History Of the Middle History Of the Middle EastEast

MesopotamiaMesopotamia 3500 BC3500 BC Mesopotamia-Mesopotamia- “ “Between Between

the rivers” the rivers” Region along the Tigris and Region along the Tigris and

Euphrates River where a Euphrates River where a very successful civilization very successful civilization lived. lived.

Center of farming and Center of farming and tradetrade

Developed an irrigation Developed an irrigation systemsystem

Developed a sailboatDeveloped a sailboat Developed a writing Developed a writing

systemsystem Networked with other Networked with other

people to develop ideas people to develop ideas about agriculture, laws, about agriculture, laws, and religion. and religion.

Founding of Judaism, Founding of Judaism, Christianity, and IslamChristianity, and Islam

All three All three monotheistic monotheistic religions claim religions claim Jerusalem, Israel as Jerusalem, Israel as their holy city.their holy city.

Creation of Creation of JudaismJudaism:: 1800-1500 BCE1800-1500 BCECreation of ChristianityCreation of Christianity::0-100 CE0-100 CECreation of IslamCreation of Islam::610 CE610 CE

Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire

Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire The Turks from The Turks from

Central Asia Central Asia established the established the Ottoman Empire in the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East Region. Middle East Region. Islam was the Islam was the empire’s official empire’s official religion. Ottoman religion. Ottoman rulers did allow people rulers did allow people of other faiths to live of other faiths to live in peace in their in peace in their empireempire. .

USSR Gains ControlUSSR Gains Control

19221922 Ottoman Empire Ottoman Empire

CollapsesCollapses Soviet Union takes Soviet Union takes

over Kazakhstan, over Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan.

Nation of Israel CreatedNation of Israel Created

19481948 Israel is founded as a Israel is founded as a

Jewish State. Israel is Jewish State. Israel is recognized by the recognized by the United Nations as a United Nations as a separate country. separate country. Since the creation of Since the creation of the nation, Israel has the nation, Israel has fought many bloody fought many bloody wars with the Arab wars with the Arab nations that border it. nations that border it.

Palestinian Liberation Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) FoundedOrganization (PLO) Founded

19641964 The Palestine Liberation The Palestine Liberation

Organization (PLO) is Organization (PLO) is founded with the aim of founded with the aim of destroying Israel and destroying Israel and returning lands in Israel returning lands in Israel to the Palestinian to the Palestinian people. people.

This well known This well known terrorist organization terrorist organization uses violence and uses violence and terrorism to send its terrorism to send its messages to themessages to the world.world.

Wars in PalestineWars in Palestine 1967 Six Day War1967 Six Day War: :

Egypt, Syria, and Jordan Egypt, Syria, and Jordan form an alliance against form an alliance against Israel. Israel retaliates Israel. Israel retaliates and gains control of the and gains control of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem.and East Jerusalem.

1973 Yon Kipper War1973 Yon Kipper War: : Egypt, Syria, and other Egypt, Syria, and other Muslim nations attack Muslim nations attack Israel. Israel rebounds Israel. Israel rebounds and controls even more and controls even more Palestinian lands. Palestinian lands.

1982 War1982 War: Israeli jets : Israeli jets bomb PLObomb PLO strongholds strongholds in Beirut, Lebanon. The in Beirut, Lebanon. The Israelis hoped to Israelis hoped to eliminate the PLO and eliminate the PLO and sign a new peace treaty. sign a new peace treaty. A peace treaty was not A peace treaty was not signed and the violence signed and the violence continues today.continues today.

Saddam Hussein Rules IraqSaddam Hussein Rules Iraq 1979-20031979-2003 A violent, harsh and cruel A violent, harsh and cruel

dictator that ruled Iraq with an dictator that ruled Iraq with an iron fist. iron fist.

Saddam supported the nation Saddam supported the nation of Palestine, used chemical of Palestine, used chemical weapons in battle against their weapons in battle against their neighbor Iran, and committed neighbor Iran, and committed genocide against the Kurds of genocide against the Kurds of Northern Iraq. It has been Northern Iraq. It has been estimated that the regime of estimated that the regime of Saddam killed around 180,000 Saddam killed around 180,000 people.people.

