Middle East History

Front 1

632

Back 1

Muhammad dies; Abu Bakr becomes first Caliph

Front 2

1798

Back 2

French occupation of Egypt under Napoleon

Front 3

1918

Back 3

WWI ends. Ottoman Empire defeated

Front 4

1948

Back 4

Britain gives Israel independence, but first Arab-Israeli war then follows

Front 5

1967

Back 5

The Six Day war, won by Israel. Israel captured the West Bank and Gaza Strip from Egypt and Jordan.

Front 6

1973

Back 6

The Yom Kippur War: Israel wins but Egypt regains face.

Front 7

1979

Back 7

a) Overthrow of the Shah of Iran and the beginning of the Islamic Republic
b) Egypt-Israel Peace treaty (still in force); Saddam Hussein President of Iraq

Front 8

1982

Back 8

Israel invades Lebanon, Phalangists massacre civilians in Sabra and Chatilla

Front 9

1994

Back 9

Jordan/Israel Peace Treaty (still in force today)

Front 10

Abbasid Caliphate

Back 10

The third of the Islamic Caliphates of the Arab Empire. The Caliphate is one of the high points of Islam, and at the time Muslim civilization was one of the most developed parts of the world. Ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of Caliphs, who built ther capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphs. Flourished for two centuries but slowlu went into decline with the rise to power of the Turkish army it creadted, the Mamluks.

Front 11

Allah

Back 11

God with a capital G

Front 12

Anwar Sadat

Back 12

Third president of Egypt. Signed Arab/Israeli peace accord

Front 13

Kemal Ataturk

Back 13

Founder and President of the Republic of Turkey. Fall of Ottomans allowed him to seize power in Turkey and embark on a program of modernization and secularization. Abolished the Caliphite, emancipated women, enforced western dress and the use of Turkish

Front 14

Balfour Declaration

Back 14

British agreement of establishment in Palestine of a national home for Jewish people. British claimed to use their best endeavors to facilitate this without prejudicing the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine.

Front 15

Call to Prayer (Adhan)

Back 15

The Islamic call to prayer, recited by the Muezzin in the mosque five times a day summoning Muslims to line up for the beginning of the prayers.

Front 16

Crusades

Back 16

A series of religion-driven military campaigns waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents. Fought mainly against Muslims. Goal was to recapture Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslim rule.

Front 17

David Ben-Gurion

Back 17

First Prime Minister of Israel. Had a passion for Zionism. Founded the state of Israel.

Front 18

Rise and spread of Islam

Back 18

Rapid spread of culture and religion after Muhammad's death.

Front 19

First Intifada

Back 19

Mass Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule that began in the Jabalia refugee camp and quickly spread throughout Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.1,100 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces and 160 Israelis were killed by Palestinians. An additional 1,000 Palestinians were killed by Palestinians as alleged collaborators.

Front 20

Gamal Abd Al-Nasser

Back 20

Second president of Egypt. Played a major role in founding the Palestine Liberation Organization. Seen as a symbol of Arab dignity and freedom

Front 21

Five Pillars of Islam

Back 21

Profession of faith, Ritual Prayer, Almsgiving, Fasting during Ramadan, Pilgrimage to Mecca

Front 22

Greater Syria

Back 22

Area in the region bordering the Eastern Mediterranean Sea consisting of Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, and Alexandretta

Front 23

Hijra

Back 23

The flight of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in AD 622

Front 24

Jihad

Back 24

A personal or military struggle. Usually used to describe an Islamic holy war against unbelievers

Front 25

King Hussein

Back 25

King of Jordan. Claims a line of descent from the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

Front 26

Mandates

Back 26

Mandate system of French and British control, sanctioned by the new League of Nations. Syria and Lebanon went to the French. British took over Palestine and three Ottoman provinces of Mesopotamia and created modern-day Iraq. Soon after the war, Arab resistance movements emerged

