History of the Middle East
The Cradle of Civilization
• Arabian Peninsula: Known as one
of the “Cradles of Civilization”
– Birthplace of the worlds first
civilizations
– Sumerians
– Mesopotamians
– Babylonians
– Assyrians
– Phoenicians
– Egyptians
Islamic Empires
• In the centuries after the rise of Islam, Muslim armies
conquered:
– Dark Red Light Red  Yellow
• Muslim empires were called “Caliphates”
– 5 total from 632-1517
The Ottoman Empire
• Centered around modern-day
Turkey
• Osman I consolidated power
in late 13th century
• At height, Ottoman Empire
encompassed:
Ottoman Empire Expansion
European Expansion
• By the 19th century, the Ottoman Empire known
as the "sick man of Europe”
• French annexed Algeria in 1830 & Tunisia in 1878
• French extended their influence into Lebanon and Syria
• British occupied Egypt and Cyprus in 1882
• British took control of the Persian Gulf and supported Arab
revolts against the Ottomans in the Arabian Peninsula
•Italians seized Libya in 1912
• Ottomans turned to Germany to protect them from Europe
- Result: 
World War I Effect on Middle East
• Central Powers:
(Ottoman Empire, Germany, and
Austro-Hungarian Empire)
• Allied Powers
(Britain, France, Italy, USA)
• Result: Allies Win!
• Outcome: End of Ottoman Empire
Post World War I
• Mandate system in the
Middle East:
– “Supervisory” control
• Great Britain: Iraq,
Palestine, Transjordan
• France: Syria & Lebanon
Arab Independence
• Nationalist movements in the
Middle East lead to some
independence:
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Egypt (1922)
Turkey (1923)
Iraq (1932)
Saudi Arabia (1932)
Iran (1935)
• However ………… the Western
powers have influence in the
Middle East!
World War II and Holocaust
•Allied Powers
– England
– France
– Russia
– United States
•Axis Powers
– Germany
– Austria
– Japan
– Italy (1940-1943)
• Holocaust Impact: By 1945, approximately 6
million Jews had been killed across Europe!
• Outcome: A direct outcome of the Holocaust
in the Middle East is…………………………………………
The Creation of Israel
• Britain steps up plans to create Jewish
Homeland
– Jewish settlers and Arab groups begin
armed attacks versus British occupation
• United Nations Partition Plan of 1947
– Jews approve of UN Partition Plan
– Arab population does not approve
• Britain turns mandate over to United
Nations & withdraws from Palestine on
May 14, 1948
• David Ben-Gurion, leader of Jewish
settlers, declares the state of Israel on
May 15, 1948
• Outcome: The Arab-Israeli Conflict !!
Egypt
Ali Pasha “founder of modern Egypt” in 1805
• Independence in 1922 from Great Britain
• 1952 Egyptian Revolution: military coup d'état; abolished the
constitutional monarchy and establish a republic
• Mohamed
• Gamal Abdel Nasser: 2nd President of Egypt (1956-1970);
leader of Arab nationalism in Middle East,
•Anwar Al Sadat: 3rd President of Egypt (1970-1981); first Arab leader
to recognize Israel; assassinated in 1981
• Hosni Mubarak: 4th President of Egypt (1981-2011); forged peace
with Israel, alliance with U.S., overthrown during 2011 Arab Spring
• Current Government: Presidential Republic
• Current Leader: Mohamed Morsi
• 2011 GDP Rank: 42nd
Turkey
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Ottoman Empire from 1200’s to 1920
1919-1923 Turkish War of Independence
1923 Republic of Turkey created
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk: military
commander, founder, and 1st President
– Establishes a “secular” constitution
– Modernizes and Industrializes Turkey
• 1960, 1971, 1980, 1996: military intervenes
to enforce secular constitution
• 2012: example of a working democracy in
the Middle East; wants E.U. membership
Bosporus: where
Europe meets Asia
• Current Government:
Parliamentary Republic
• Current Leader:
Recep Tayyip Erodgan
• 2011 GDP Rank: 58th
Iraq
• Former territory of Ottoman Empire
• 1920 placed under authority of Great
Britain as a “mandate” (result of WWI)
• 1932 gained independence from Britain
– Kingdom of Iraq (Monarchy)
• 1958 monarchy overthrown; Republic of
Iraq est. led by Ba’ath Party (Shiite)
• 1979 Saddam Hussein becomes president
– declares war on Iran (Iraq-Iran War)
– Kurdish Genocide: killing of 50,000-100,000
Kurds by Saddam’s govt. via chemical attack
– Persian Gulf War: Saddam invades Kuwait;
U.S. led coalition forces Iraq out of Kuwait
• 2003 2nd Gulf War: U.S. invades Iraq;
topples Saddam’s govt.; democracy est.
