In an attempt to create a unified nation with one language and religion the Turkish Empire, otherwise known as the Ottoman Empire, caused the systematic destruction of over 1.5 million minorities living in Turkey during WWI, throughout the years 1915 to 1917 . The ethnic cleansing of these minorities is known as the Armenian Genocide and included the Assyrians, Pontian, Anatolian Greeks, and the Armenian minorities ( “The Armenian Genocide”, 2015).
For about three thousand years the Armenian people had a made a home for themselves in Eurasia. For some of that time the kingdom was a self governed area but, generally, control of the land moved starting with one realm then onto the next. Amid the fifteenth century, Armenia was consumed into the Ottoman Empire. The rulers of the Ottoman Empire were muslim and highly prejudiced against non-muslims and considered them to be second-class citizens. Non-muslims, such as the Armenians who were Christian, were required to pay higher taxes than muslims and had fewer political and legal rights. Despite all of these obstacles, the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire managed to thrive and were often wealthier than their Turkish counterparts. Over time, resentment for the …show more content…
This incident caused half the city to be in ruins and almost 30 000 Armenians killed. Soon after this crime a movement of “Pan-Turkism”, a movement with the aim of unifying all Turks in culture, politics. and religion, had emerged. This movement, along with the loss of the Empire’s land (the Balkans), and the weakening of it’s borders fueled further hate for the Armenians. Therefore, when the empire was defeated by the Russians during the first World War the Armenians were, once again, blamed for the military losses and used as a
For about three thousand years the Armenian people had a made a home for themselves in Eurasia. For some of that time the kingdom was a self governed area but, generally, control of the land moved starting with one realm then onto the next. Amid the fifteenth century, Armenia was consumed into the Ottoman Empire. The rulers of the Ottoman Empire were muslim and highly prejudiced against non-muslims and considered them to be second-class citizens. Non-muslims, such as the Armenians who were Christian, were required to pay higher taxes than muslims and had fewer political and legal rights. Despite all of these obstacles, the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire managed to thrive and were often wealthier than their Turkish counterparts. Over time, resentment for the …show more content…
This incident caused half the city to be in ruins and almost 30 000 Armenians killed. Soon after this crime a movement of “Pan-Turkism”, a movement with the aim of unifying all Turks in culture, politics. and religion, had emerged. This movement, along with the loss of the Empire’s land (the Balkans), and the weakening of it’s borders fueled further hate for the Armenians. Therefore, when the empire was defeated by the Russians during the first World War the Armenians were, once again, blamed for the military losses and used as a