Fall of Empires

Independence ofIndia, Pakistan, and Israel

What happened to Britain and France during the WWII?

What two countries become the Super Powers during the Cold War?

What happened as a result of the fall of Great Britain and France?

France and Britain are in Ruins

The former empires can no longer afford to keep their colonies

Britain will lose: South Africa; Egypt; India; Palestine

Partition (Separation) of India

Who was this man? What was he doing in India? What were some of his principles?

Hindu Congress

Mohandas K. Gandhi Jawaharlal Nehru

Muslim League

• Muhammad Ali Jinnah

• Desired a separate state for Muslims

• Why do you think Muslims wanted a country of their own?

Who made up the majority religious group in British India?

British India

1947 Independence of India and Pakistan

India – Majority Hindus

Pakistan – Majority Muslims

Nehru first Prime Minister of India Jinnah First Governor General of Pakistan

Sikhs and Hindus were forced out of their homes in Pakistan

Muslims were forced out of their homes in India

People lost their homes

Refugee

Poverty and crime

Massacres and Violence

Do you think the violence could have been avoided? Why or why not? Please explain your answer

Continuing Conflict and Rivalry

Birth of Israel

Discussion Questions

Traditionally where were the Jews from?

What happened to the Jews throughout history?

Do you think the conflicts in the Middle east is primarily that of religious conflicts? Explain your answer

Religion in the Middle EastSimilaritiesChristianity Judaism

Islam

Religion in the Middle EastOne God – monotheisticPrayerHoly bookPilgrimageProphetsCharityFasting

ChristianityJesus is the Son of God

JudaismStill waiting for the Messiah or Savior

IslamMuhammad is the last prophet God has sent to earth

Background of Palestine• Jews migrated and established their

kingdom of Israel around 1300 BC• Romans takeover the Jerusalem 63 AD

– Jewish Revolt 66 AD (Crushed by the Romans)

– Diaspora • In Europe Jewish population suffered

discrimination– Anti-Semitism

• Zionism – Movement that desired to build a Jewish state in the territories of Palestine

Background of Palestine

• Balfour Declaration British promise to create a Jewish homeland after WWIo Support from European

Jews• Palestinians (modern

native people of the region) rejected the Balfour Declaration.

Holocaust

United Nations• Created Israel to

redress their suffering in WWII• No Palestinian

representation at the meeting• All Islamic countries

rejected the creation of Israel—series of wars and conflicts

Nakba

1948 Palestinian exodus, known in Arabic as the Nakba

Refugees

Gaza Strip

West Bank

Israel set up sanctions on Gaza -- Poverty

Some Palestinians have resorted to Terrorism

Conflict in the Middle East

• 2014 Gaza War • 2008 Gaza War• 2006 Israel-Lebanon War• 2000 Al-Aqsa Intifada• 1987 - 1993 Intifada• 1982 Lebanon War• 1973 "Yom Kippur" War• 1970 Black September• 1970 War of Attrition• 1967 "Six Day" War

Discussion Questions Continued

• Would you be able to live where your family members were murdered in cold blood, where you were hated for centuries?

• How would you feel if your home and land was given to somebody else?

• Could the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been avoided? What could the British and the UN could have done better?

• Is the conflict in the middle east that of religion or land?