Chapter+17+Student+Notes+(Key).docx

Chapter 17: The Middle East Introduction The “Big Threes” of the middle east (ME) The ME borders three continents. Turkey: Europe Arabian Peninsula: Africa Whole region: southwest border of Asia The ME contains three major religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—began in this region. Th...

Chapter 17: The Middle East Introduction The “Big Threes” of the middle east (ME) The ME borders three continents. Turkey: Europe Arabian Peninsula: Africa Whole region: southwest border of Asia The ME contains three major religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—began in this region. The Five Pillars of Islam The Creed (“There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet) Pray 5X a day (facing Mecca) Almsgiving Fasting (During the holy month of Ramadan) Take a Hajj to Mecca The Jews want their Temple back Jewish temple was destroyed in AD 70 by the Romans Muslims took over the traditional temple site and built the Dome of the Rock When the Jews came back in 1948, the closest they can get to the site is the “Wailing Wall” Christians go to Israel to walk where Jesus Walked Christians tried to liberate Jerusalem from the Muslims in 1095 (Pope Urban) They ultimately fail due to the efforts of Muslim leader Saladin Today Christians visit the Sea of Galilea, the Garden of Gethsemane, and other holy sites. What is the physical geography of the Middle East like? Regions of the Middle East (2 Main) #1-Eastern Mediterranean Coastal plains Plains and plateaus Tigris and Euphrates River Mesopotamia Mesopotamia-Area between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Tectonic activity #2-The Persian Gulf Coastal plains Red Sea Persian Gulf Lowlands Plateaus Highlands Mountains Deserts Tectonic activity Physical landforms The Middle East sits astride several tectonic plates. Wadis are common in the Persian Gulf region. A wadi is dry streambed that fills up with water after rainstorms and then dries up again. Bodies of water Rivers Tigris River Euphrates River Jordan River Seas Black Sea Aegean Sea Mediterranean Sea Red Sea Caspian Sea Dead Sea Gulfs Persian Gulf Gulf of Oman Lakes Sea of Galilee Tharthar and Milh Lakes Lake Urmia Maharloo Lake-Pink lake due to high concentration of pink salt Climates of the Middle East The climate is generally hot and dry over most of this region. More rainfall occurs near the coastal regions and large bodies of water. Resources of the middle east Many of the nations in the Middle East have an abundance of petroleum and natural gas. Bahrain’s natural resources have largely been depleted. Yemen has khat, a shrub whose leaves are harvested and chewed as a narcotic. Section Review Questions: What are the two “big threes” of the Middle East? Section Review What are the regions of the Middle East? Section Review Why are the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers so important to the Middle East? Section Review How do the resources of the Middle East affect the world? Section Review What resources are abundant in the Middle East? How do the people of the Middle East live? History After the Flood and the Tower of Babel, people spread out over this region. Various empires controlled the region, but Islamic forces ruled from the seventh century to World War I. After World War II, much of the area became independent. Jewish-Arab strife increased after Israel became a state in 1948. Palestinian and Israeli conflict (https://youtu.be/1wo2TLlMhiw) THE PALESTINIANS Following 1948 whom did the term Palestinian refer to? Why has strife between the Jewish and Palestinian people persisted? Government Turkey, Cyprus, Lebanon, Israel: representative democracies or republics Syria: unitary republic in name only Jordan: constitutional monarchy Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar: absolute monarchies United Arab Emirates: seven constituent monarchs Yemen: semi-presidential, representative democratic republic Iraq, Iran: Islamic republics with sharia law Sharia-Law based on the Muslim holy books of the Qur’an and the Hadith Government Interactions with Its Citizens Nations that are dominated by Islam include sharia law in their treatment of citizens. In many of the Muslim-dominated countries, persecution of religious minorities also occurs Education and Health Care Most Middle Eastern countries provide compulsory and free education for their children, with priority given to the education of males. Health care across the Middle East varies from universal health care to subsidized health care with personal copay. In the wealthy nations, medical tourism brings thousands of people from neighboring countries each year to purchase a level of health care not available in their own countries. Economies Petroleum-related industries drive many of the Middle Eastern economies. Turkey, Cyprus, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and Bahrain have free-market economies. The other countries in this region have mixed economies. Israel developed the kibbutz, a collective community where labor, housing, and resources are shared. A moshav is a community settlement of farmers established by the Labor Zionists party in Israel. Demographics Several Middle Eastern countries have high birthrates. The Middle East has broad ethnic diversity. Many trace their heritage back to Assyrian, Greek, Phoenician, or Chaldean civilizations. The Kurds (ethnic group originally from Iran) have dispersed to parts of Turkey, Iraq, and Syria. Food Dates-sweet fruit Kebap-roasted meat Maqlubbeh- “upside down” casserole of meat, veggies, and rice Baklava-flaky pastry with honey Geshd-dessert with dates Rangeena-Cookies with dates and nuts Dance, and Sports Folk dances are common. Sports: (See box to right) Family The extended family is a central focus. The male family leader has great authority and makes the important decisions. Social activities are contained within the extended family group. Religion Islam permeates life in most Middle Eastern countries. Every city has at least one mosque (Islamic worship building) Judaism is dominant in Israel. The Jews meet in synagogues (Jewish worship building) Beliefs: Islam Muhammad claimed to be the last great prophet. The Islamic holy books are the Qur’an and the Hadith. Islam claims that the Bible has been corrected by the Qur’an. Islam’s religious practices are described as the Five Pillars. Reciting the creed Prayer Fasting Alms giving Pilgrimage (Hajj) The most controversial Muslim practice is called jihad (To strive hard; “holy war”) Beliefs: Judaism The religion of Judaism emerged in the wake of the destruction of the Jewish temple in AD 70. Jewish holy books include the Old Testament and the Talmud. Central to Judaism are monotheism, the Torah, and the election of the nation Israel. Monotheism-the belief that there is only one God. Judaism celebrates many holy days. What are some of the challenges of living in the Middle East? Interaction among People In many Muslim societies, women are expected to wear a covering, depending on how stringently sharia law is interpreted. Education for females is limited. Bringing dishonor for any reason can result in the death of the offender at the hands of the head of the home. Muslim men may have multiple wives. Interaction with the Environment Poor farming methods and deforestation has resulted in crowded cities and overuse of land and water resources. Wealthy countries have been able to provide drinking water through desalination. Desalination-process of removing salt from seawater to provide drinking water Reasons for Environmental Issues Water Air Land Increased salinity of sea water Chemical waste Household and human waste High levels of chemicals, dust, and other particles Pollution from petroleum and automobiles Coastal degradation Erosion Deforestation Improper disposal of trash Proposed Solutions Increase clean energy production Plant trees Reclaim portions of the desert (https://youtu.be/qK__aJFQJEs) Section Review Questions What role does religion play in the treatment of women in the Middle East? What are three environmental issues in the Middle East? What solutions to current environmental issues in the Middle East would you propose?