2.  European nations wanted to expand past Africa.  Muslim powers were already weakening. › Due to Ottomans and Arabs.  Europeans competed to gain control of this beneficial area.

3.  At its peak- › Stretched from Hungary in the north, through Greece, around the Black Sea, south through Syria, and across Egypt, to the borders of Morocco.  But during last 300 years- › Declined in power:  Difficulties trying to fit into modern rule.  Made attempts to change.  Couldn’t hold again European imperialists.

4.  Death of Suleiman I in 1566: › Brought weak sultans and power. › Ruling party broke up into quarreling factions.  Other Problems: › Financial losses:  Coin value dropped due to inflation. › Unemployed ex-soldiers and student:  Causing troubles.

5.  Ottoman Empire fell further and further behind Europe.  Selim III came into power in 1789. › Attempted to modernize the army.  Overthrown by the people who didn’t agree with his actions.  His movements halted temporarily.  Ottoman weakness becomes obvious to Europeans. › Europeans begin to think about expanding into the Ottoman Empire.

6.  Geopolitics: › Interest or taking of land for its strategic location or products.  Played integral part in fate of Ottoman Empire.  World powers noticed its location.  Ottomans controlled access to Mediterranean and Atlantic Sea Trade. › Landlocked countries had to go through Ottoman lands.

7.  Every generation of Russian czars launched war on the Ottomans. › 1853- The Crimean War.  Britain and France came to aid Ottomans.  Women served as nurses.  Highlighted weak military skills of Ottomans.  Continued to lose even with Britain and France’s help.  Lost Romania, Montenegro, Cyprus, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Bulgaria, and some of Africa.  Muslim leaders decided that their lands needed to modernize with the world.  Reforms began.

9.  Modernization came to Egypt as a result of interest in the area created by the French Revolution. › Strategic location on the Red Sea was seen as valuables

10.  Was sent by Ottomans to govern Egypt. › He broke away from the Ottomans. › 1841- fought series of battles in which he won control of Syria and Arabia › Crowned ruler of Egypt. › Efforts for modernization of Egypt were continued by grandson, Isma’il.  Isma’il supported the Suez Canal.

11.  Manmade waterway that cut through the Isthmus of Suez.  Connected the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. › Built mainly with French money and Egyptian labor. › Opened in 1869.

12.  From their reforms. › Couldn’t pay the interest on its $450 million debt.  British occupied Egypt in 1882.  Canal viewed as “Lifetime of the Empire” for the British › Allowed them to get to their colonies in Asia and Africa more quickly.

13.  Asia, Russia, and Britain competed to bring Persia under their influence. › Russia interested in gaining access to Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean.  Gained territories twice in 1813 and 1828. › Britain was interested in Persia after oil discovery in 1908.  Persia lacked capital to develop its own resources › Began granting concessions to Western businesses to raise money.  Businesses paid for right to operate in certain areas or make certain products.

14.  1906- Riot to keep tobacco industries out of Persia › Revolutionaries forced rulers to establish a constitution.  1907- Russia and Britain took over and divided Persia into spheres of influence. › S.O.I.- created by European Imperialists  Way for Western countries to gain control of Muslim lands.