Geography: Economic and Cultural Crossroads. Region based on religion (Islam) Arabic is the main language.

Climate: Arid (Dry ) Very Little Rain Barren Desert.

Less than 15 % of the land is arable. Scarcity of Water. Aquifers, Canals, Irrigation, Dams

Resources: Little water. Rich in oil. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. Resources equals wealth

Topography:.Anatolian Plateau, Iranian Plateau, and Arabian Peninsula. Two deserts cover half the land.Rub al Kali (Arabia) and the Sahara (N. Africa).

Gulf, Bosporus and Dardanelles Rivers:Tigris and Euphrates (Mesopotamia), Nile, and the Jordan.

Fertile Crescent. Strategic Waterways (Suez Canal, Strait of Hormuz and the Persian

Mesopotamia. Sumerians created cuneiform, wheeled vehicles, irrigation, and arches. Babylonians helped create system of codified law, Hammurabi’s code

Judaism –Oldest, Monotheistic, Laws 10 Commandments, Holy Book, Diaspora Christianity –Monotheistic, moral laws, Jesus, New Testament. Islam –Mohammed, 5 Pillars, Sunnis and Shiites.

The “Golden Age” of Muslim Culture Flourished between 9th and 14th centuries. Achievements in arts and sciences. Higher literacy than Europe.

Debated writings of Greece and Rome, Hindus and Persians. Original discoveries in medicine (small pox and measles) Learned Concept of zero from Hindus

Ottoman Empire Controlled the Middle East and the Balkan region of Europe. Greatest Sultan was Suleiman I

Extensive trading network and well-run government. Ethnic tensions source of problems. Became known as the “Sick Man of Europe”

Impact of Imperialism: Russian ambitions to control the Bosporus and Dardanelles. Britain’s interest in the Suez Canal.

Following WWI, the Middle East was placed under the protection of the League of Nations.

Turkish Nationalism : Turkish nationalism overthrew the Ottoman government in 1922 by Kemal Ataturk. Adopt modern practices and technologies of the West. New educational system, western law code, western clothing,

Fought over the same land of Palestine. Zionists hope for homeland. 1917, the Balfour Declaration.. Britain promises self-rule to the Arabs as well.

European powers were unable to maintain their colonial empires and protectorates after both World War I and II.

Israel: Jewish sympathy following the Holocaust U.N. partitioned Palastine between the Jews and Arabs.

1948, Israeli war of Independence. Palestinian refugees left Palestine.

The Arab - Israeli Conflict : War in the Suez (1956) Six-Day War 1967 (Golan Heights, Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, and West bank). The Yom Kippur War, October 1973.

Palestinian Issue: Palestinian refugees. Rise to Palestinian Liberation Organization. (PLO). Weapon of terrorism. 1987, West Bank and Gaza Strip began the Intifada.

Peace Efforts : 1978, Camp David Peace accords. Anwar al-Sadat was the 2nd president of Egypt Yasir Arafat, leader of the PLO.

1993 Peace Agreement (Declaration of Principles) Recognition of Israel.

Iranian Revolution Shah of Iran modernizes Iran. Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 becomes the leader of the fundamentalist government. Govern according to the teachings of the Koran. Iranians seized the U.S. embassy.

Women in Islamic Society. Algerian Family Code regarding women’s clothing. Saudi Arabia’s laws are still based on original custom.

Middle East in the Cold War 1947, the U.S. offered Turkey $ of economic and military aid. (Truman Doctrine) NATO

Soviets in Afghanistan OPEC limits the production of oil in world markets Oil Embargo

The Persian Gulf War 1991 Iraq invades and occupies Kuwait. UN resolution demanded Iraqi withdrawal. U.S. along with a coalition formed Operation Desert Storm. Eco-terrorism. Persecution of the Kurds. U.N. Weapons inspectors.