Global Studies
Name ____________________________________
The Republic of Turkey Notes
1. Turkey is located in two continents: Asia and Europe. The Asian part of Turkey is known as
Anatolia or Asia Minor. The smaller European part is known as Thrace.
2. Turkey controls the important sea route between the Mediterranean and Black Seas. This sea route
contains two straits: the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles.
3. Though Turkey’s capital is Ankara, its largest city, with a population of 15 million, is Istanbul.
Istanbul, formerly known as Constantinople during Roman times, straddles the Bosphorus and is
consequently located in Asia and Europe.
4. With a population of 79 million, Turkey is the most populated country in the Middle East.
5. Though Turks are overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, they are not Arabs. Ethnically most of the people
are Turks who speak Turkish.
6. The largest ethnic minority in Turkey are the Kurds, who also live in Iraq, Syria, and Iran.
7. Turkey has a long and rich history. Over the years, Anatolia has been home to many civilizations
including the Hittites, Persians, Greeks, Assyrians, Romans, Byzantines, and Seljuk Turks.
8. Turkey was home to the Ottoman Empire, the last Islamic empire of the Middle East, which lasted
for 600 years. At its height in the 1500s, it was the strongest state in the world and controlled the
Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Europe. The Ottoman Empire experienced a long period of
decline and was dismantled after siding with Germany and Austria in World War I.
9. In the late 1800s, a group of young army officers formed a revolutionary group known as the Young
Turks. They placed a new sultan on the throne in 1908 and pursued a policy of Turkish nationalism.
They persecuted non-Muslims and mistreated Arabs. During World War I, the Young Turks were
responsible for the genocide of over 1 million Armenian Christians who had ties with Russia, one of
Turkey’s historic enemies.
10. After World War I, the Ottoman Empire was reduced to a small territory in Asia Minor. A brilliant
Turkish general, Mustafa Kemal, drove the Greeks and other Europeans out of Turkey, overthrew
the sultan, and made Turkey a republic.
11. Born with the name Mustafa, he was given the nickname Kemal, which means “perfection,” by one
of his teachers. He pursued a military career and was the hero of the Battle of the Dardanelles
during World War I. After becoming the president of the Republic of Turkey, he was given the last
name Atatürk, which means “father of the Turks.”
12. Atatürk set out to make Turkey a modern secular state. He used socialist policies to build industries,
ended Islamic law, gave rights to women, and made many western reforms such as adopting a
western alphabet and encouraging western clothing.
13. Throughout its modern history, the Turkish military has played a major role. It was seen as the
guardian of secularism and has taken over the government a number of times. However, the status
of the military is changing. The ruling party, the A.K.P. (Justice and Development Party), is led by
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. It has Islamic roots and is gaining the upper hand over the
military.
14. During the Cold War, Turkey was a reliable ally of the United States and the only non-western
member of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Today, Turkey is becoming an
important independent power. Its relationship with the U.S. has become strained and it is at odds
with Israel, with whom it was once closely aligned.
15. For a number of years, Turkey has been pursuing membership in the European Union. In the past, it
seemed unlikely that they would ever be invited to join, but now it seems that the EU might need
Turkey more than Turkey needs the EU.
16. Since the 1980s, Turkey has made capitalist reforms. Manufacturing has grown, inflation has
decreased, and the economy is booming.
17. Turkey has a number of ongoing problems. It faces terrorist attacks and skirmishes with the Kurds
in eastern Turkey, the island of Cyprus remains divided between Turks and Greeks, it refuses to
acknowledge the Armenian genocide and its border with Armenia remains closed.
18. Turkey is currently taking a leading role in the Middle East. After trying to negotiate an end to the
unrest in Libya, it condemned Muammar Gaddafi. It has taken a similar stand toward the unrest in
Syria and has called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down.
Global Studies
Name ____________________________________
The Republic of Turkey Notes
1. Turkey is located in two continents: _________________ and _________________. The Asian part of
Turkey is known as _________________ or _________________. The smaller European part is known
as _________________.
2. Turkey controls the important sea route between the _________________ and _________________
Seas. This sea route contains two straits: the _________________ and the _________________.
