1. A Brief history of Southwest Asia
September 8, 2014

2. The ottoman empire
The ottoman empire controlled much of Southwest Asia from the 1300s until the end of world war I in 1918
By the start of world war I, the empire had weakened and European countries were much more powerful than the empire
When the war began, the ottoman empire joined forces with the central powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Bulgaria)
Their side lost the war, and the ottoman empire was dissolved. The territory was broken up into smaller pieces
European politicians decided how the ottoman territory was going to be divided

3. Problems after the break-up of the ottoman empire
When European politicians divided up the ottoman territory, they paid very little attention to the ethnic and religious groups who were already living in the region
The new boundaries did not take into consideration the concept of nationalism
Nationalism: the idea that countries are most successful if the people who live there share some common cultural, historic, and religious beliefs
As a result, there has been a lot of conflict between different groups trying to live together in the same countries that were created by those who did not realize what kinds of problems these boundaries could cause

4. Palestine
One of the areas that was created from the old ottoman empire was called Palestine.
This area is important to Jews, Christians, and muslims because this is where much of what is written in the old testament, the new testament, and the quran took place
There are many religious sites that are sacred to all three religions
Shortly before world war II started, the british were given control of Palestine until a permanent government could be established

5. Conflict in palestine
Since the late 1800s, large numbers of jewish settlers had moved to the Palestine area
They believed that the land had been promised to them by god, as told in stories in the old testament
They wanted to create a homeland for the world’s jews in the area
These people were called Zionists
Zionists: those who felt the world’s jews deserved to return to a homeland where jewish people had lived in biblical times
However, conflicts began to break out between the settlers and the Arabs who were also in the area
Each group wanted control of the land for religious reasons

6. Jews during world war ii
During World War II, Jews suffered terribly at the hands of the Nazis in Europe.
There was widespread anti-Semitism with over six million jews killed in concentration camps
Anti-Semitism: hatred of jews simply because they practice the jewish faith
This was known as the holocaust
Holocaust: the killing of over 6 million jews in Europe during wwii
Many jews left Europe during the war and after it was over
In 1948, part of Palestine was declared to be a new jewish homeland
This new state was called israel

7. ISrael
The creation of Israel as a jewish state angered many people, especially the arabs living in the area
They felt that their land had been unfairly given away
War broke out In may 1948 between Israel and Palestine
Other southwest Asian countries sided with palestine
However, Israel managed to win the war and take over even more land than was already planned

8. Questions
1. which empire controlled much of southwest asia from the 1300s until the end of world war i?
2. who did the ottoman empire join forces with during world war i?
3. who decided how to divide the ottoman empire after the end of world war i?
4. what should European politicians have paid attention to when dividing the ottoman empire?
5. what is nationalism?
6. Why is Palestine important to jews, Christians, and muslims?
7. who had control of Palestine until a permanent government could be established?

9. More questions
8. why were jewish settlers moving to the area around Palestine?
9. what is a Zionist?
10. who did the jews have conflicts with in the area?
11. why did both groups want control of the area?
12. what is anti-Semitism?
13. what is the holocaust?
14. when was the state of Israel created?
15. Why were arabs angry about the creation of israel?
16. who won the war in 1948 between Israel and the arabs?