Middle East Flashcards

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 Middle East Part 1 Study Guide

I. Mid. East Geography:

            a. What are the 5 major regions in the Middle East?

 Northern tier, Arabian Peninsula, Fertile Crescent, Nile River Valley, Maghreb.

            b. What are the differences between the Anatolian and Iranian Plateaus? Where are they located?

 The Anatolian Plateau has more farmland and people than the Iranian Plateau. 

The Anatolian and Iranian Plateau are located in present day Turkey and Iran respectively. 

            c. What are the three major bodies of water surrounding the Arabian Peninsula?

 The Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and the Persian Gulf.

            d. How does the Middle East overcome its water resource problems?

 Desalination. They remove salt from saltwater to turn it into freshwater.

          e. What does the Fertile Crescent lack?

 Natural boundaries or barriers. This makes anyone who settles inside of it vulnerable to attacks or invasions.

          f. Why does the Fertile Crescent experience so much international activity?

 It is a valuable piece of land as well as the fact that it has no natural boundaries so it is vulnerable to attacks. 

            g. Why was the Nile River Valley a center of trade?

 The water allowed them to transport goods easier. Also, it connected Africa and Asia.

            h. What does the term “Mesopotamia mean?”

 The land between the rivers. 

            i. What does the term “Maghreb” mean? Name 2 countries in this region.

 It means “western isle”. Algeria and Chad.

          j) What are the languages and main resources in the Middle East? What religions are in the Middle East?

 People in the middle east speak Arabic, Turkish, Hebrew, and Farsi. There are a lot of salt, copper, and oil in the Middle East. There was Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.

          k) Why is there an uneven distribution of resources in the Middle East?

 Some areas are drier than others while others have more oil or water. Geography. Some countries have more access to water and oil.

L) Why can it be said that the Middle East is characterized by Scarcity?

Characterized by scarcity of water.

 Majority of the land in the middle east has no water and doesn’t have people living in it.

II Early Civilizations:

            a. What did both Sumer and Persia both heavily rely on?

Agriculture, Trade. Unified law codes.

            b. What was the law code that became the foundation for law codes in a society?

 Hammurabi's code.

           c. What are Persia’s attitudes towards foreign ideas?

 They take the ones that they think are good.The farther you are, the less superior you are. They see themselves as superior to everyone else, They are willing to take and adapt from others but are still ethnocentric.

          d. Where is the Kingdom of Israel located?

 Between Mesopotamia and Egypt. 

            e. What was the Roman Jewish Diaspora?

 Jews revolted against Roman rule but were defeated and scattered the jewish people out of Jerusalem.

III Major Religions in the Middle East

  1. Judaism

     a. What are the main beliefs of the Jewish faith?

 Founder - Abraham

Text: Torah

Major Belief - Monotheism, moral/ethical code (ten commandments)

Individuals can choose between right and wrong.

“Messiah” or Savior

Islam - 

Founder: Mohammed

Text: Qu’ran, Hadith, Sharia

Major Belief: 5 pillars.

            b. What are the similarities/ differences among the 3 major ethical monotheistic religions?

 Come from Middle east, believe in one god, Moral ethical code

Islam does not have a “Messiah” while Judaism and Christianity does.

            c. How is the idea of sacred law in all 3 major religions?

 Be nice.

            d. Why did Christianity spread and become popular throughout the Roman Empire?

 Christianity taught that everyone was equal. The majority (lower class) found it attractive and good.

            e. What are the 5 pillars of Islam?

 Monotheism - mohammed is the final prophet

Help the poor (Charity)

Pray 5 times a day towards  Mecca

Hajj:Journey to mecca at least once

Fasting during Ramadan

            f. Who are the founders of the major religions?

            g. What are the 3 books associated with Islam and what are the major texts of the 3 mono-theistic religions?

 Torah, Qu’ran, bible

            h. What was the Hejira?

 When mohammed took his followers from Mecca to Medina because he was kicked out of Mecca cause he thought he was starting a rebellion as his thoughts were different from the rich.

            i. Who were the Bedouin and what role did they play in life in the Arabian Peninsula?

 Nomadic herders with cattle. They brought goods like food and technology and information. The “lifeline”. Merchants and animal herders. The backbone.

            j. What is the difference between Sunni and Shiite Muslims?

 Sunni - anyone who was respected and a devout Muslim could be Mohammed's successor.

Shiite - believed only Mohammed’s sons or offspring could be his successor.

IV: Early Empires

           a. What are the differences between the Abbasid and Umayyad Dynasties?

 Umayyad came first. 661 - 750 AD - less than average dynasty

Capital - Damascus, Syria

Structure - Only ethnic Arabs can have higher positions in society. Issue was that most people were not Arab. - revolution. The ones who revolted and came out on top were the Abbasids.

Abbasids - 751- 1258 (to the ottomans)

Location - Baghdad, Iraq

Structure - Any muslim was allowed to have high positions in society. 

         b. Who are the Ottomans?

 Date - 1300-1918

Location - Originated in modern day Turkey (Anatolia)

Major leaders: Suleiman “The magnificent”

Major battles - Battle of constantinople (1453) renamed istanbul, Battle of Vienna (1525), Battle of Lepanto (1571) YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE YEAR* 

Structure - Sunni

      Men of the pen - writers, scribes, government officials.

      Men of the sword - Soldiers, military, Janissaries

        c. How did the Ottomans come to power? Why was their empire so strong?

        d. What are Janissaries?

 Elite of the Elite. Made up of Foreigners who’ve been taken and converted to Islam.

        e. Who is Suleiman?

       f. Why are the battles of Constantinople, Vienna, and Lepanto important? Dates for these battles?

   g. Why do the Ottomans Decline?

 Don't have to do this

  h. Who are the Safavids?

 Date - 1500-1700s

Location - Persia (Modern day Iran)

Major leaders - Shah (king) Ismail, Shah Abbas “The Great”

Structure - they were Shiites 

      Religious council - 

      Government council - 

Did not tolerate other religions

i. How are they alike or unlike the Ottomans?

The Structures were similar. Art and literature were respected. Artistic achievements were relatively equal in both empires. 

Open ended: This should be at least 2-3 paragraphs  

B) Compare and Contrast the Safavid and Ottoman Empires. What led them to be successful? What led to their collapse?