3. Though Turkey’s capital is _________________, its largest city, with a population of 15 million, is
_________________ . This city, formerly known as Constantinople during Roman times, straddles the
_________________ and is consequently located in _________________________.
4. With a population of _________________, Turkey is the _________________________ country in the
Middle East.
5. Though Turks are overwhelmingly ______________________, they are not Arabs. Ethnically most of
the people are _________________ who speak _________________.
6. The largest ethnic minority in Turkey are the _________________, who also live in
_________________, _________________, and _________________.
7. Turkey has a long and rich history. Over the years, Anatolia has been home to many civilizations
including the Hittites, Persians, _______________, Assyrians, _______________, _________________,
and Seljuk Turks.
8. Turkey was home to the ________________________, the last Islamic empire of the Middle East, which
lasted for_________________ years. At its height in the _________________, it was the
______________________ in the world and controlled the _________________, _________________,
and parts of _________________. The Ottoman Empire experienced a long period of decline and was
dismantled after siding with Germany and Austria in _________________.
9. In the late 1800s, a group of young army officers formed a revolutionary group known as the
_________________. They placed a new sultan on the throne in 1908 and pursued a policy of Turkish
_________________. They persecuted ____________________ and mistreated _________________.
During World War I, the Young Turks were responsible for the genocide of over 1 million
_________________ Christians who had ties with _________________, one of Turkey’s historic
enemies.
10. After World War I, the Ottoman Empire was reduced to a small territory in Asia Minor. A brilliant
Turkish general, _______________________, drove the Greeks and other Europeans out of Turkey,
overthrew the sultan, and made Turkey a _________________.
11. Born with the name Mustafa, he was given the nickname Kemal, which means “_________________”,
by one of his teachers. He pursued a military career and was the hero of the Battle of the
_________________ during World War I. After becoming the president of the Republic of Turkey, he
was given the last name Atatürk, which means “_________________________________.”
12. Atatürk set out to make Turkey a modern _________________ state. He used _________________
policies to build industries, ended _________________ law, gave rights to _________________, and
made many western reforms such as adopting a western _________________ and encouraging western
_________________.
13. Throughout its modern history, the Turkish _________________ has played a major role. It was seen as
the guardian of _________________ and has taken over the government a number of times. However,
the status of the military is _________________. The ruling party, the _________________ (Justice and
Development Party), is led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip _________________. It has
_________________ roots and is gaining the _________________over the military.
14. During the Cold War, Turkey was a reliable ally of the _________________ and the only non-western
member of NATO, the _____________________________________________________. Today,
Turkey is becoming an important _________________ power. Its relationship with the U.S. has become
_________________ and it is at odds with_________________, with whom it was once closely allied.
15. For a number of years, Turkey has been pursuing membership in the ________________________. In
the past, it seemed unlikely that they would ever be invited to join, but now it seems that the EU might
_________________ Turkey more than Turkey needs the _________________.
16. Since the 1980s, Turkey has made _________________ reforms. Manufacturing has grown,
_________________ has decreased, and the economy is_________________.
17. Turkey has a number of ongoing problems. It faces terrorist attacks and skirmishes with the
_________________ in eastern Turkey, the island of _________________ remains divided between
Turks and _________________, it refuses to acknowledge the _________________________________
and its border with Armenia remains _________________.
18. Turkey is currently taking a _________________ role in the Middle East. After trying to negotiate an
end to the unrest in _________________, it condemned Muammar Gaddafi. It has taken a similar stand
toward the unrest in _____________ and has called on Syrian President __________________________
to step down.
Global Studies
Name ___________________________________
The Republic of Turkey Analysis
1. From our perspective, what do we admire about the Republic of Turkey?
2. From our perspective, what about Turkey causes us to have concerns?
3. How has Turkey changed in recent years in terms of the following?
a. Economics
b. Religion
c. The role of the military
d. Relationship with the US
e. Relationship with Israel
f. Relationship with the Middle East
4. In what ways might these changes be good for the U.S. and Middle East?
5. In what ways might these changes be bad for the U.S. and the Middle East?