The History of:
I. Reviewing Early History…
A. Civilizations prospered in the Tigris-Euphrates River
Valley
1)
2)
Hammurabi’s Code creates an early system for social justice
Modern Islamic Law was derived from Hammurabi’s Code and
Muslim beliefs (Shari 'a Law)
B. 500s B.C.- Persian Empire emerges as
the dominant power
C. 300s B.C.- Greeks conquer the region
D. 100 B.C.- Romans move into the Middle
East
E. 600s-700s A.D.- Arabs conquer the
entire Middle East and Arab culture
thrives

Becomes the wealthiest and most
dominant in the world
F.
900s- Era of chaos in the region…
1.
2.
Aryan invaders from Central Asia
move into the region and push out
the Arab and Byzantine Empires,
however many convert to Islam
This disrupts trade and Christian
territories
G. The Pope launches the Crusades in
the 1090’s

Leads to 200 yrs. Of Euro domination
H. 1200s- Mongols led by Genghis
Kahn invade and destroy Baghdad,
Iraq

I.
1300s- Ottoman Turks invade and
gain Constantinople

J.
Establish capital and rename it
Istanbul
Turks invade Persia and establish
the Safavid Empire

K.
This weakens the Persian Empire
Also invades India and creates the
Mughal Empire
Turkish rule in the region peaks around
1600
II. Rise of the Europeans
A. -Ottoman control over Europe concluded by the 1600’s
-By the 1700’s the Europeans became a powerful force…
1. Russia won a series of wars in the 1700’s in
which they took land from the Turks
2. France under Napoleon invaded
and took control of Egypt in 1798
 European success surprised the Ottoman leaders
because Europe was not military a power at the time
3. Result: Ottoman’s reacted to
the European expedition in two ways:
a) 1) Embraced Western ways (military techniques and
weaponry)
b) 2) Arabs blamed the Ottoman leaders and pushed for a
return to true Arab culture…the idea of 1 Arab nation is
revived!
3. Internal problems, accused genocide, and increased European
influence damaged the Ottoman Empire and its' wealth disappeared
4. In one last shot at survival the Ottoman Empire joined the Germans and
Austrians in World War I. Not the best choice…
B. Turks in Persia ran into trouble with the Europeans in 1700’s
1. Persian rule didn’t go very well
-By 1900 Persia was divided into Spheres of Influence by
Britain in the South and Russia in the North
*(European Imperialism)
 Britain found oil in Persia in 1908 which has led to Western involvement
in the region ever since
III. “The Betrayal”
A. Ottoman Turks fought well in World War I
B. This forced the British to make treaties with the
Arabs in order to defeat the Turks
1. McMahon-Hussein Agreement of 1915-1916
promised the Arabs their own nation(s) if
they helped Britain defeat the Ottomans
2. At the same time the French and British signed the
Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916 that said that they
would keep the Arab territory for themselves
3. British issued the Balfour Declaration in 1917. It
said that Jews should have their own nation in the
area referred to as Palestine
C. Britain and France ended up sticking with the Sykes-Picot
Agreement. They divided the Middle East into “Mandates” or
small regions under temporary European control.
Results:
1.) Arabs felt betrayed and haven’t fully trusted the West since
2.) The boundaries set up under Sykes-Picot largely remain today
IV. Mandate Period (1920-1948)
A. Britain and France installed puppet governments
(mainly monarchies with royal families)
B. Iraq and Iran allied with Nazi Germany in the
1930’s to reduce British control; but were
invaded and overpowered during World War II by the
Allies
C. World War II brought independence to most of the
region
… WHY?
E. In 1948 Israel became a “real” nation. They were
immediately attacked by Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria,
Jordan, and troops from Saudi Arabia, Libya, and Yemen
with Winston Churchill’s
support, the British gave the
throne of Iraq
to the Hashemite King Faisal,
1920.
D. In 1932 the Al Saud family took over Saudi Arabia. U.S. oil
companies moved in during 1938 and we’ve been allies
since!
V. Oil in the Middle East
A. Two of the most important natural resources are:
1. Natural gas
2. Oil
B. They bring wealth into the region and are needed by much of
the world
C. About half the world’s known oil reserves are located in the
Middle East.
C. Oil Reserves & Economy
1.
The Southwest Asian countries with the largest reserves of
natural gas and oil are:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Saudi Arabia
Iran
Iraq
Kuwait
2. These countries have seen tremendous growth in national
wealth and an improved standard of living in the past 50
years.
3. Some other countries have smaller reserves, especially around
the Arabian Gulf.
4. Those countries without the reserves have had a much harder
time improving living conditions for their people.
5. This difference has lead to much conflict.
SS7E6c. Explain the primary function of the
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
• In the 1960’s several of these countries joined with
other oil-rich countries around the world to form the
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.
• They wanted to work together to try and regulate the
supply and price of oil.
• The first 5 countries were:
– Kuwait
– Iraq
– Saudi Arabia
– Iran
– Venezuela
• These countries along with others who have joined since
1960, continue to decide how much oil they will produce.
• That determines the price on the world market.
– When they produce less, the price on the world market
goes up.
– When the increase production, the price on the world
market goes down.
SS7E7c. Explain the role of oil in the economies
Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.
• Oil is one of the most important and valuable natural
resources in the Middle East.
• Oil and natural gas are considered fossil fuels which means
they were created centuries ago.
• They are also non-renewable natural resources which means
they cannot be replaced
• Most of the world’s industrial nations depend on a steady
supply of both resources
• The US imports over half of its supply, almost 18 million
barrels every day.
• For this reason, countries in the Middle East have a steady
market for all the oil and natural gas they produce.
– Saudi Arabia and Iran are two of the world’s largest
suppliers / producers of oil.
• Over half of the world’s known supply comes from them.
– Israel has very few natural resources and practically no oil.
• They have a high industrial economy, so the world price of oil has a
huge impact on their economy.
Another reason water is so important
in the region…