Post Ind states + Iranian Revolution+ Saudi State

1941

Reza Shah exiled → Mohammad Reza Shah becomes king

1951

Nationalization of oil under PM Mosaddegh

1953

CIA/MI6-backed coup restores Shah

1953-1963

Authoritarian rule; SAVAK monitors dissent

1963

White Revolution (land reform, women's suffrage)

1978

Nationwide protests; Black Friday crackdown

1979

Shah leaves; Khomeini returns; Islamic Republic declared

1980

Iran-Iraq War begins

1982

Iran repels invasion; revolutionary government consolidates

1971

2500th anniversary of founding of the Persian Empire by Cyrus

Twelver Shiism

Claims political loyalties and lineage to Imam Ali

Imam

The title of imam is central to theological and political legitimacy

Hidden Imam

The last imam Mahdi in occultation

Taziyeh

Ritual reenactment of Husayn's death

Muharram

First month of the Islamic calendar, the month in which Husayn died; month of ritual mourning

Ashura

10th day of Muharram, commemorating Husayn's death

Mujtahids

Islamic scholars and jurists

Ayatollah

"sign of God," title of the high-ranking mujtahids

Vali-e faqih

the supreme leader (faqih lit. jurist)

Vilayat-e faqih

government of the faqih

What characterized the rise of military officers in Egypt, Syria, and Iraq during the 1950s?

Military officers overthrew old elites who ruled with foreign support and positioned themselves as nationalist and anti-imperialist leaders.

Who was the most successful populist pan-Arab leader in Egypt during the mid-20th century?

Gamal Abdel Nasser

What were the primary pillars of Nasser's reforms after 1952?

Socialism, modernization, agricultural reform, and pan-Arabism.

What event in 1956 involved the nationalization of the Suez Canal and conflict with Britain, France, and Israel?

The Suez Crisis

What are the three core tenets of the Ba'ath Party?

Unity, Freedom, and Socialism

Who were the founders of the Ba'ath Party?

Michel 'Aflaq and Salah Al-Din al-Bitar

What does the term 'Ba'ath' mean?

Resurrection

Which two Cold War superpowers had converging interests in the Middle East during the mid-20th century?

The United States and the USSR

What was the 1955 military alliance formed in the Middle East?

The Baghdad Pact

What 1955 conference in Indonesia helped establish the idea of the 'Third World'?

The Bandung Conference

When and where was the Non-Aligned Movement co-founded?

1961 in Belgrade

Who was the legendary Egyptian singer mentioned in the context of this era?

Um Koulthoum

Who is the author of the Cities of Salt quintet?

Abderrahman Munif

When did the Al Saud family conquer Riyadh?

1902

In what year was the Saudi state established?

1932

What does the acronym ARAMCO stand for?

Arabian American Oil Company

When was the ARAMCO concession granted?

1933

During which decade did Saudi oil production begin to take off?

1950s

Who seized the Great Mosque of Mecca in 1979?

Juhayman al-Otaybi

In what year did Saudi Arabia nationalize its oil?

1980

What was the primary state investment in Saudi Arabia prior to the 1970s?

Agriculture

1882

The year marking the beginnings of political Zionism and the start of the first Aliyah.

1896: The Jewish State

A foundational text written by Theodor Herzl that proposed the creation of a sovereign Jewish state.

1897: First World Zionist Congress

The inaugural meeting of the World Zionist Organization in Basel, Switzerland, which established the goal of creating a home for the Jewish people in Palestine.

1917: Balfour Declaration

A public statement issued by the British government during WWI announcing support for the establishment of a 'national home for the Jewish people' in Palestine.

1922: Palestinian Mandate

A League of Nations mandate for the administration of Palestine, granted to Great Britain following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire.

1929: Western Wall Riots

A series of violent clashes between Jews and Arabs in Mandatory Palestine, primarily centered on access to and rights at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

1936-1939: Arab Revolt

A nationalist uprising by Palestinian Arabs against British colonial rule and the increasing Jewish immigration to Palestine.

1947: UN Partition Plan

The United Nations vote to end the British Mandate and divide the land of Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states.

1948: Arab-Israeli War and Nakba

The war following Israel's declaration of independence; the term 'Nakba' refers to the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians during this conflict.

Histadrut

The General Organization of Workers in Israel, established in 1920 to serve as a Zionist labor organization.

Arab Executive

A political body formed in 1920 to represent the interests of the Palestinian Arab population during the British Mandate.

Supreme Muslim Council

The highest body in charge of Muslim community affairs in Mandatory Palestine, established by the British in 1921.

1956: The Suez Crisis

A military confrontation in Egypt involving Israel, the UK, and France following Egypt's nationalization of the Suez Canal.

1964: PLO

The Palestine Liberation Organization, founded by the Arab League to represent the Palestinian people and seek national self-determination.

1967: The Six-Day War

A conflict in which Israel seized the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, and the Sinai Peninsula.

1973: Yom Kippur War

A war initiated by Egypt and Syria against Israel; it resulted in the United States emerging as the primary mediator in the region.

Political Zionism

A movement rooted in 19th-century European nationalism that sought to establish a sovereign Jewish state in response to antisemitism and persecution.

What was the impact of 19th-century Ottoman land reforms?

The reforms created absentee landlords who sold large tracts of land to Jewish immigrants, facilitating the growth of Zionist settlements.

How did the Cold War affect the Middle East?

It provided a new global context for regional conflicts and led to the United States replacing Great Britain as the dominant power-player in the Middle East.