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Chapter 11 The Middle East

Chapter 11 The Middle East. Introduction. The Middle East has been a cradle of civilizations Pharaonic Egypt Ottoman Empire Links Asia, Africa, and Europe Trade networks Birthplace of half a dozen religions Judaism, Christianity, Islam,…. The Middle of Where?. Where is the Middle East?

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Chapter 11 The Middle East

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  1. Chapter 11The Middle East

  2. Introduction • The Middle East has been a cradle of civilizations • Pharaonic Egypt • Ottoman Empire • Links Asia, Africa, and Europe • Trade networks • Birthplace of half a dozen religions • Judaism, Christianity, Islam,…

  3. The Middle of Where? • Where is the Middle East? • American term coined by the American military • Atlantic coast of Africa to the Iran-Afghan border • Actually changes based on the interest of Western journalism • Maghreb • A term used to describe North (Northwest) Africa • Borders on some Middle Eastern countries have been the same for a half century • European colonialism

  4. The Middle of Where? • The Arab League • One of the only regional institutions which hold common: • Economic goals • Cultural goals • Political goals • Arab World • Term used to describe the 22 Arabic speaking countries of the world as a single geopolitical unit

  5. Middle of Where? • Shi’a Islam • Shi’ites make up only 15% of the world’s Muslims • The are a majority in Iran and Iraq • Fall of Saddam Hussein’s Sunni government has been one influence in the rise of Shi’ites • Islamic World • Term used to refer to the total number of the world’s Muslim majority countries • Muslim World

  6. From Past to Present • Fertile Crescent • Area in which three of the world’s earliest civilizations arose • Nile, Jordan, Tigris and Euphrates Rivers • Invention of Agriculture • Led to the rise of the early civilizations

  7. Religious Roots in the Middle East • Christianity • Originated in Palestine • Spread outward along trade routes to North Africa • Zoroastrianism based on Christian ideas • Muslim • Muhammad, an orphan turned businessman and prophet, spread the message of unity and egalitarianism • Islam • Shi’a and Sunni became popular in the 7th century

  8. [Figure 10.2 - Open-air church, Cairo. Christianity originated in the Middle East and continues to have a significant presence. (Photo by Sophie Peterson) ]

  9. Ever-Changing Dominance in the Middle East • Around the 7th century Arab merchants ruled the trade routes on Red Sea and Indian Ocean • Region became wealthy and a world hub for art and science • With the rise of the Turkish empire in the 11th and 12th centuries, Arab rule faded • Defeated the Byzantine army to conquer Anatolia, which is modern day Turkey • Crusades led by Pope Urban II were the first of many by Western Europe to take back the Christian holy land

  10. Ever-Changing Dominance in the Middle East • By the 13th and 14th centuries, the Mongols invaded, killing more than 1 million people • Throughout the 15th century, the Ottoman Empire was on the rise, conquering many important areas: • Constantinople 1453

  11. [Figure 10.3 - After the conquest of Constantinople, the great Christian church Hagia Sophia became a mosque. Today the building is a museum. (Photo by Mark Allen Peterson)]

  12. [Figure 10.4 - The fortresses of the Middle East served as models to the crusaders, who built similar castles when they returned home. (Photo by Mark Allen Peterson)]

  13. Diversity and Diversion • Many languages are spoken in the Middle East • Over 25 languages • Arabic is the most widely spoken language • Fusha • Standard Arabic • English, French, Italian, Russian spoken mostly by elites

  14. Diversity and Diversion • Variety of religions in the Middle East • Islam is by far the most popular in the region • And second most popular in the world • Home to many extinct religions and religions still popular today • Large Christian minorities in the Middle East • Christianity is the most popular religion in the world

  15. [Figure 10.5 - Washing before prayer at the Beyazit Mosque in Istanbul. (Photo by Mark Allen Peterson)

  16. Arkaan • Set of practices sometimes called the Five Pillars of Islam: • Shahada, or declaration of faith • Acceptance of Muhammad’s authority as outlined by the Qur’an and the hadith • Prayer • Expected to pray at least five times a day • Fasting • Especially during Ramadan • Charity • Every Muslim is expected to give 2% of their net worth • Pilgrimage • To the city of Mecca (modern day Saudi Arabia) where Muhammad lived

  17. Islamic Transformation • Some people believe the current era will be a time of transformation • Widespread education has caused many to question and discover new things about their religious beliefs • Mass media and the World Wide Web have had the same effect, perhaps stronger • Public Islam • Term used to describe the diverse invocations of Islam in public life

  18. From Empires to Nation-States • The creation of nation-states involved political and economic elites taking over power once held by other foreign empires • Not easy for people to see themselves as a part of a common nation • diverse languages, diverse religious beliefs

