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The Middle East

Discover the rich history, conflicts, and achievements of the Middle East, a region at the crossroads of continents and civilizations, known for its fertile lands, ancient civilizations, and modern-day conflicts.

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The Middle East

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  1. The Middle East • Location: Southwest Asia • At the Crossroads of 3 Continents

  2. Geography • Much of the region is desert • Ex. Sahara (Hot & Lacks Water) • Greatest population around coast & rivers • Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea,Persian Gulf • Nile River, Tigris-Euphrates • Provides half the worlds oil (OPEC)

  3. Neolithic Revolution • Switch from hunting and gathering to farming and permanent settlement • Civilizations grew near sources of water • Ex. Early River Valley Civilizations

  4. Early River Valley Civilizations • Located around Fertile Crescent • Mesopotamia • “Land between 2 rivers” • Phoenicians, Sumerians,Egyptians,Babylonians,Persians, Hebrews

  5. Fertile Crescent

  6. Accomplishments • Law:Hammurabi’s Code • Writing Systems: • Cuneiform (Sumerians) • Hieroglyphics (Egyptians) • Phonetics (Phoenicians) • Architecture: • Pyramids-Egypt • Ziggurat-Sumerians • Hanging Gardens- Babylon • The Wheel, Calendar, etc.

  7. Phoenetics Cuneiform Hieroglyphics

  8. Birthplace of Religions Egyptians- Polytheistic Judaism Christianity Eastern Orthodox Islam

  9. Empires Assyrian Persian Byzantine Ottoman

  10. Modern Conflicts • War in Afghanistan • Civil War in Lebanon • Iran Iraq War • Persian Gulf War • Arab-Israeli Conflict

  11. Civil War in Lebanon 1975-1990 • Brutal Civil War between Muslims & Christians • Palestinian refugees & PLOleaders settle in Lebanon • Muslims gain majority over Christians • Israel & Syria both enter conflict • Uneasy truce in 1992

  12. Islamic Fundamentalism • Belief that Muslims should strictly follow Islamic law & resist Western influences • Ex. Iranian Revolution, Afghanistan

  13. Iranian Revolution 1979 • Modernization vs. Traditionalism • Pro-Western Shah overthrown • Ayatollah Khomeini establishes a religious state based on Islamic law • Ex. limited woman rights • Seizes U.S. Embassy/Hostage Crisis Vs.

  14. 444 Days of Captivity

  15. Afghanistan 1979 • Muslim rebels overthrow Soviet puppet government • Talibanset up extremist Islamic State • Men cannot cut beards, Women must be covered,cannot attend school • Taliban ousted by U.S. forces following 9/11

  16. Iran Iraq War 1980-1988 • Border dispute explodes into full scale war • Ayatollah Khomeini vs. Saddam Hussein • Ravages both nations economies • Iraq demands financial aid from Kuwait • Cause of the Persian Gulf War 1990

  17. Persian Gulf War 1991 • Iraq invades & annexes Kuwait • Operation Desert Shield • US led coalition defends Saudi Arabia from Iraq • Operation desert Storm • Coalition destroys Iraqi forces & liberates Kuwait • UN levies sanctions against Iraq

  18. Arab Israeli Conflict • Jewish sovereignty in Palestine goes back 3000 years until they were driven out in 135 A.D. • Diaspora-dispersal of Jews from Palestine • Arab Sovereignty dates back to the 7th century • Both groups stake claim to the region

  19. Zionism- movement to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine(1890’s) • Balfour Declaration-statement that British made supporting a Jewish homeland in Palestine (WWI) • Nazi persecution of the Jews sparks movement to Israel(WWII)

  20. Partition of Palestine • 1947- UN partitions Palestine into a Palestinian & Jewish state • Palestinians rejected partition • 1948 David Ben Gurion announced creation of the state of Israel • Arabs react by waging war in 1956,1967, 1973 • Defeated each time

  21. Conflicts • 1948- War for Independence • 1956- Suez Crisis • 1967- Six Day War • 1973 Yom Kippur War

  22. Attempts @ Peace • 1978 Camp David Accords-Brokered by President Carter • Peace Treaty between Israel (Menachem Begin) & Egypt (Anwar Sadat) • Israel returns Sinai Peninsula • Sadat is eventually assassinated

  23. The Oslo Accords • Portions of the West Bank & Gaza were to be governed by a Palestinian authority led by Yasir Arafat • Attempts at peace today have been hindered by terrorist attacks

  24. The PLO • Palestinian Liberation Organization • Led byYasir Arafat • 1970’s & 1980’s PLO militants began a terror campaign against Israel • Intifada-Militant uprising inside Israel • Terror attacks, boycotts, demonstrations continue today

  25. Terrorist Groups • Militant group such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Jihad,& Al Qaeda commit acts of terrorism among Israel and its supporters

  26. Turkey • Kemal Ataturk (1923) • Father of the Turks • Modernizes/Westernizes Turkey • Democracy • Secularization-Legal System based on European rather than Islamic Law

  27. 1967: Six Day War- Israel occupied Gaza Strip, Golan Heights and the West Bank • 1973: Egypt attacked Israel’s occupation of troops in the Sinai Peninsula, Syria attacked in Golan Heights • 1978: Camp David Accords-Israel’s Begin, Egyptian’s Sadat and U.S.’s Carter Egypt recognized Israel • 1993: Israel and PLO self government for West Bank Palestinians

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