1. Early History Questions
Get out your answers to yesterday’s homework!
Short answer review

2. Persian Empire From Nile River & Aegean Sea to Central Asia: 500s BC
Constructed system called qanats (underground canals) to carry water from mountains across desert to farmland
Used because otherwise, water would evaporate!

3. Silk Road
100 BC : Silk Road allowed some cities to become successful trading stations
“crossroads of civilization”
Major cities used as trading stations
Travelers & merchants traded Chinese silks, Indian cotton…and IDEAS

4. Mongols under Genghis Khan
Nomads traveled across Central Asia in search of grasslands for their herds
United by Genghis Khan: Leader of Mongols
Invaded many central Asian lands beginning in 1100s
Killed LOTS of people, ended up conquering a LOT of land
Positive things they brought to the regions:
Paper money
Safer trade routes

5. Ethnic & Religious Conflicts

6. Israel & Palestine: 50-Yr Conflict
Background
“Israel”= called “Palestine” before 1948.
Jews & Arabs = religious roots in Palestine/Israel;
each group claims it as home.
Jews kicked out of Palestine many years ago;
The beginning
Jews= wanted to come back to homeland b/c persecution in other areas.
Arabs unhappy & overcrowding
Jews immigrate anyway

7. Israel & Palestine Conflict (cont.)
WW1 & WW2
WW1 est. Britain as the country to control Palestine
WW2 caused British & American sentiment for Jews***?
 more Jewish immigration into Palestine!
UN created boundary proposal in 1947; Palestinians (Muslims) reject it
Britain establishes the Jewish state of Israel anyways in 1948
 WAR!

8. I&P Conflict: Events & Agreement
Constant warfare
Six Day War
Agreement
Camp David Agreement: US pres. Jimmy Carter (1978)
agreed to negotiate about having a separate gov’t in the West Bank & Gaza Strip
Camp David Summit: Bill Clinton (2000)
Tried for negotiations… violence resumed in 2002
still divided today

10. Gulf Wars Iraq-Iran War: 1980-1988 Persian Gulf War: 1990s War
border disputes between Iraq & Iran
Persian Gulf War: 1990s
Iraq vs. Kuwait
Cause: Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, took over oil fields
Effect: U.S. + other Middle Eastern countries teamed up to get Hussein out of Kuwait;
succeed!
Embargo against Iraq
“As long as oil is still the #1 energy producer, oil-purchasing countries will work to protect it!”

11. Arab Spring
List 3 solutions to prevent wars fought over the control of oil.
What was the Burning Man protest? Where did it happen? List 2 Causes and 2 Effects of the event?
Summarize the “Arab Spring” in 3-5 sentences?
What were some reasons it happened? What countries are involved?
T/F. This event is still ongoing.

12. Arab Spring (Still Ongoing)

14. Brief Background Series of protests in the Middle East
December 2010-present
Began with “burning man” protest in Tunisia
Protests of police corruption
Why? Some factors:
Absolute rule  no voice in the people
Government corruption
Human rights violations
Wealthy gov. with people in poverty
Unemployment
To date:
Governments overthrown in Tunisia, Libya & Egypt
Civil disorder in Syria & Yemen
Major protests in Algeria and Iraq (and now Syria)

15. Egypt Height: January 25-February 11, 2011
Inspired by “burning man” protest in Tunisia
Mainly non-violent demonstrations, civil marches
Call for President Mubarak’s resignation
Government response
Internet is shut down from January 27-February 5, 2011
Foreign journalists jailed, some beaten (eventually released)
Mubarak claims he would not step down
A day after refusing to step down, Mubarak resigns as president & leaves Cairo

17. Libya February 2011-October 2011
Protest corrupt leadership of Muammar Gaddafi
Natural resource, petroleum, contributed to high GDP per capita; people still living in poverty, still high unemployment rates
Also poor healthcare system, untreated sewage
Protests  CIVIL WAR
UN’s role:
Security Council froze assets of Mubarak, which prevented them from travelling too far
Established no-fly zone to protect attacks on civilians
Interim governing body replaced Gaddafi government in September
Gaddafi captured & killed on October 20,2011
Still clashes and conflicts in the region

18. “We’ll stay here until the pain is gone.”
Rebels celebrating the death of Gaddafi

19. ONGOING: Syria
March 2011-present
Began with protesting the torture of students who had put up anti- government graffiti
Crackdowns by President Bashar al-Assad  open fire on demonstrators
U.N.’s role
Tried to pass them through security council, but was stopped by Russia & China
Currently protesting in almost all major cities, including the city of Homs and capital city of Damascus
CIVIL WAR!
Christians, others fleeing to Iraq