CHOKEPOINT - Narrow passages of land or water that are strategically important for trade Example – St. Lawrence Seaway X = Fort Wellington Y = Fort Erie

•CHOKEPOINT - Narrow passages of land or water that are strategically important for trade

•Example – St. Lawrence Seaway

X = Fort Wellington

Y = Fort Erie

Z = Fort Mackinac

San Francisco

Why did the US build so many forts around the port of San Francisco?

Chokepoints- Give an example of something

similar to a chokepoint in this school?

1. Stairways

2. Front Door

3. Door to the buses

4. Entrance to the auditorium

Chokepoints

1. Sketch a picture of a chokepoint.

2. Explain why they are strategically important. (Why countries would fight over them.)

3. Answer the Question of the Day.

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ChokepointsChokepoints

• It’s just the same when people try to It’s just the same when people try to transport goods around the world.transport goods around the world.

• Sometimes countries are trading one good Sometimes countries are trading one good for another.for another.

• Sometimes countries are transporting Sometimes countries are transporting soldiers or armaments to battle sites.soldiers or armaments to battle sites.

• The control of these narrow passageways The control of these narrow passageways is critical. Whoever has the control is in is critical. Whoever has the control is in power.power.

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Corinth Canal Corinth Canal (Greece)(Greece)

There are approximately 200 straits ( narrow bodies of water connecting two larger bodies of water) around the world, but only a handful are known as chokepoints.

On your paper define “chokepoint.”

http:www.bikeabout.otg/journal/notes_96.htm

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ChokepointsChokepoints• A chokepoint is a A chokepoint is a

strategic strait or strategic strait or canal which could be canal which could be closed or blocked to closed or blocked to stop sea traffic. stop sea traffic.

• The Suez Canal and The Suez Canal and the Straits of Hormuz the Straits of Hormuz (pictured on the (pictured on the map) are examples map) are examples of chokepoints.of chokepoints.

Suez Canal

Strait of Hormuz

Make any adjustments to your definition that are needed.

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CHOKEPOINTS OR CHOKEPOINTS OR BOTTLENECKS ?BOTTLENECKS ?

With the rise of industrial Europe and seaborne trade, entrepreneurs thought of building a canal to connect the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea directly, thus saving time either from sailing around Africa or transporting freight across the Suez Peninsula.

http://www.standto.com/qorsuez.html

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SUEZ CANALSUEZ CANAL The Suez Canal was completed in 1869 under the leadership of a French company under de Lesseps. European capital (money) built it and operated it.

Why would European companies be willing to fund the building of the canal? How would it make them more competitive?

Write your answer on your paper.

http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch1en/conc1en/suez.html

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SUEZ CANALSUEZ CANAL

Red Sea

Mediterranean Sea

Suez Canal

The Suez Canal brought a new era of European influence in Pacific Asia by reducing the journey from Asia to Europe by about 65,000 km. The region became commercially accessible and colonial trade expanded.

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The Suez Canal is only 101 miles long but was built across the Egyptian desert. It is one of the most significant maritime “shortcuts” ever built by man.

http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch5en/conc5en/suezconstr.html

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USS Wisconsin goes through the USS Wisconsin goes through the Canal.Canal.

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IMPACT OF THE SUEZ IMPACT OF THE SUEZ CANALCANAL

• Shortened the route around Africa by Shortened the route around Africa by 4,000 miles.4,000 miles.

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• Saved two weeks of shipping time.Saved two weeks of shipping time.

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• Saved two weeks of shipping time.Saved two weeks of shipping time.

• If you can shorten your shipping If you can shorten your shipping time, you can ship more items in the time, you can ship more items in the same amount of time that it used to same amount of time that it used to take.take.

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• Saved two weeks of shipping time.Saved two weeks of shipping time.• If you can shorten your shipping time, If you can shorten your shipping time,

you can ship more items in the same you can ship more items in the same amount of time that it used to take.amount of time that it used to take.

• Tonnage shipped jumped from 500,000 Tonnage shipped jumped from 500,000 tons to 3,500,000 tons in ten years tons to 3,500,000 tons in ten years after the Suez Canal opened.after the Suez Canal opened.

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• This allowed the Europeans to take a This allowed the Europeans to take a greater interest in the Asian markets greater interest in the Asian markets than ever before.than ever before.

• British control of the canal was British control of the canal was viewed as the “Lifeline of the viewed as the “Lifeline of the Empire” because it allowed the Empire” because it allowed the British quicker access to the colonies British quicker access to the colonies in Asia and Africa. in Asia and Africa.

On your paper, write down what you think is the most important impact of the Suez Canal. Justify your answer.

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Strait of GibraltarStrait of Gibraltar

Has long been fought over

Has been held by the Phoenicians, Romans, Visigoths, and the Moslems

The British won the Battle of Trafalgar defeating Napoleon

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• D:\whs588.htmD:\whs588.htm

After viewing the animation of the Battle of Trafalgar, click on the X to close the animation. That will return you to the PowerPoint.

Click first on the D: to go to the animation.

2020http://www.webcom.com/beacon/mapchokepoints.html

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OIL DEPENDENCYOIL DEPENDENCY

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OIL DEPENDENCYOIL DEPENDENCY

• For the past 50 years, one of the main For the past 50 years, one of the main sources of energy used by developed sources of energy used by developed and developing nations has been oil.and developing nations has been oil.

• For nations with little of this resource, For nations with little of this resource, disruptiondisruption of the of the availabilityavailability of oil of oil or a large price increase, causes or a large price increase, causes economic or political problems.economic or political problems.

