Southwest Asia to help them solve one of their
conflicts. Draw symbols of things that are included in the kit. Below the kit, describe conflicts. Draw symbols of things that are included in the kit. Below the kit, describe
the significance of each item and how it will help with the issue. the significance of each item and how it will help with the issue.

© Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles

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