• Current Government:
Constitutional Republic
• Current Leader:
Nouri al-Maliki
• 2011 GDP Rank: 58th
Saudi Arabia
• Unification of the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia took place in 1932
• 1938 oil reserves were discovered
along the Persian Gulf
• 1941 full-scale development of oil
fields began
– Economic prosperity followed
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• King Abdul Aziz bin Saud
becomes first king in 1953
• 1976 becomes largest oil producer in
the world
• Current Government: Absolute Monarchy
- Nations is under Sharia Law (strict Islamic Law)
• Current Leader: King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz
• 2011 GDP Rank: 20th
Iran
• Persia from 550 B.C. to 1935
• Reza Khan: army officer and nationalist
who sizes control of Persia in 1921
• 1935 officially changes name to Iran
• Mohammad Reza Pahlavi: Shah of Iran
from 1941-1979; modernizes Iran
• 1979 Iranian Revolution: Ayatollah
Khomeini overthrows Shah and
establishes an Islamist Govt.
• 1979 Iranian Hostage Crisis Islamist
students storm U.S. embassy in Tehran
and held 52 hostages for 444 days
• 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War (Saddam
Hussein orders Iraqi invasion of Iran)
• Current Government:
Theocratic Republic
- Constitution
includes Sharia Law
• Current Leader:
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
• 2011 GDP Rank: 25th
Lebanon
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Former territory of Ottoman Empire
Post-WWI mandate of France
1943granted independence by France
1975-1990 Lebanese Civil War:
– Maronite Christians supported by Israel and
the West vs. Arab nationalists, Muslims, and
Palestinians supported by Soviets
– Arab League leads Ta’if Accords
– Outcome:120,000 deaths & 1 million wounded
• 2006 Conflict with Israel
– Hezbollah bases located
in Lebanon
• 2010 Arab Spring protests
– minor/no changes
• Current Government:
Republic
• Current Leader:
Najib Miqati
• 2011 GDP Rank: 87th
Syria
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Former territory of Ottoman Empire
Post-WWI mandate of France
1946 granted independence by France
1958-1961 United Arab Republic (united
as one nation with Egypt)
• 1970 Hafiz al-Asad overthrows govt. in a
bloodless coup
• 2000 Bashar al-Asad (son) becomes
president
• March 2011-Present Syrian Civil War:• Current Government:
rebels revolt against govt.