On your paper, write down two effects of closing a chokepoint.

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SECURING THE SUPPLY: SECURING THE SUPPLY: STRATEGIC POINTS OF STRATEGIC POINTS OF

CONCERNCONCERN• For centuries, straits such as For centuries, straits such as

Gibraltar have been protected by Gibraltar have been protected by international law. international law.

• In 1982, the Law of Sea Conventions In 1982, the Law of Sea Conventions further protected the international further protected the international access for nations to sail through access for nations to sail through straits and canals. straits and canals.

On your paper, explain why straits would be protected by international laws.

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After you have visited each of the chokepoints, click on this button.

Click on each of the tankers for information about the chokepoint.

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Suez CanalSuez Canal

It is the only sea route between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

With the Middle East tension, the Suez Canal is a prime target for many nations. In 1967, the Arab-Israeli War shut down the canal for 8 years.

A third of the cargo is oil.

http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/

Click on button to return to map.

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BAB el MANDEBBAB el MANDEBBottleneck for traffic between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean

3.2 million barrels of oil daily move through this chokepoint.

All the nations along the Red Sea are Islamic and the rulers of Sudan are backed by Iran.


Click button to return to map.

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STRAIT OF HORMUZSTRAIT OF HORMUZ Critical point in the lifeline flow of oil from the Persian Gulf area. A quarter of the world’s oil supply passes through this strait. 15.5 million barrels of oil a day pass through.

Closely monitored by the U.S. military and its allies

Connects the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea (part of the Indian Oceanhttp://geography.about.com/library/weekly/

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Strait of Hormuzhttp://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/

choke.html


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THE BOSPORUS STRAIT√Joins the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara

√Russians and Turks have fought many battles over this strait. Turks are now citing environmental concerns as an excuse to restrict Russian access to the strait.


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http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/choke.html

Click on button to return to map

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Strait of MalaccaStrait of Malacca

Tankers pass through this strait bordered by Indonesia and Malaysia.

Located in the Indian Ocean, this strait is a shortcut for oil tankers traveling between the Middle East and the oil-dependent nations of the Pacific Rim (especially Japan.)

More than 50,000 ships pass through this strait yearly.


Click button to return to map

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Panama Canal• Connects the Pacific Ocean with the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean

•0.5 million barrels of oil go through it daily

•Needs to be widened

http://geography.about.com/library/weekly


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Barrels of Oil Barrels of Oil Transported through Transported through Chokepoints DailyChokepoints Daily

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Let’s Let’s recaprecap what we what we know about chokepoints.know about chokepoints.

• A chokepoint is a A chokepoint is a strategic strait or strategic strait or canal which could be canal which could be closed or blocked to closed or blocked to stop sea traffic. stop sea traffic.

• The Suez Canal and The Suez Canal and the Straits of Hormuz the Straits of Hormuz (pictured on the (pictured on the map) are examples map) are examples of chokepoints.of chokepoints.

Suez Canal

Strait of Hormuz

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Now, Now, reviewreview what else you what else you know.know.

• If a chokepoint is closed, it affects If a chokepoint is closed, it affects world trade patterns, the economy world trade patterns, the economy and politics.and politics.

•That can lead to higher prices That can lead to higher prices and/or war.and/or war.

•Keeping these straits or Keeping these straits or chokepoints open is very chokepoints open is very important. important.

•The control of these narrow The control of these narrow passageways is critical. Whoever passageways is critical. Whoever has the control is in power.has the control is in power.

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•Complete a flow chart Complete a flow chart showing these effects.showing these effects.

Closure of Strait of Hormuz

U.S. and Japan scramble for oil.

?

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Which best fits in the last box of the flow Which best fits in the last box of the flow chart?chart?

A. Saudi Arabia pipes the oil to the A. Saudi Arabia pipes the oil to the Red Sea.Red Sea. B. The U.S. sends in troops and B. The U.S. sends in troops and

aircraft to aircraft to take over the Strait of Hormuz.take over the Strait of Hormuz. C. Diplomatic pressure makes TurkeyC. Diplomatic pressure makes Turkey open the Strait. open the Strait. D. The price of oil products goes downD. The price of oil products goes down worldwide.worldwide.

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Yes, the correct answer is B. Yes, the correct answer is B. The United States sends in The United States sends in troops to open the Strait of troops to open the Strait of Hormuz.Hormuz.• A is incorrect. Saudi Arabia might be A is incorrect. Saudi Arabia might be

able to pump more oil to the Red Sea able to pump more oil to the Red Sea but the quantity would not be sufficient.but the quantity would not be sufficient.

• C is incorrect. Turkey controls the C is incorrect. Turkey controls the Bosporus Strait, not the Strait of Bosporus Strait, not the Strait of Hormuz.Hormuz.

• D is incorrect. The price of oil products D is incorrect. The price of oil products would go up significantly around the would go up significantly around the world.world.

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•CongratulationsCongratulations, you have finished , you have finished the tutorial on chokepoints.the tutorial on chokepoints.

•Now see if you can answer two Now see if you can answer two more questions on your more questions on your worksheet.worksheet.

•Have your teacher check your Have your teacher check your answers.answers.

•You should ace this part of the You should ace this part of the TAKS now. You have the power.TAKS now. You have the power.

Documents

CHOKEPOINT - Narrow passages of land or water that are strategically important for trade Example – St. Lawrence Seaway X = Fort Wellington Y = Fort Erie