History of the Middle East

The Cradle of Civilization

• Arabian Peninsula: Known as one of the “Cradles of Civilization”– Birthplace of the worlds first

civilizations– Sumerians – Mesopotamians– Babylonians– Assyrians– Phoenicians– Egyptians

Islamic Empires

• In the centuries after the rise of Islam, Muslim armies conquered:– Dark Red Light Red Yellow

• Muslim empires were called “Caliphates”– 5 total from 632-1517

The Ottoman Empire

• Centered around modern-day Turkey

• Osman I consolidated power in late 13th century

• At height, Ottoman Empire encompassed:

Ottoman Empire Expansion

• By the 19th century, the Ottoman Empire known as the "sick man of Europe”

• French annexed Algeria in 1830 & Tunisia in 1878• French extended their influence into Lebanon and

Syria

• British occupied Egypt and Cyprus in 1882• British took control of the Persian Gulf and supported

Arab revolts against the Ottomans in the Arabian Peninsula

• Italians seized Libya in 1912

• Ottomans turned to Germany to protect them from Europe

- Result:

European Expansion

World War I Effect on Middle East

• Central Powers: (Ottoman Empire,

Germany, and Austro-Hungarian

Empire)

• Allied Powers (Britain, France, Italy,

USA)

• Result: Allies Win!• Outcome: End of Ottoman

Empire

VS.

Post World War I

• Mandate system in the Middle East:– “Supervisory”

control• Great Britain: Iraq,

Palestine, Transjordan

• France: Syria & Lebanon

Arab Independence

• Nationalist movements in the Middle East lead to some independence:– Egypt (1922)– Turkey (1923)– Iraq (1932)– Saudi Arabia (1932)– Iran (1935)

• However ………… the Western powers have influence in the Middle East!

World War II and Holocaust

• Allied Powers–England–France–Russia–United States

• Axis Powers–Germany–Austria– Japan– Italy (1940-

1943)• Holocaust Impact: By 1945,

approximately 6 million Jews had been killed across Europe!

VS.

• Outcome: A direct outcome of the Holocaust in the Middle East is…………………………………………

The Creation of Israel

• Britain steps up plans to create Jewish Homeland– Jewish settlers and Arab groups

begin armed attacks versus British

occupation• United Nations Partition Plan

of 1947– Jews approve of UN Partition Plan– Arab population does not approve

• Britain turns mandate over to United Nations & withdraws from Palestine on May 14, 1948

• David Ben-Gurion, leader of Jewish settlers, declares the state of Israel on May 15, 1948

• Outcome: The Arab-Israeli Conflict !!

Egypt

• Current Government: Presidential Republic• Current Leader: Mohamed Morsi• 2011 GDP Rank: 42nd

• Mohamed Ali Pasha “founder of modern Egypt” in 1805

• Independence in 1922 from Great Britain• 1952 Egyptian Revolution: military coup d'état; abolished the constitutional monarchy and establish a republic

• Gamal Abdel Nasser: 2nd President of Egypt (1956-1970); leader of Arab nationalism in Middle East,• Anwar Al Sadat: 3rd President of Egypt (1970-1981); first Arab

leader to recognize Israel; assassinated in 1981• Hosni Mubarak: 4th President of Egypt (1981-2011); forged

peace with Israel, alliance with U.S., overthrown during 2011 Arab Spring

Turkey

• Ottoman Empire from 1200’s to 1920

• 1919-1923 Turkish War of Independence

• 1923 Republic of Turkey created• Mustafa Kemal Ataturk:

military commander, founder, and 1st President– Establishes a “secular”

constitution– Modernizes and Industrializes Turkey

• 1960, 1971, 1980, 1996: military intervenes to enforce secular constitution

• 2012: example of a working democracy in the Middle East; wants E.U. membership

• Current Government: Parliamentary Republic• Current Leader: Recep Tayyip Erodgan• 2011 GDP Rank: 58th

Bosporus: where Europe meets Asia

Iraq

• Former territory of Ottoman Empire

• 1920 placed under authority of Great Britain as a “mandate” (result of WWI)

