1. THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

2. WHAT IS AN ARAB? LINGUISTIC GROUP
Those who speak Arabic as their native language
Not standardized in spoken form

3. Arab Culture Nomadic Traditions
Arab culture – follows customs common to a desert environment
Nomadic – search for water, grazing
Bedouin Tradition

4. CONQUEST Arab Armies moved West
Conquered Egypt and other North African civilizations
Arabic became common language
CONQUEST

5. RELIGION Islam arose in Arabia (620 CE) Revitalized Arab civilization
Arabs conquered neighbors
Conquered people adopted Islam
No translations of Koran
Islam says “no conversion by the sword” but, were conquered people forced to convert?

6. 1. Israel – Hebrew (Palestinians are Arab speaking) 2
1. Israel – Hebrew (Palestinians are Arab speaking) 2. Turkey _ Turkish 3. Iran - Farsi 4. Kurds – Kurdish (Turks, Iranians, Kurds from Central Asia)
EXCEPTIONS?

7. Political Development Shaped by
Tribal Culture
Religious Values
Invasion
Imperialism
Arab Nationalism

8. TRIBAL CULTURE Alliances with related tribes
First loyalty to tribal leaders
Outsiders not trusted
Problems with democracy

9. “Tribes with flags”
In modern Mid East countries tribal issues and practices are just below the surface.

10. RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE No separation of “mosque and state”
This was a Western concept in reaction to the power of the pope
No organized clergy in Sunni Islam
Less concern about a powerful cleric taking over
Religious values are an obvious framework for Government

11. The Sharia Law
Based on the Koran
The teachings of the prophet Muhammed
The interpretation of Islamic legal scholars

12. The Sharia Governs Civil and Criminal Matters
Religious duties
Business disputes
Family matters
Marriage
Divorce
Child custody
Inheritance

13. Criminal Matters Carry Harsh Punishments
Adultery - stoning
Robbery - execution
Theft - amputation
Slander - lashes
Intoxication - lashes
Murder and injury – retaliation by victims realtives

14. Religious Divisions Cause Tension In the Modern World
Sunni /Shia split
Sunni 85%
Shia 15%
Discrimination against Shia minorities
Iraq and Iran are predominantly Shia

15. Shia Leaders Leaders - direct descendants of the Prophet
Ayatollahs in spiritual communication with 12th Imam
Political Power

16. Religious Minorities Face Discrimination

17. How has INVASION shaped political development?
333BCE Alexander the Great - Greek Influence
30 to 395CE Romans - Rise of Christianity
CE Byzantine Empire - Parts of ME controlled from Constantinople
CE Ottoman Empire
RE17.swf

18. Ottoman Turks Were Muslim, Not Arab, Dominated Region

19. IMPERIALISM Ottoman Empire is defeated in WWI
The Allies divide up Ottoman lands
European domination 1918 to 1940’s
Influenced by western language, dress, education, law and government
Western oil companies are powerful

20. Treaty of Versailles “The Peace to End All Peace”
Creates Mandates that gave control of the ME to victorious European powers.
GB - Palestine, Jordan, Iraq (Egypt)
France - Syria, Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria
Italy - Libya

21. Arab Nationalism (Pan-Arabism)
Post WWII movement to end Western domination of the Middle East
Arabs had helped Allies during WWI and expected independence not “Mandates”
But oil is too important
Arab Nationalists carry out attacks on Western targets ’s

22. “The Mandates”

23. Independence Movements After WWII
Weakened by WWII and attacks by nationalists, Euro powers can’t hold on to “mandates” after WWII
Independence movements sweep the region
Some swift, some long and bitter
Algeria fights for independence from French
New governments take many forms

24. Parliamentary Goverments (democratic system where executive branch gets its legitimacy from parliament) Israel Turkey

25. Constitutional Monarchies (monarch acts as head of state, within guidelines of Constitution.) Bahrain Jordan Morocco Kuwait

26. Absolute Monarchies (King has ABSOLUTE power) Saudi Arabia Qatar Oman

27. Dominant Party Presidential “Republic” (government controlled by one party, though opposing parties exist) Syria

28. Theocratic System (Government headed by a religious leader) Iran Afghanistan Sudan