  19. Informal Networks • Because of the difficulty to accept a common state because of differences, many turned to informal networks they belonged to under the empires: • Tribes are the best example of an informal network • Proto-states are large minorities that inhabit certain areas (Kurds)

  20. [Figure 10.6 - Women gather for a morning tea and chat in Cairo. (Photo by Sophie Peterson)

  21. The Richest and the Poorest • Production states – revenues from the labor of their citizens in agriculture, herding, manufacturing • Collects taxes and other charges from citizens • Allocation states – revenues from selling key resources to the rest of the world • Oil producing states are allocation states

  22. The Richest and the Poorest • Economic disparity is widespread in the Middle East • Statistics show average per capita GDP • 14% of Egyptian population lives in poverty • Yemen: • 100 billionaires • 20,000 millionaires • 45% of people live in poverty • 1 in 5 people is malnourished

  23. The Richest and the Poorest • Three main issues of the Middle East: • Population growth • In the last 100 years, Egypt has seen an increase of near 59 million people • Urbanization • 100 years ago less than 10% of people lived in cities • Now more than 60% of people live in cities • Labor Migration • In Kuwait, foreign workers make up as much as 60% of the population

  24. [Figure 10.7 - Cities like Cairo continue to grow as unemployed rural peasants seek a better life by moving to cities. (Photo by Mark Allen Peterson)]

  25. The Richest and the Poorest • Foreign investment has historically failed in the Middle East • Loans to pay off interest on loans has led to debt that is unlikely to be paid off • Programs, such as structural adjustment programs (SAPs), led to riots and increasingly desperate conditions • Capital Flight • Describes the tendencies of the wealthy in poor countries to invest in rich country enterprises • The trickle down effect is eliminated

  26. The Richest and the Poorest • Explanations for development failure in the Middle East include: • How bureaucratically controlled economies work against participation in organizations like the World Trade Organization • The regions colonial heritage and how borders were established for administrative purposes

  27. The Problem of Palestine • The establishment of the state of Israel in the former British colony of Palestine is the most significant of historical and contemporary issues • The Jewish diaspora is an event Jews traditionally identify with • The rise of secularism and nationalism in the 17th and 18th century transformed how many Jews conceived of themselves • Became the roots of the establishment of the state of Israel

  28. The Problem in Palestine • Jewish people were highly discriminated against in all of Europe until the mid-1800’s • Jews began to see themselves as a nation and believed they had the right to establish a state in their ancestral homeland • Zionism

  29. Zionism • The belief that Jews constitute a sovereign people and nation, and have the right to establish and maintain a state • Zionist clubs and study groups sprang up across Europe in the 1870’s and 1880’s • Aliyah • A central concept of Zionism that refers to voluntary immigration and persecution which led to immigration

  30. British Influence in Palestine • Balfour Declaration of 1917- document declaring that Britain would be in favor and work towards establishing a Palestinian state for the Jews if they conquered the Ottomans • Palestine was captured in December 1918 and by 1920 the British Mandate for Palestine was passed • Many Jewish migrated to the region • Conflict with the Arabs • Illegal immigration grew worse as Nazi Germany developed

  31. Establishment of Israel • On November 29, 1947 the League of Nations voted to partition Palestine into two states: • Israel: Jewish • Palestine: Muslim Arabs • On May 14, 1948 Israel claimed its independence and was shortly attacked by many surrounding countries • Nakba • Term used by Palestinian Arabs to describe the catastrophe of the creation of Israel

  32. Continued Conflict • Both Israel and Palestinian are in the wrong • Israeli has treated the Palestinians with disrespect by building on Palestinian land, killing leaders and people of the country, and refusing the rights of refugees • Palestinians have been unable to enforce cease-fire agreements and stop terrorist groups

  33. Political Change in the Middle East • Arab Spring • A movement by many, and not wholly Arab, countries seeking political change in the region • Common techniques of civil resistance used (demonstrations, marches, rallies, etc.) • Started with a person that set himself on fire to protest poor treatment by police

  34. Past Political Tensions • The Arab Spring was a culmination of years of protest movements • Poor living conditions and political corruption left many living in these countries with little hope • Terrorism developed as a result of unhappiness of the people • Sought to influence political action

  35. Political Islam • The invocation of Islam in contemporary political and economic life • Roots of Political Islam can be traced back to the 19th century • Jama al-Afghani, Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Sayyid Qutb • Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt • Political Islam was supported by the U.S. in conflict with the Soviets in the 1980’s • Supported a military jihad against Soviet invaders

  36. [Figure 10.8 - Al-Azhar University is the world’s foremost center of Islamic learning. (Photo by Mark Allen Peterson)]

  37. Conclusions • The Middle East remains an international center of economic activity, social transformation, religious revitalization, and political struggle • A struggle for answers to economic, political, and geographical issues will most likely persist in the region, and bring with it global ramifications

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