Day 1

• Means “land between the rivers” and sometimes called the “Fertile
Crest” because of its shape and fertile soil
• Covers about the same area as modern Iraq, northeast Syria, and part of southeast Turkey
• Sumerians were the first inhabitants of this area (around 3000 B.C)
• Cuneiform – developed by Sumerians, one of the 1 st systems of writing
• Class System : different social groups each with certain rights and protected by law
• Top =kings/priests/ wealth land owners
• Middle= skilled workers, merchants, farmers- middle class
• Bottom= Slaves (captured in war, or sold themselves to pay off debts)

Think about the following question: What kind of government do you notice in the image?
When you have your answer give me a thumbs up.
Turn to your partner and use the sentence stem to share two of your answers:
The type of government I notice is….

Question: Based on what you know about how class systems worked in Mesopotamia, do you feel we still have a class system today?
Stem: “Based on what I know about class systems in
Mesopotamia, I feel we do/do not still have a class system today. I think this because…..”
Partner A: “ Based on what I know about class systems in
Mesopotamia, I feel we do/do not still have a class system today. I think this because…..”
Partner B: “ Based on what I know about class systems in
Mesopotamia, I feel we do/do not still have a class system today. I think this because…..”

• The pharaohs were the rulers of ancient Egyptian dynasties between about 3000 B.C. and 30 B.C.
• Revered (worshipped)as gods by their subjects, They ruled over large extended families.
• The life of a pharaoh was marked by pampering, procreation, power and prestige.
• The pharaoh owned all of the dynasty's land and made all its laws. Their main role was to maintain harmony in their empire.

• As soon as a Pharaoh died, the process of embalming and preparing him for the afterlife began.
• All of the organs, except the heart, were removed from the body and placed in separate CANOPIC JARS.
• Each jar was topped with the god or goddess that represented that organ.
• When mummification was complete, the Pharaoh was placed in a tomb that was created for him, and all of his riches and personal possessions were added to the tomb along with food and any pets the Pharaoh may have had at the time.
• All of these items were thought to assist the Pharaoh in the trials of the
Underworld.

Question: What is one interesting fact about the Egyptian burial process?
Stem: “One interesting fact about the Egyptian burial process is ……”
Partner A: “One interesting fact about the Egyptian burial process is …..”
Partner B: “One interesting fact about the Egyptian burial process is …..”

• After the pharaohs, Egypt was ruled by many foreign countries:
• Romans, Persians, Macedonians (after the pharaohs)
• Arab Muslims (A.D 639-642)
• Mamelukes ( military group ) (1250-1517)
• Ottoman Empire (1517-1700)
• France and Great Britain ( 1700-1900)
• Monarchy (1922-1952)
• Republic under Gamal Abdel Nasser ( 1954-1970)

• Most of Egypt (in North Africa) consists of desert lands ( part of the Sahara Desert) where no one can live.
• Human Environment Interaction : overgrazing of livestock such as sheep has contributed to the spread of deserts (desertification). Innovations like irrigation canals and aqueducts helped people settle in more dry climates.
• The majority of Egypt's 79 million people live in a narrow strip of land along either side of the Nile and a few desert oases.
• Due to it’s climate, one of Egypt's primary products and agricultural exports is cotton.
• Cotton growing developed in Egypt in the 1860s when the Civil War disrupted cotton exports from southern states.

Q.S.S.S.A.
Q: Based on the fact Egypt was ruled by so different countries through its history, how do you think this affected the overall development of Egypt’s culture, customs, government, and history in general?
Stem: “I think this affected the overall development of Egypt’s culture, customs, government, and history in general by…..”
Signal: Thumbs up
Share: Elbow partner
Answer: Random selection
Write: Your partner’s answer on your notes page. Do you agree with their answer? Why or why not?

Day 2

• Longest river in the world ( 4,160 miles )
• Yearly floods deposit tons of silt in the river valley that makes soil black and fertile.
• In order to control flood waters, they built irrigation canals to carry water to lands less affected by floods for crops.
• Irrigation made farming in the desert possible and gave people a way to adapt and survive.
• The Nile made it possible for Egyptians living in distant places to come together (transportation, economic, & cultural corridor).

• Construction (1956-1971)
• Purpose: control the flooding of the Nile
• The dam gave the Egyptian farmers a more dependable source of water for their crops, allowed for year-round crops.
• Also, gave Egypt electrical power and made fishing an important industry.
• Overall, the building of the dam had a significant political and economic impact on the surrounding areas.

Question: What type of impact can a major project like the
Aswan High Dam have on the economy or social aspects of a country like Egypt?
Stem: “One way the Aswan High Dam is impacting Egypt’s economy or social aspects is …..”
Partner A: “One way the Aswan High Dam is impacting Egypt’s economy or social aspects is …..”
Partner B: “One way the Aswan High Dam is impacting Egypt’s economy or social aspects is …..”

G.D.P. in the Middle East
Question: Based on the chart below, which country invests the most in its people?
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
Isreal
GDP (in billions) Per Capita GDP
552
340
140
$7,900
$12,900
$22,000
Literacy rate
87%
74%
95%
Life Expectancy
(in yrs.)
70
77
76
Stem: Based on the chart, the country that invests the most in its people is ……..
I know this because…..
Partner A: Based on the chart, the country that invests the most in its people is…
I know this because…..
Partner B: Based on the chart, the country that invests the most in its people is…
I know this because…..

