MIDDLE EAST Middle refers to its location only

MIDDLE EAST

� Middle refers to its location only in relation to Europe � Middle East stands at the crossroads of three continents – Africa, Asia, Europe � Strategic � Vital � Oil location trade routes and vast reserves of oil is the Middle East’s most valuable resource

FERTILE CRESCENT � Arc-shaped � Stretches from eastern Mediterranean along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to the Persian Gulf � Rich soil and abundant water made it a center of early civilization � Few natural barriers – multiple conquerors

� Climate � Nearly dictates where people live all of the region is desert � Scarcity of water � Settlements � Most were scattered people live around oases � Fertile desert area tat has enough water to support plant and animal life

RELIGIONS � Judaism, Christianity, Islam � Sacred or Holy books � Judaism – Torah � Christianity – Bible � Islam – Koran (Quran) � Unlike other early religions, Judaism was monotheistic � Believe in one God

� Appeal � Christianity offered hope of salvation and eternal life � Appeal � Emphasized � Birthplace of Islam the equality of all believers of Judaism and Christianity � Jerusalem – Palestine � Birthplace of Islam � Mecca – Arabian Peninsula

FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM � Muslim duties � Belief in one God � Duty to prayer � Charity to the poor and aged � Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan � Duty of hajj � Pilgrimage to Mecca once during life

� Sunni and Shiites � Dispute was over who should become caliph � Caliph – successor to the prophet � Shiites – smaller of the sects – believed only a descendant could be caliph � Sunni – majority of Muslims – believe that any devout Muslim could be caliph

� Golden Age of Muslim Civilization � Muslim civilization spread � through trade and conquest � Blended Greek, Persian, Indian influences � Adapted the various traditions to its own needs

CRUSADES 1095, Pope Urban II called for a crusade against the Muslims � Crusade – holy war � For almost 100 years, Christians poured into Palestine in a movement that became known as the Crusades � Crusade had limited effect � Civilizations in Western Europe were less advanced than the Islamic world � 1187, Saladin, a Muslim general drove the Christians out of Jerusalem �

TURKEY � Kemal Ataturk � Father of modern Turkey � Turkey became a secular state � Separation � Encouraged of religion and government economic development � Modernized using western culture

� Arab countries turned to Socialism to end western control. � The Islamist Movement believed westernization (western values) undermine Islamic society.

� Zionism – movement to reestablish a Jewish homeland � Founded by Theodor Herzl � Jews from Eastern Europe began migrating to Palestine � Belfour Declaration – 1917 � Called for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine � As migration increased, tensions between

� After WW II � United Nations recommended Palestine be partitioned � Divided into a Jewish state and an Arab state � Rise of the PLO � Palestinian Liberation Organization � Wanted to establish a Palestinian State � Many Arab countries are bonded by their hatred of Israel

OPEC � Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries � Increased power as world demand for oil rose in the 1970 s � Arab-Israeli War – 1973 � OPEC stopped shipments to countries who supported Israel � Set off a global oil crisis as prices rose and supplies dwindled

EARLY 1990 S � Push for peace brought Israel and Palestinian leaders together � Issues to the peace process � Conditions in the refugee camps � Jewish settlements in occupied lands � 1993 – Oslo Accord � Led to limited Palestinian self-rule in the Gaza Strip and Jericho

ISLAMIC REVOLUTION IN IRAN � Reforms led to a growing gap between westernized Iranians from the rest � 1979 overthrow of the shah by supports of the Ayatollah Khomeine � Iran became a theocracy – government ruled by religious leaders

WOMEN � Conflict between modernization (westernization) and values of traditional Muslim culture

PERSIAN GULF WAR � 1990 – Iraq invades Kuwait � claimed � Iraq Kuwait belonged to Iraq posed a threat to Saudi Arabia � 1991 – UN coalition moved against Saddam Hussein � Defeated Iraq forces within days

1967 ARAB-ISRAELI WAR � Known � Involved as the Six-Day War. Israel and the Arab countries of Egypt, Jordan, Syria � Results: � Israel claimed control over the West Bank, Golan Heights, Gaza Strip