Transcript Middle East Reviewx

Pre Imperialism – (Incl. Judaism/Islam) –
Chapter 2.3 Chapter 8 Chapter 17
Imperialism – Chapter 27.1
Post Imperialism / Modern – Chapter 32.3-4
Mecca was the birthplace of Muhammad and became
the center of Islam after its conquest by the Prophet.
Additionally, Mecca is the Ka’ba, the most holy shrine
of Islam.
The Covenant
The teaching of the Torah and the Diaspora. Torah is the act of living a pious life
according to the teaching of God as laid down by Abraham. It is basically Jewish
spiritual life. The Diaspora (or spreading out of the Jews) fundamentally changed the
way people viewed their religion and God. It became a stateless religion based on the
belief that God was not fixed in one location but the Lord and Creator of the entire
world. Additionally, the nature of Judaic practices often isolated Jews (albeit self
imposed) and invited persecution by authorities because they refused to recognize
emperors as divine or adapt the religion of the societies in which they lived.
Islam means submission or submit. This is
significant because pious Muslims submit
themselves to the will of God and live their life in
a way they believe will please Him.
The Suez Canal (originally controlled by Britain) connects the Mediterranean Sea to
the Red Sea. The building of the canal was vital to Europeans because it acted as a
faster route to India and Asia (since ships no longer had to travel around Africa) thus
increasing trade overall. Ultimately, the Suez Canal was nationalized by the Egyptians
under the leadership of Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1956.
Europeans were primarily interested in accessing
natural resources (such as oil) and controlling
trade routes into Asia.
Obstacles to peace include:
1. The Right to Return
2. The Occupied Territories (incl. Jewish Settlements)
3. The Administration of Jerusalem
The Camp David Accords were important because they
marked the first time an Arab country recognized Israel’s
right to exist. The Accords between Israel and Egypt were a
sign that former enemies could negotiate and reach a
reasonable compromise.
Nationalism has been the driving force in the campaign for land
for both groups. Nationalism caused the Zionist movement to
push for a homeland for Jews and the desire for Palestinians to
establish their own independent nation. While the conflict is
principally over control of land, it is fueled by nationalism.
Each individual sought to bring modern and western
reforms into their respective countries. These reforms
included secularizing society by prohibiting religious dress,
creating popular education, and the establishment of a
centralized government under a modernized bureaucracy.
Monotheism
History
Morality / Ethical conduct
Overall this is a period of prosperity within Muslim civilizations. Due to the extent of
Muslim empires, ideas and culture spread between regions leading to the
development of modern mathematics, medicine, business practices, art and
philosophy. Muslim civilizations were generally tolerant of other cultures and religions,
particularly the other Abrahamic religions. One major example of the influence of
Muslim civilization is the development of standard Arabic numerals in Europe.
The Sick Man of Europe
Some problems include the conflict between Israel and the
Palestinians over land, forces of globalization /
westernization on traditional Islamic culture (Islamic
fundamentalists often try to fight against this),
authoritarian rule, and access to resources.
The mandate system was established post World War I out of territory belonging to
Germany and the former Ottoman Empire. These territories were placed under the
direction of the League of Nations and administered by the Western Allies. In theory,
the mandates would only remain under Western control until such time that they could
govern themselves, however because this system allowed Europeans easy access to
resources and control of trade routes, it was not until after World War II that the
mandates gained independence.
The forces of nationalism provided the biggest threat to
Ottoman rule because it led the various people and
cultures under Ottoman rule to revolt and push for
independence, thus tearing the empire apart from the
inside out.
Causes
Effects
Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi used CIA
money to suppress opposition.
Return to traditional customs and Islamic
law.
Secular reforms angered Shia Muslims
Establishment of a Theocracy under the
leadership of the Ayatollah Khomeini.
Western corporations dominated the
Iranian economy
Limited rights for women
The impact / significant of oil on the global economy and global poltics.
During this war Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in order to gain control
of the country’s oil fields and the international community immediately
mobilized to defend Kuwait through operations Desert Shield and
Desert Storm, ultimately defeating Saddam Hussein and leading to
economic sanctions against Iraq.
With the establishment of Israel in May of 1948, Arabs have attempted to retake the land that was given
to the Jews by the British / United Nations after World War II. In an effort to achieve this goal, Israel has
gone to war with, and defeated, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. As a result of these wars, Israel has gained
control over the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, East Jerusalem, and the Sinai Peninsula (returned
1982). These occupied territories continue to pose a problem to the peace process. Additionally, the
Palestinians have led their own struggle against Israeli occupation by forming the Palestinian Liberation
Organization, whose primary goal is to work towards an independent Palestinian state.
The Balfour Declaration (1917) was important because it provided
official British support for the creation of an independent Jewish
homeland in Palestine. This was the first step towards creating Israel
and grew out of the Zionist movement (mid 19th cent) which was the
desire for a Jewish homeland.
The Torah – Judaism
The Bible – Christianity
The Koran - Islam
This refers to the belief that Muhammad is God’s final messenger
delivering the true word of God. This word is different than to word
revealed to the Jews and Christians because it is meant to be
universal, while Judaism and Christianity was meant to be relevant
to the time and culture of their birth.
The oil embargo, begun by Arab nations to protest US
support of Israel, was significant because it demonstrated
the power of Middle Eastern nations to exert control over
the global economy through control of a scarce resource.
Purdah, the practice of veiling of women, is both spiritual and practical in nature even
though it is not specifically addressed in the Koran. While practiced principally by
upper class women long before he was born, Muhammad taught that women should
veil to be “known but not abused”. Veiling also complies with the principles of modesty
before God in Islam. Today, the veiling of women has been more culturally influenced
rather than a specific requirement of Islam and is not always an indicator of the
oppression of women.