The Middle East (Ottoman Empire)
• When WWI
, the history of modern
Southwest Asia and North Africa began.
• After WWI, most of the land (Ottoman
Empire) was divided among Great Britain and
• This set the stage for major conflicts over land, resources, and religion that

A country’s culture and beliefs are defined by its cultural characteristics:
Food - Kabsa
Religion - Koran
Language Arabic
Architecture Mosque

What is Monotheism?
R It is pronounced Mon-o-thee-is-m
(Read & Process) Say it with me: Monotheism
It means the belief in one god.
It is used: To describe a religion that believes in
E one god who created everything.
(Explain)
D It is related to the word: polytheism
(Deeper Understanding)

Mosque Cathedral
Bible Torah
Israel
Hijabs
(headcovering
)

• 1. Religions : 3 major (Judaism,
Christianity, Islam)
• 2. Cosmetics -used as early as
4000B.C., used plants and powdered minerals
• 3. Writing = Mesopotamians developed a system of writing,
Egyptians = hieroglyphics

4.
Banking : Ancient Mesopotamia
• 5. Lever - used to move heavy rocks, Egyptians use a shad
(lever=one side, bucket=other) to lift water from canals

Q.S.S.S.A.
Question: Describe one Ancient Egyptian legacy that we still use today.
Stem: “One Ancients Egyptian legacy that we still use today is ...”
Signal: Thumbs up
Share: Elbow partner
Answer: Random selection
Write: On your notes page, write about the legacy that your partner described to you.

Day 3

• Ethnic groups differing of opinions on whether to accept religious leaders as political leaders.
• Conflicts , sometimes armed, between ethnic groups due to language , customs, resources , and territory.
• Nationalism - some ethic groups wanting a country of their own instead of being part of a multi–ethnic nation.
• Fundamentalism - Muslim fundamentals feel Islam should be strictly observed. Others believe in a more western philosophy.
• Recent wars
• Iran-Iraq War (lasted 8 yrs., 1 million dead, solders as young as 11, cease fire signed in 1988)
• Persian Gulf War (1990)

• After WWI, Great Britain controlled Palestine
(Arab land inhabited by Jews 2,000 years earlier)
• Since the 1800’s, Jews have migrated to Palestine to escape persecution . The Arabs living there did not what Palestine to become a Jewish state
• In 1947 the United Nations divided Palestine
• ( 1 part = Jews & 1 part = Palestine's)
• 1948, Jewish leaders declared Israel an independent state causing Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon to declare war on Israel starting the Arab-Israeli Wars

1. Palestine Refugees – 700,000 Palestinian Arabs had to leave their homes and are refuges living in other Arab countries. Eventually formed the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in hopes of establishing an independent Palestine state
2. Continuing Conflict-1967-1973 Israel won the 3 rd and 4 th Arab-Israeli
Wars. Conflicts continue and territory has passed back and forth between the two countries
3. Attempts at Peace- 1979- Egypt 1st Arab country to make peace with
Israel, 1993- Israel & PLO signed an agreement (PLO recognized Israel's right to exist & Israel gave back territory

Stem: “Religion and nationalism has shaped the development of the Middle East by …..”
Religion and nationalism has shaped the development of the Middle East by …..”
Religion and nationalism has shaped the development of the Middle East by…..”

• Women have different roles depending on their region.
• In most countries, males have the most political and economic power.
• Turkey , Jordan , Egypt = women are well educated, hold important positions in business, politics, military.
• Saudi Arabia = women have fewer rights, can’t attend gatherings without men, forbidden to drive cars, allowed 1 husband, and few women work outside the home.
• Israel = women are encouraged to work outside the home and must serve at least 1 year in military.

Q.S.S.S.A.
Question: How are the roles of women different between the US and the Middle East?
Stem: “The roles of women are different between the U.S. and the Middle East because…..”
Signal: Stand up
Share: Elbow partner
Answer: Random selection
Write: On your notes page, write down whether you agree with how Middle Eastern women are treated.

• Discovered in 1908 in Khuzestan (Iran)
• 40% of the world’s oil comes out of the Middle East (mainly Saudi
Arabia, Iran, Kuwait)
• Some countries depend on oil (main commodity) as a primary source of income
• The need for oil in the world has given the countries of the Middle
East a lot of economic and political power
• The governments of the Middle East nations try to control the price and amount of oil that is produced in their region
• These large petroleum deposits have been a major contributor to the development of oil refineries in that part of the world
• Foreign countries have made agreements to build and run companies to develop the oil fields

OPEC
• After WWI, many nations chose to nationalize (the government takes over) the running of their oil industries
• 1960Four countries (Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait) joined
Venezuela to form OPEC
• OPEC decides the price and amount of oil produced in each country each year.
• Due to the scarcity of oil in the world, Middle Eastern countries have developed oil as their main trading commodity and gain a lot of political power.

Question: How has the discovery of oil in the Middle
East in 1908 shaped the development of the oilproducing country’s economies?
Stem: “The discovery of oil in 1908 shaped the economies of oil-producing countries of the Middle East by …..”
Partner A: “The discovery of oil in 1908 shaped the economies of oil-producing countries of the Middle East by …..”
Partner B: “The discovery of oil in 1908 shaped the economies of oil-producing countries of the Middle East by …..”