Authoritarian Republic
• Current Leader:
Bashar al-Asad
• 2011 GDP Rank: 69th
Jordan
• Former territory of Ottoman Empire
• Post-WWI mandate of Great Britain
– called Transjordan
• 1946 granted independence by France
– named Jordan
• King Hussein: 1st king of Jordan (1953-1999)
• King Abdullah II: (son) becomes king
(1999-present)
– economic & political reforms
• 2011 Arab Spring
– brings political 7 judiciary reforms
• Current Government:
Constitutional Monarchy
• Current Leader:
King Abdullah II
• 2011 GDP Rank: 90th
The United Arab Emirates
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1500’s to 1971 under British control
1960 oil is discovered
1971 gained independence
The U.A.E. is:
Burj Khalifa, Dubai
– federation of seven monarchies each with
their own “emir”
– 7th largest oil reserves in the world
– 7th largest natural gas reserves in the world
– 7th highest per capita GDP
– Ranked as a Developing economy
• Current Government:
Federal Monarchy
• Current Leader:
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
• 2011 GDP Rank: 30th
Kuwait
• 1800’s-1918 territory of Ottoman Empire
• 1918-1961 becomes a British protectorate
– Sheikh rules govt. (British control foreign policy)
• 1930’s oil is discovered
– Economy based off “pearling” prior
• 1961 granted independence
• Additional Info:
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1990 invaded by Iraq (Result: Persian Gulf War)
2010-2011 Arab Spring: only small minor protests
5th largest oil reserves in the world
Oil accounts for 90% of Kuwait’s exports
• Current Government:
Constitutional Monarchy
• Current Leader:
Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
• 2011 GDP Rank: 52nd
Yemen
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Oman
Former territory of Ottoman Empire
1839 South Yemen is a British protectorate
1918 North Yemen gains independent
1967 South Yemen gains independence
1990 Yemen united as one country
• Never under control of Ottoman Empire
• Never a colony of Britain or France
- 1700’s Friendship treaties with Britain
• 1970 Qaboos bin Said Al-Said overthrows
his father; rules as sultan
- Modernizes Oman; opens Oman to outside world
– South fights to separate from North (1994,
2004, 2008, 2010)
• 2011 Arab Spring: demonstrations for
– Arab Spring: protests against President
economic and political reforms
Saleh leads to violence; demands leader steps
- Council of Oman given power to draft, amend, and
down
• Outcome: 2012 transfers power to VP; new
constitution being written; new elections
2014
approve legislation
– Terrorist training grounds located in Yemen
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Current Government:
Presidential Republic
• Current Leader:
Abd Rabbuh Mansur al-Hadi
• 2011 GDP Rank: 88th
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Current Government:
Islamic Absolute Monarchy
• Current Leader:
Qaboos bin Said Al-Said
• 2011 GDP Rank: 77th
Bahrain
• 1820-1971 British protectorate
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Sheikh rules locally (appointed by British)
• 1932 discovery of oil
– Oil accounts for 11% of GDP (2012)
– Oil is 60% of Bahrain’s exports (2012)
• 1971 gained independence
• Additional info:
Qatar
• 1871-1916 ruled by Ottoman Empire
• 1916-1971 British protectorate
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Economy based on “pearling”
• 1940 beginning of oil & natural gas industry
– Oil accounts for 50% of Qatar’s GDP
– Natural Gas: 3rd most in world (13% of world
total)
– Arab Spring: protests = no changes
• 1971 gained independence
– Diversified economy (communication,
• Additional info:
transportation, construction, finance)
– 2nd highest per capita income in world
– Lowest unemployment rate in the world
– Home to Al Jazirah television network
• Current Government:
Constitutional Monarchy
• Current Leader:
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
• 2011 GDP Rank: 91th
• Current Government:
Constitutional Monarchy
• Current Leader:
Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
• 2011 GDP Rank: 58th
Afghanistan
Fact: “-stan”
means “land of”
• 1747 modern Afghanistan founded
• Mid-1800’s British expand influence from Pakistan
• Durand Line creates boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan dividing Pashtuns.
Outcome: Various rival ethnic groups together as one nation by the British
Ethnic groups:
42% = Pashtun
27% = Tajik
9% = Hazara
9% = Uzbek
4% = Aimak
3% = Turkmen
2% = Baloch
4% = Other
• 1919 gains independence from British influence
• 1973-1978 bloodless coup creates democratic govt.
• 1978 communist govt. created
• Mujahideen fighters (Muslim Afghan opposition youth groups trained in Pakistan)
• 1979-1989 Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan (Soviets defeated)
• 1989-1996 Afghan Civil War = Taliban seizes control of Afghanistan
• Taliban (Islamic militant political group created from religious schools for Afghan
refugees in Pakistan)
• 1996-2001 Taliban rule of Afghanistan
• Strict Islamic law = Human rights violations
• Al-Qaeda based in Afghanistan since 1997
• 2001 Operation Enduring Freedom
• Allied invasion of Afghanistan
• overthrow Taliban and est. Democracy
• 2009-2012 Taliban insurgency and Peace Talks