• 1932 gained independence from Britain– Kingdom of Iraq (Monarchy)

• 1958 monarchy overthrown; Republic of Iraq est. led by Ba’ath Party (Shiite)

• 1979 Saddam Hussein becomes president– declares war on Iran (Iraq-Iran

War)– Kurdish Genocide: killing of

50,000-100,000 Kurds by Saddam’s govt. via chemical attack

– Persian Gulf War: Saddam invades Kuwait; U.S. led coalition forces Iraq out of Kuwait

• 2003 2nd Gulf War: U.S. invades Iraq; topples Saddam’s govt.; democracy est.

• Current Government: Constitutional Republic• Current Leader: Nouri al-Maliki• 2011 GDP Rank: 58th

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia

• Unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia took place in 1932

• 1938 oil reserves were discovered along the Persian Gulf

• 1941 full-scale development of oil fields began– Economic prosperity followed

• King Abdul Aziz bin Saud becomes first king in 1953

• 1976 becomes largest oil producer in the world• Current Government: Absolute Monarchy

- Nations is under Sharia Law (strict Islamic Law)• Current Leader: King Abdullah bin

Abdul Aziz• 2011 GDP Rank: 20th

Iran

• Persia from 550 B.C. to 1935• Reza Khan: army officer and

nationalist who sizes control of Persia in 1921

• 1935 officially changes name to Iran

• Mohammad Reza Pahlavi: Shah of Iran from 1941-1979; modernizes Iran

• 1979 Iranian Revolution: Ayatollah Khomeini overthrows Shah and establishes an Islamist Govt.

• 1979 Iranian Hostage Crisis Islamist students storm U.S. embassy in Tehran and held 52 hostages for 444 days

• 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War (Saddam Hussein orders Iraqi invasion of Iran)

• Current Government: Theocratic Republic

- Constitution includes Sharia Law• Current Leader:

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

• 2011 GDP Rank: 25th

Lebanon

• Former territory of Ottoman Empire

• Post-WWI mandate of France• 1943granted independence by

France• 1975-1990 Lebanese Civil War:

– Maronite Christians supported by

Israel and the West vs. Arab nationalists, Muslims, and Palestinians supported by Soviets

– Arab League leads Ta’if Accords– Outcome:120,000 deaths & 1 million

wounded• 2006 Conflict with Israel

– Hezbollah bases located in Lebanon

• 2010 Arab Spring protests – minor/no changes

• Current Government: Republic• Current Leader: Najib Miqati• 2011 GDP Rank: 87th

Syria

• Former territory of Ottoman Empire

• Post-WWI mandate of France• 1946 granted independence

by France• 1958-1961 United Arab Republic

(united as one nation with Egypt) • 1970 Hafiz al-Asad overthrows

govt. in a bloodless coup• 2000 Bashar al-Asad (son)

becomes president• March 2011-Present Syrian Civil

War: rebels revolt against govt.

• Current Government: Authoritarian Republic• Current Leader: Bashar al-Asad• 2011 GDP Rank: 69th

Jordan

• Former territory of Ottoman Empire

• Post-WWI mandate of Great Britain– called Transjordan

• 1946 granted independence by France– named Jordan

• King Hussein: 1st king of Jordan (1953-1999)

• King Abdullah II: (son) becomes king (1999-present)– economic & political reforms

• 2011 Arab Spring– brings political 7 judiciary reforms

• Current Government: Constitutional Monarchy• Current Leader: King Abdullah II• 2011 GDP Rank: 90th

The United Arab Emirates

• 1500’s to 1971 under British control

• 1960 oil is discovered• 1971 gained independence• The U.A.E. is:

– federation of seven monarchies each with their own “emir”

– 7th largest oil reserves in the world– 7th largest natural gas reserves in

the world– 7th highest per capita GDP– Ranked as a Developing economy

• Current Government: Federal Monarchy• Current Leader: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan• 2011 GDP Rank: 30th

