Transcript Middle East - Ashland Independent School District

Middle East
Past, Present, Future
Middle East
• Also Called:
– Southwest Asia
- “Crossroads of the World”: because people
often pass through the Middle East to travel
between Europe, Asia, and Africa
– “Cradle of Civilization”
Bodies of Water
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Persian Gulf
Tigris River
Euphrates River
Dead Sea
Mediterranean Sea
Red Sea
Middle East
• Middle East is a region that includes
countries in southwestern Asia and their
influence extends into northern Africa.
• 350 million people live in this part of the
world
Climates & Rivers
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Water is scarce everywhere in the Middle East
It is one of the driest regions in the world
Deserts cover more than half of the region
A desert covers most of Saudi Arabia, and in the
northeastern part of the Middle East
• There are oasis in the middle of some deserts,
and many people live near the oases and raise
sheep, goats, and crops
– The capital of Saudi Arabia was built on a large oasis
Climates & Rivers
• There are 2 main climates
o Desert
o Mediterranean: short, rainy winters and long,
dry summer
Climates & Rivers
• People live near rivers
o Nile in Egypt; Tigris and Euphrates in Middle
East
o The soil is fertile
o People can farm by irrigating the water to
their fields
Religion & People
• Three of the worlds most important
religions began in the Middle East
• All 3 teach monotheism (belief in 1 God)
• Judaism, the religion of the Jews, is the
oldest of the 3 religions and began in
Israel thousands of years ago
• Christianity, the Christian religion,
developed from Judaism
Religion & People
• Islam began in Saudi Arabia in the year 622
o It was started by an Arab leader named Muhammad
o He taught that there is one God.
o Muslims believe that Muhammad was God’s
messenger
o Muhammad’s teachings are in the Koran, a holy book
to Muslims
o Abraham is the Father of all 3 religions of this region
Religion & People
• 5 Pillars of Islam
– 1. Daily profession of faith
– 2. Prayer 5 times a day
• Dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, after full darkness
– 3. Almsgiving
• Includes charity work and knowing all things belong to Allah
– 4. Fast during Ramadan (Holy Month)
• From light till sundown (no eating or drinking)
– 5. Pilgrimage to Mecca
• About 2 million people go each year from everywhere; the
closing of it is marked by a festival and exchange of gifts
Further Comparisons
• Islam
– Also called: Muslims
– Believe in: Allah (Prophet Muhammad)
– Holy City: Mecca
– Bible: Koran
– Church: Mosque (Friday is Holy Day)
Further Comparisons
• Judaism
– Also called: Jews
– Believe in: Yahweh (Prophet: Moses)
– Holy City: Jerusalem
– Bible: Torah
– Church: Synagogue (Saturday is the Holy
Day)
Further Comparisons
• Christianity
– Also called: Christians
– Believe in: God (Jesus)
– Holy City: Jerusalem
– Bible: Bible
– Church: Church (Sunday is the Holy Day)
Religion & People
• Most people in the Middle East are Arabs,
who speak Arabic
• Some countries have a small Christianity
population
• In Israel most people are Jews and speak
Hebrew
Resources/Earning a Living
• Oil is the most important natural resource
• There is more oil in this region than in any
other in the world
• Many developed nations buy their oil from
the Middle East
Resources/Earning a Living
• There are few other resources in this
region
• Some countries have natural gas, iron ore,
or phosphates
• More than half of the people earn a living
by farming, but most of the land is too dry
for farming.
Resources/Earning a Living
• Most nations are developing countries
o Some use oil money to develop new industries
o The standard of living is much lower than in
the U.S.
• Most people are poor
• Most countries do not grow enough food
to feed their people
• Wars have been a problem for thousands
of years and today this region still does
not have real peace
Arabs/Muslims/Islam
• 1.3 billion Muslims in the World
• Today 90% of the people in the Middle
East are Muslims
• 6-8 million Muslims in the US (about the
same # of Jews in the US)
– Most American Muslims are African America or
South Asian
Arabs/Muslims/Islam
• Arabs are people whose native language is
Arabic
– Arabs can trace their ancestry back to the tribes of
Arabia-the original inhabitants of the Arabian
Peninsula and the Syrian Desert.
