History of Ancient Middle East

1. History of Ancient Middle East

2. Who lives here? • Share common history, but not a common culture • Majority practice Islam: • Sunni (followed elected leader – chosen in a shura) • Shiite (followed Ali, cousin of Muhammad) • (Israel is the exception – What do they practice?) • There are also Christian communities • Religious identity is closely tied to social status

3. Geography • DRY – mostly desert • Mountain valley, river valleys and oases

4. Landforms • Sahara desert – world’s largest hot desert • Atlas mountains in North-west Africa

5. Desertification-Process by which arable land becomes desert-Overgrazing strips land of plant life and exposes soil

6. Mountains • Often they block moisture coming in off of the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas

7. Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, and Dardanelles have strategic importance… can you guess why?

8. Irrigation • Not much arable land – Irrigation needed to sustain agriculture and life in many areas in the Middle East • Problem: Too much salt in the soil is drawn up with water, when water evaporates it destroys soil

9. Rivers • Nile – the lifeline of Egypt • 96% of Egypt is desert, practically unlivable • Floods regularly • Tigris & Euphrates • River valley formed basis for first civilization

10. Industry • Cash crops – ie: cotton, tobacco on coastal regions • Traditional rug making • Illiteracy stands in the way of wide-spread industrial success • Service Industry – banking, tourism, and communications • Desalination – trying to solve water shortage • OIL

11. OPEC • Venezuela joined with several Middle Eastern states to form the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries • Operates as a cartel – members work together to limit competition and maintain prices

12. Fertile Crescent • Heavier rainfall and access to water • Extends along Mediterranean Coastal plain in Israel, through Lebanon and Syria, down into northern Iraq • Ancient civilizations began here – Mesopotamia in 4,000B.C.

13. Civilizations of the Middle East • In the following slides, you will see some of the civilizations that have occupied portions of the Middle East through time. Accomplishments are listed with each civilization. • After looking at the civilizations and reading the text book pages, come up with one question concerning the History of the Middle East that you think should appear on a future test. Also, choose which civilization you believe had the biggest impact on this region and why

14. Egyptians • 5,000 BC • Developed trade of crafts • Pharaoh – ruled as god-king • Hieroglyphics • Amazing architecture, result of concern with life after death

15. Sumerians • Polytheistic, built Ziggurats as temples to the gods, as well as administrative centers • Developed Cuneiform to keep records • Warfare broke out over control of land and water

16. Babylonians • Empire in T&E river valley • Hammurabi – 1st ever public law code, didn’t create equality but prevented the strong from destroying the weak • This is where the saying “an eye for an eye comes from”…literally

17. Hittites, Lydians, Phoenicians • Hittites used iron – (stronger metal than what they had before, but brittle) • Lydians 1st to use coined $ • Phoenicians lived in Lebanon, traders and navigators, developed alphabet

18. Hebrews • Adopted idea of monotheism • One God - Yaweh • Old Testament • 10 commandments • God demands obedience and in turn, protects his people

19. Diaspora – the forced removal of Jews from their homeland • Hebrews migrated from Palestine due to famine and were enslaved in Egypt – freed by Moses according to Bible • Settled in Canaan and set up kingdom of Israel • Israel split up by Assyrians and Babylonians – many Jews were exiled, this was the first Diaspora (586 BC)

20. Persians • Conquered huge empire by 500 BC • Built roads, “pony express” communication system • Lots of cultural diffusion

21. Greeks and Romans • Alexander conquers Persia, tried to unite the Greek and Middle Eastern worlds • Greek education and culture is spread through the Middle East – more cultural diffusion • Romans exerted control over Egypt, Syria and Turkey

22. Byzantine • Rome divided, Constantinople became center of Christianity in Byzantine Empire (Eastern Rome) • Fell to Ottoman Turks

23. Crusades • 200 years of warfare • Fought for control of the Holy Land (Palestine) • Crusaders robbed land and goods, killed Muslims and Jews

24. Ottomans • Suleiman the Magnificent • Ruled from 15th to 18th century

25. Turks from Turkey • Good soldiers and administrators, unified most of the Middle East, North Africa and Southeastern Europe under their control • Ghazis – warriors who defended Islam in the region • Built mosques, created literature, became powerful empire • Ruled by a Sultan • Education, religious matters and laws controlled by mullahs • 18th century corruption in govt. and loss of trade routes lead to decline in empire’s land and power

26. Napoleon, the Brits and the Russians • Beginning of European infiltration into M.E. • After he defeated Egypt, the British came to the defense of Ottomans – shows them as superior and gave them voice in M.E. affairs • Brits also defend Turkey from Russia

27. Nationalism on the Arabian Peninsula • Wahhabis – Anti-Turkish, Anti-Western Muslim movement • Angry @ corruption of Ottoman govt. and western reforms • Urged strict puritanical devotion to Islam • Helped to establish Saudi Arabia

28. WWI • France and Britain take parts of the M.E. in the 1800s. • British occupy Egypt and control canal • Broken promises of Europeans after the war is won create bitterness • Brits had promised M.E. countries independence if they helped • After victory, Lebanon and Syria went to France while the British took over Iraq, Palestine, and Transjordan, (as mandates) Growth of nationalism results from resentment of European rule and manipulation – demands for independence grow

29. Sykes-Picot Agreement, 1916

30. Nationalism • Mass rallies, strikes and boycotts • Arabs engaged in guerilla warfare in Palestine and violent outbursts occur in occupied countries • Saudi Arabia and Iraq gain independence, Syria and Lebanon controlled by French until WWII

31. Opportunity Knocks • Britain defends its interests in Egypt in WWII from Italian dictator Mussolini • Arabs in the rest of occupied countries try to ally with Axis powers • Try to seize opportunity to be rid of European domination

32. Map of History of Empires • http://www.mapsofwar.com/images/EMPIRE17.swf • Describe one possible result of the information you gather from the map.