A Brief History Outline Ch. 6

Approximately 3000 BCE, one of the world’s first civilizations developed in this region (culture hearth). Fertile Crescent: Wide arc of productive farmland from East Mediterranean through the Tigris and Euphrates River Valleys to Persian Gulf. Ancient Mesopotamia: “land between the rivers” between Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

Present day locations in the Fertile Crescent (indicated in green).

Map of Ancient Mesopotamia

Monotheism & Semitic Religions Greek and Roman gods Monotheism emerged –Judaism – Abraham led followers from Mesopotamia to Israel, Torah is holy book, Ten Commandments are strong ethical code, diaspora (dispersion) when Jews rebelled against Roman Empire in 73 CE –Christianity – based on teachings of Jesus in Palestine 2000 years ago, Roman authorities and Jewish religious authorities saw him as challenge to their power, he was executed, gospels written down in Bible, persecution but by 400 CE Christianity was official religion of Roman Empire –Islam – Muhammad emerged in 7 th century, writings in Qu’ran, first converts were nomads

800 AD/CE Muslim armies had conquered much of SW Asia, split into territories ruled by caliphs, emirs, or sultans (religious leaders) AD/CE Ottoman Empire (Islamic) defeated Christian Byzantine Empire & controlled much of SW Asia until end of WWI.

Post WWI SW Asia (Ottoman Empire) sided with Germany and lost. Split up Empire among Britain, France, & Italy as protectorates. Many areas gained independence in last years.

Post World War II End of WWII brought many changes to the Middle East: Growing unrest developed between Arabs and Jews in Palestine – each claiming rights to the area as their own homeland Britain could not resolve the issue and gave to the UN to decide With the Holocaust, Jewish Zionism (nationalist movement for creation of a homeland) resulted in a new wave of immigration to Palestine and a need to resolve the issue – Israel created in 1948

Cold War Era US and Western Europe supported autocratic local leaders in the Middle East who would keep order and were sympathetic to our Cold War policies US and Western Europe supported non- democratic governments and stood in the way of reforms that would have resulted in a more educated population able to participate in democracy