– Only 1 in 7 Muslims is an Arab
Arabic Terms:
Hijab-women’s head scarf
Ghutra-Arab men’s headdress
Thobe-men’s loose-fitting neck to ankle robe
Understanding the Middle East
Section 2
Problems
There are 5 problems that must be solved to
better the peoples lives:
– Overpopulation
– Poverty
– Lack of water
– Growth of Islamic Fundamentalism
– Wars
Overpopulation
o Too many people living in the region
o Most cities are overcrowded
o Most of the land cannot be farmed
o Cairo, Egypt has become so crowded that
many poor people now live in a large
cemetery
Poverty
o Some countries earn billions of dollars
from exporting oil, but most people are
poor
o The region needs more factories and
industries
Lack of Water
o Some countries like Saudi Arabia and
Kuwait have built desalination plants to
solve this problem (change salt water to
fresh water; very expensive)
o Other countries build dams to save river
water in reservoirs
Growth of Islamic
Fundamentalism
o One goal of this movement is to win
control of governments in the region
o The new governments would be based on
strict Islamic law
o 1979: Islamic fundamentalist led a
revolution in Iran; the shah (king) was
forced to leave; it became an Islamic
republic; now everyone in Iran obeys strict
religious laws
Wars
o Iran and Iraq fought from 1980-1989;
fighting has ended but still no peace
treaty
o 1990: Iraq invaded Kuwait under Saddam
Hussein, because he wanted their oil
fields; UN and US had to go to Kuwait to
fight Iraq (Persian Gulf War); Iraq lost
o Israelis and Palestinians have been at war
since 1948
Hope for the Future
• Most children in the Middle East have
better lives than their grandparents
• There are more schools, more jobs, better
health care
• Oil money has been used to build roads,
hospitals, housing
Saudi Arabia
Overview
• Has more oil deposits than any other
nation in the world
• The oil money it makes has allowed it to
become a modern, developed country
Landforms, Climate, Cities
• The Arabian Peninsula covers most of
Saudi Arabia
• Deserts cover most of Saudi Arabia
• Has a very hot desert climate
• Has no lakes or rivers
Landforms, Climate, Cities
• Has the Empty Quarter desert in the
south, with sand dunes over 1,000 ft
• The southwest has fertile soil; is the only
region that gets enough rain for farming
• Most people live in cities
• There are 2 cities that are holy to
Muslims: Mecca (Muhammad was born
there), and Medina (Islam was born there)
History, People, and
Government
• Arabs have lived in Saudi Arabia for
thousands of years
o Many of the people were nomads; moving
from one oasis to another
o They travel on camels, live in tents, and raise
sheep and goats
o Many still live in the desert today, some
modern ones travel by car instead of camel
History, People, and
Government
• Mohammad was born
in Mecca in 570.
o He began Islam
o During his life, people
living in the Arabian
Peninsula became
Muslims
o Since that time Saudi
Arabia has been a
Muslim country
History, People, and
Government
• More than 1 billion people in the world
today are Muslims
• 19 million people live in Saudi Arabia
today
o They are called Saudis
o Arabic is the official language
o 25% of the people are workers from other
countries
History, People, and
Government
• King Abdullah has been ruler of Saudi
Arabia since 2005 (King Fahd before him)
o He is a member of the Saudi royal family
o This family has been important for hundreds
of years
o Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy (king
has full power to make all laws; is also the
religious leader)
Religion and Women
• All citizens of Saudi Arabia must be Muslims
– They cannot practice any other religion
• All laws are based on Islamic law
• There are special police officers who make sure
people obey the laws
• Islam allows Saudi men to have 4 wives
• No one can eat pork or drink alcohol
• There are no movie theatres, plays, or concerts
in the country
Religion and Women
• There are strict Islamic laws for women
o Girls must study at separate schools
o Women cannot drive cars, or ride bikes
o When they leave the house it must be with a male
family member
o Women cannot work outside of their homes at jobs
with men, only with women
o They must be modest and wear clothes that cover
their arms and legs; they must cover their hair and
faces; so they wear a long black robe called an aba
when they leave home, which covers their head, face,
and body
Economy and Standard of
Living
• Oil and natural gas were discovered in the
1930’s
• 1/4th of all the oil in the world is found in
Saudi Arabia
• Since the 1940’s Saudi Arabia has earned
billions of dollars from exporting oil
• It is one of the richest countries in the
world, but it is still a developing country
Economy and Standard of
Living
• 1/4th of the people work at agriculture
o The government has built desalination plants to take
salt out of ocean water, which is used to grow food in
the desert; but they still have to import more than
half of their food
• The Saudi’s are working to raise the country’s
standard of living
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Small villages now have electricity
Cities have many modern apartment houses
Free health care for everyone
Free public schools
Still more than 1/3rd of the people cannot read or
write
Appropriate Behavior When
Visiting an Arab Home
• Bring a Gift
• Don’t admire their possessions or they are
obliged to give you their things.
• There will be too much food – Don’t
Comment.
• Only Eat with right hand – Left is personal
• Never talk business before other matters.
Appropriate Behavior When
Visiting an Arab Home
• Always accept coffee – They use butter, milk,
salt, or sugar
• Do NOT show bottom of feet while sitting
• Do not back away from a person while they
are talking.
• They WILL ask you to stay longer, thank
them and leave on time.