Burj Khalifa, Dubai

Kuwait

• 1800’s-1918 territory of Ottoman Empire

• 1918-1961 becomes a British protectorate – Sheikh rules govt. (British control foreign

policy)

• 1930’s oil is discovered– Economy based off “pearling” prior

• 1961 granted independence• Additional Info:

– 1990 invaded by Iraq (Result: Persian Gulf War)

– 2010-2011 Arab Spring: only small minor protests

– 5th largest oil reserves in the world– Oil accounts for 90% of Kuwait’s exports

• Current Government: Constitutional Monarchy• Current Leader: Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah• 2011 GDP Rank: 52nd

Yemen Oman

• Former territory of Ottoman Empire

• 1839 South Yemen is a British protectorate

• 1918 North Yemen gains independent

• 1967 South Yemen gains independence

• 1990 Yemen united as one country– South fights to separate from North

(1994, 2004, 2008, 2010)– Arab Spring: protests against

President Saleh leads to violence; demands leader steps down

• Outcome: 2012 transfers power to VP; new constitution being written; new elections 2014

– Terrorist training grounds located in Yemen

• Current Government: Presidential Republic• Current Leader: Abd Rabbuh Mansur al-Hadi• 2011 GDP Rank: 88th

• Never under control of Ottoman Empire

• Never a colony of Britain or France- 1700’s Friendship treaties with Britain

• 1970 Qaboos bin Said Al-Said overthrows his father; rules as sultan- Modernizes Oman; opens Oman to

outside world

• 2011 Arab Spring: demonstrations for economic and political reforms- Council of Oman given power to draft, amend, and

approve legislation• Current Government: Islamic Absolute Monarchy• Current Leader: Qaboos bin Said Al-Said• 2011 GDP Rank: 77th

Bahrain Qatar

• 1871-1916 ruled by Ottoman Empire

• 1916-1971 British protectorate– Economy based on “pearling”

• 1940 beginning of oil & natural gas industry– Oil accounts for 50% of Qatar’s GDP– Natural Gas: 3rd most in world (13%

of world total)• 1971 gained independence• Additional info:

– 2nd highest per capita income in world

– Lowest unemployment rate in the world

– Home to Al Jazirah television network

• Current Government: Constitutional Monarchy• Current Leader: Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani• 2011 GDP Rank: 58th

• 1820-1971 British protectorate– Sheikh rules locally (appointed by

British)

• 1932 discovery of oil– Oil accounts for 11% of GDP

(2012)– Oil is 60% of Bahrain’s exports

(2012)• 1971 gained independence• Additional info:

– Arab Spring: protests = no changes

– Diversified economy (communication, transportation, construction, finance)

• Current Government: Constitutional Monarchy• Current Leader: Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa• 2011 GDP Rank: 91th

Afghanistan

• 1747 modern Afghanistan founded• Mid-1800’s British expand influence from

Pakistan• Durand Line creates boundary between Afghanistan

and Pakistan dividing Pashtuns. Outcome: Various rival ethnic groups together as one

nation by the British

Pashtun Lands

• 1919 gains independence from British influence

• 1973-1978 bloodless coup creates democratic govt.

Ethnic groups:42% = Pashtun 27% = Tajik 9% = Hazara 9% = Uzbek 4% = Aimak3% = Turkmen2% = Baloch4% = Other

Fact: “-stan” means “land of”

• 1996-2001 Taliban rule of Afghanistan

• Strict Islamic law = Human rights violations

• Al-Qaeda based in Afghanistan since 1997

• 2001 Operation Enduring Freedom

• Allied invasion of Afghanistan • overthrow Taliban and est.

Democracy

• 2009-2012 Taliban insurgency and Peace Talks

• 1978 communist govt. created• Mujahideen fighters (Muslim Afghan

opposition youth groups trained in Pakistan)

• 1979-1989 Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan (Soviets defeated)

• 1989-1996 Afghan Civil War = Taliban seizes control of Afghanistan• Taliban (Islamic militant political group created

from religious schools for Afghan refugees in Pakistan)