Imperialism: What happened in the Middle East?

1. Imperialism: What happened in the Middle East? By: Lauren Kang Sharon Yoo & Andrew Nogamoto

2. Ottoman Empire • Had a lot of power in the beginning • Spread out through Greece, around the Black Sea, South through Syria and across Egypt all the way west to the borders of Morocco. • The power slowly declined for about 300 years. • Tried to improve but was weak to hold back on the European imperialist power. • Suleiman I dies and follow by weak sultans. • Corruption, theft caused financial losses, price inflation, and unemployed ex-soldiers and students caused trouble

3. Ottoman Empire continue… • Seliman III came to power and decides to modernize the empire. • But fails because gets dethroned and temporarily abandoned. • Slowly the Ottoman Empire lost it’s land and the Europeans decides to take their territory. • The Europeans had high interest in taking of land for its strategic location or products. • Ottoman controlled access to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic sea trade. Many merchants had to go through Ottomans land to go cross black sea to Mediterranean.

4. Ottoman Empire continue… • Strong Relation with Russia because of trade. • Russia went against Ottoman’s with their enemies and broke out a war. • Later discover of oil was also an attention to the area. • The Crimean war broke out and the British and France decided to help Ottomans because THEY DID NOT WANT THE RUSSIANS OVER THE OTTOMANS LANDS. • After the Crimean war Ottomans constantly lost land such as Romania, Montenegro, Cyprus, Bosnia, Herzegovina, an area that became Bulgaria. Also lost African after WWI it reduced into a very small proportion.

5. Egypt • Egypt: Modernization came because of the French Revolution. Napoleon failed to take control and came new leader Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ali was sent from Ottomans but became stronger and broke out. • Gained control of Syria and Arabia. • Ali reformed military and economy • Agriculture improved to a plantation cash crop cotton. • Peasants had negative of losing control of farm and had to grow cash crops for the market.

6. Egypt continue… • Ali’s grandson’s developed construction of the Suez Canal. • Was built with French money and Egyptian Labor. But the canal was soon belonging to the Europeans because they couldn’t pay the debt. • It gave the British advantage of quick way to India for trade. • The Canal was very beneficial to people in many different ways which will be explained later.

7. Persia • South West Asia: Russia and Britain was focusing on exploiting Persia and to make it their own influence. • Russians were interested in the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Persia gave up territories to Russia after military defeat 1813-1828. Britain was interested in using Afghanistan as a buffer to Russia and India. • Persia tried to resist against Britain but ended up forced to give up all claims to Afghanistan. Discovery of oil there increased the interest of Persia. • Persia lacked money to develop its own resources to began to grant concessions to Western businesses. • Tension arose about the concessions; People who are for and against the concessions. • Later because of the weak economy that was caused by the tobacco boycott, Persia was taken over by Russia and Britain. • Although the European imperialists gained control using economic imperialism, it was too late to modernize the society.

8. Consequences: Positive • Europeans • Increased land; took over the Ottoman territories. • Suez Canal; they had the road to India much quicker which saved lots of time. • Through the Suez Canal, imports became cheaper exports became cheaper making them have more space in the markets, and since exports became cheaper, people favored items and demands rose. • Got hold of Egypt as well because of the debt Egypt had from the British while making the Suez Canal. • Resources; loads of resources for their own good and industrialization and exports. Saves money by not importing (don’t have to buy)(no limit on usage) • Because of industrial revolution there were increased number of factories which ran by oil. And since many factories used oil, it was a benefit for the British to find the Ottomans oil discovery. And because the factories were running well it have a higher rate of support against the demand. • Indigenous • It gave them a motivation to industrialize which created the Suez Canal.

9. Consequences: Negative • Europeans • They had to go through numerous amounts of different wars and battles • Because they were frequently in a war or a fight, they needed constant supply of money for these wars. • They not only needed constant supply of money for their selves but also for the indigenous and their industrialization • Indigenous • The Ottomans constantly started to lose their power, and due to their lack of power or control, it lead to the separation of land which were highly resourceful. • They lost power to monitor trade in the Mediterranean and Atlantic sea. • The Ottomans lost their great chance of finding the one of the most valuable resource during the modern day which is oil. • Because Egypt was unable to pay back the debt from the British, they had to give up the Suez Canal which brought them lots of money and fortune. • Last but not least, Egypt peasants were forced to raise cash crops, instead of agriculture, also they lost their freedom to own their own land for farming.

10. Conclusion None of the three major empires never gained a lot of benefit from the whole rule of imperialism. Most of the benefits ended up in the hands of Europe such as the Suez Canal. From this part of history, our group was able to learn or notice that imperialism contradicts it self with the fact that all the benefits ended up in Europeans hand when it was stated that it will benefit and make both the indigenous and Europeans happy.

11. Bibliography • 1) "The Crimean War (Overview)." World History: The Modern Era. 2008. ABC-CLIO. 17 Jan. 2008 http://www.worldhistory.abc-clio.com • 2) Modern World History: Textbook, by Houghton Mifflin, pg 317-320 • 3) href="http://science.jrank.org/pages/9128/Empire-Imperialism-Middle-East-Global-Imperialism-Europe-Ottomans-1914.html">Empire and Imperialism - Middle East - Global Imperialism, Europe, And The Ottomans To 1914