In 2006, Saddam was captured In 2006, Saddam was captured and hanged for his crimes and hanged for his crimes against humanity. against humanity.

Iranian Revolution Iranian Revolution A revolution that transformed Iran A revolution that transformed Iran

from a monarchy, to an Islamic from a monarchy, to an Islamic Republic. Republic.

The country is ruled by the Ayatollah: The country is ruled by the Ayatollah: a religious scholar of Islam.a religious scholar of Islam.

Government is formed from Islamic Government is formed from Islamic ideals with the goal of removing ideals with the goal of removing western culture from Iran. The western culture from Iran. The revolution made Islamic revolution made Islamic fundamentalism a political force. There fundamentalism a political force. There is evidence of financial and military is evidence of financial and military support of terrorist groups like support of terrorist groups like Hammas, Hezbollah, and the PLO by Hammas, Hezbollah, and the PLO by the Iranian government. the Iranian government.

Iranians believe that obeying the Iranians believe that obeying the Islamic government is an expression Islamic government is an expression of obedience to Allah. of obedience to Allah.

Human rights are often violated. Human rights are often violated. Death and imprisonment for those Death and imprisonment for those who oppose the republic, restricted who oppose the republic, restricted freedom of speech, and gender freedom of speech, and gender inequality is present. Women are inequality is present. Women are often given lashes or imprisonment for often given lashes or imprisonment for exposing body parts other than faces exposing body parts other than faces and hands. Women that are caught and hands. Women that are caught interacting with males other than their interacting with males other than their relatives are also punished severely. relatives are also punished severely.

Gulf WarGulf War

19911991 Gulf War- A conflict Gulf War- A conflict

between Iraq led by between Iraq led by Hussein and 30 Hussein and 30 nations led by the nations led by the United States. Iraq United States. Iraq accused Kuwait of accused Kuwait of illegally drilling oil in illegally drilling oil in their country to sell their country to sell for profit. for profit.

Iraq was defeated and Iraq was defeated and Kuwait was set free.Kuwait was set free.

War on Terrorism War on Terrorism 20012001 War in AfghanistanWar in Afghanistan The war began in The war began in

October of 2001 in October of 2001 in response to the response to the terrorists attacks of terrorists attacks of September 11September 11thth, 2001. , 2001. The war marked the The war marked the beginning of the beginning of the United States war on United States war on terrorism. The goal of terrorism. The goal of the war was to the war was to remove the Taliban remove the Taliban from power and find from power and find the al-Qaeda leader the al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.Osama Bin Laden. This war is not This war is not related to Iraq or to related to Iraq or to Saddam Hussein. Saddam Hussein.

War in IraqWar in Iraq 2003: Iraqi Freedom 2003: Iraqi Freedom A coalition of countries led by A coalition of countries led by

the United States attacks Iraq the United States attacks Iraq and removes Saddam Hussein and removes Saddam Hussein (violent dictator) from power (violent dictator) from power as an attempt to establish a as an attempt to establish a democracy and remove democracy and remove weapons of mass destruction.weapons of mass destruction.

The United Nations inspectors The United Nations inspectors have never found any of the have never found any of the nuclear weapons. There are nuclear weapons. There are questions to intentions of the questions to intentions of the USA in Iraq. USA in Iraq.

SomeSome people feel that the war people feel that the war in Iraq is a ploy of the United in Iraq is a ploy of the United States government to States government to establish a presence in the establish a presence in the Middle East and control the oil Middle East and control the oil reserves that the United reserves that the United States desperately depends States desperately depends on. on.

Saddam Hussein is not Saddam Hussein is not connected Osama Bin Laden’s connected Osama Bin Laden’s al-Qaeda terrorist network. al-Qaeda terrorist network. There is NO connection There is NO connection between the terrorists and the between the terrorists and the war in Iraq. war in Iraq.