Unit 3. Ancient History Some of the world’s oldest settlements have been found in the Middle East...
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Transcript of Unit 3. Ancient History Some of the world’s oldest settlements have been found in the Middle East...
Ancient History
Some of the world’s oldest settlements have been found in the Middle East
The world’s oldest civilizations were in Mesopotamia – the first, being Sumer
A Cradle of Religions
Three of the world’s most powerful religions originated in the Middle East:Judaism (0.2% of world’s population)Christianity (33% of world’s population –
largest in the world)Islam (20% of world’s population – second
largest in the world)
Distribution of World Jewish Population
Distribution of World Christian Population
Distribution of World Muslim Population
A Cradle of Religions
Judaism (c. 2000BC) Abraham made a covenant with GodStart of the first major monotheistic religionAbraham’s descendants were the beginning of
the Hebrew (Jewish) raceJewish history is fraught with discrimination and
tragedyThe first and only Jewish state is Israel, formed
after WWII (1949)Three modern day branches: Orthodox,
Conservative & Reform
A Cradle of Religions
Christianity (c. 30AD) Jesus of Nazareth begins his ministryBelievers call him Christ – the Son of GodHe is crucified by Roman authorities, and is said to
have been resurrected three days later to continue his ministry for another 40 days
Christianity becomes the official religion of the Roman Empire during the 300s
Orthodox split from Catholic in 1054Protestant Reformation of 1519 created the third
major branchMany modern restoration churches
A Cradle of Religions
Islam (622-630) Muhammad receives his revelations from GabrielMuhammad led an army and seized control of
Mecca, where he established his religionAfter his death, those close to Muhammad wrote
down his prophecies, which is called the QuranFollowers believe the Quran fixed the corrupted
message of GodIslam is split into two main branches: Sunni and
Shi’iteMuslim civilizations are responsible for many
scientific and medical discoveries
Post-Muhammad History
Throughout most of history, the Middle East has been controlled by various Islamic Empires (such as the Umayyad Dynasty, the Seljuk Turks, and the Ottoman Empire)
Many clashes with Western crusaders over control of Jerusalem (‘the Holy Land”)
The Ottoman Empire held control over most of the Middle East, until its defeat after WWI
Modern History
Turkey was the first Middle Eastern nation to modernize, starting in 1921Under the direction of Mustafa AtaturkFirst to secularize the governmentAllowed private industry to formWesternized their dress, alphabet, and improved
the status of women
Modern History
Iran attempted a similar modernization under Riza ShahAn invasion by the Soviets and British in 1941
halted his efforts, after Riza Shah had become corrupt and cruel
In 1959, Shah Mohammed Pahlavi secured the throne by ousting the Ayatollah KhomeiniDiscontent over his policies led to a revolutionWhen the shah left for the US for medical
treatment, the Khomeini returned
Modern History
Iran, cont…The US attempted to return the Shah to power,
but followers of the Ayatollah stormed the US Embassy and took 52 Americans hostage○ After a failed (and deadly) rescue attempt, the
hostages were released over a year later in 1981Since then, Iran has waged war against Iraq and
has continued to be ruled in a traditional Shi’ite manner
Modern History
Egypt, while African, shares more commonalities with the Middle East than the rest of AfricaEgypt modernized under Gamal Nasser, who
wanted to unite all Arab nationsHis successors, starting with Anwar Sadat,
focused on Egypt’s internal problems
Modern History
Other nationsSaudi Arabia modernized its law, but did not
secularize like Turkey didMilitary rule controlled Syria, Turkey, and Iraq
from the 1970s on through current timesConflicts over oil, secularization, and
Communism were common during the 1970s and 1980s
Arab-Israeli Conflict
Discontent after the creation of a Jewish state where a Muslim majority lived (Palestine)
Conflicts between Israel, Egypt, and the Muslim majority in Palestine fight starting in 1956
(This will be discussed more thoroughly later)
Modern Problems
Human rights violations in the more extreme Muslim nations (such as Iran and Afghanistan)
Terrorist groups, such as the PLO and al Qaeda, involvement in domestic and international terrorism
The US-led coalition of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan
Attempts at democratization (such as Afghanistan and Egypt)
Domestic violence in Libya and Syria