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Maps of the Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire was a large, powerful kingdom that stretched across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. The people of the Ottoman Empire were diverse, coming from different religious and ethnic groups, but they all agreed with the government and were happy with the king of the Ottoman Empire.

Map 1: Ottoman Empire

1. Based on the passage, what were the three parts of the world that the Ottoman Empire spread through?

2. Based on the passage, why did the people of the Ottoman Empire get along even though they were from different ethnic and religious group?

3. Based on Map 1, what modern-day Middle Eastern countries were once under the control of the Ottoman Empire?

After World War I, the land of the Ottoman Empire was split between the Allied Powers, mainly Great Britain and France. The main part of the Ottoman Empire, where the capital had been located, was given to the Ottomans and named Turkey. The rest of the Ottoman land was partitioned by Great Britain and France. Great Britain and France established borders that did not exist previously so that they could take control of the oil and make great profits from it.

Map 2: European Partitioning

4. Based on the passage, which two countries partitioned the Middle East?

5. Based on the passage, how did the Europeans decide where to establish borders for the new countries?

6. Based on Map 2, who had the best access to oil in the Persian Gulf: Turkey, the French Mandate or the British Mandate?

Britain and France created borders that did not take into account the local culture and ethnic groups in the areas. The borders were based on the oil interests of Europe, not the best interests of the people in the Middle East. There were many effects of the European partitioning of the Ottoman Empire:

· Local cultures and ethnic groups were ignored.

Map 3: Sunni and Shia Islam

· Sunni and Shia Muslims were merged and put together in Iraq. (See Map 3)

· Kurds were divided among multiple countries. (See Map 4)

Borders that had never been drawn or cared about in the past were now strictly made and divided the people who lived there. None of the countries wanted Europeans to be in charge or them. The stage was set for big problems in the future… The conflicts reacted during the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire still cause problems today.

Map 4: Kurds in the Middle East

7. Based on the passage, why were the new borders in the Middle East such a problem?

8. Based on the passage, are there still problems in the Middle East that come from the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire?

9. Based on Map 3, which country would have the most fighting between Sunnis and Shias because there is a large mix of the two sects?

10. Based on Map 4, what countries were the Kurdish people divided up into?