Front 27

Mecca

Back 27

City in Saudi Arabia. Holiest city in Islam and plays an important role in the faith. Annual Hajj pilgrimage attracts millions each year. Islamic tradition attributes the beginning of this city to Ishmael's descendants. Muhammad proclaimed Islam in the city

Front 28

Medina

Back 28

City in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia. Is the second holiest city in Islam and is the burial place of Muhammad. Historically significant for being Muhammad's home after the Hijra

Front 29

Menachem Begin

Back 29

6th Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Played a central role in Jewish resistance to the British Mandate of Palestine. Signed a Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel.

Front 30

Ottoman Empire

Back 30

Empire that lasted from 1299-1923. Succeeded by the Republic of Turkey. Spanned three continents, controlling much of Southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa

Front 31

Qur'an

Back 31

Central religious text of Islam. Muslims believe the this to be the book of the divine guidance and direction for mankind, and consider the original Arabic text to be the final revelation of God. Islam holds it was revealed to Muhammad by the angel Jibril.

Front 32

Recitation

Back 32

Repetition of what has been said before. Form of religious practice in which prayers are spoken or performed. Ex. The Salaah in Islam

Front 33

Chanting

Back 33

Diverse spiritual traditions consider chant a route to spiritual development.

Front 34

Cantillation

Back 34

ritual chanting of readings from a bible.

Front 35

Reza Shah

Back 35

Shah of Iran until forced to abdicate by the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran. Overthrew Ahmad Shah Qajar and founded the Pahlavi Dynasty

Front 36

Safavid

Back 36

An Iranian Shia dynasty of mixed Azeri and Kurdish origins which ruled Persia from 1501 to 1722. Established the greatest Iranian Empire since the Islamic conquest of Persia. Established controll over all of Persia and reasserted the Iranian identity of the region. Left their mark by spreading Shi'a Islam in major parts of the Caucasus and West Asia, especially Iran

Front 37

Second Intifada

Back 37

Second Palestinian uprising, a period of intensified Palestinian-Israeli violence. Death toll estimated over 6,300 Palestinians and 1,000 Israelis, and 66 foreign citizens. Ariel Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount was most likely the spark that started it

Front 38

Shia Islam

Back 38

The second largest denomination of Islam. Attribute themselves to the Qur'an and teachings of the final Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, and in contrast to other Muslims, believe that his family, including his descendants, know as Imams, have special spiritual and political rule over the community. They believe Muhammad's cousin and son in law was the first of these Imams and was the rightful successor to Muhammad and thus reject the legitimacy of the first three Rashidun Caliphs.

Front 39

Shimon Perez

Back 39

9th and current President of the State of Israel. Served twice as Prime Minister of Israel. Won Nobel Peace Prize for the peace talks producing the Oslo Accords

Front 40

Sufi

Back 40

The inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A science through which one can know how to travel into the presence of the Divine, purify one’s inner self from filth, and beautify it with a variety of praiseworthy traits.

Front 41

Sunni Islam

Back 41

Largest denomination of Islam. Also known as “people of the example of Muhammad and the community”

Front 42

Transliteration

Back 42

Practice of transcribing a word or text written in one writing system into another system of rules.

Front 43

Umayyad Caliphate

Back 43

Second of the four Arab Caliphates established after the death of Muhammad.

Front 44

Yasir Arafat

Back 44

Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, President of the Palestinian National Authority, and leader of the secular Fatah political party. Originally opposed to Israel's existence, modified his position when he accepted UN Security Council Resolution 242.

Front 45

Yitzhak Rabin

Back 45

5th Prime Minister of Israel. Won the Nobel Peace Prize. Assassinated by right-wing Israeli radical Yigal Amir, who opposed the signing of the Oslo Accords.

Front 46

Zionism

Back 46

An international political movement that originally supported the reestablishment of a homeland for the Jewish People in the historic Land of Israel, later on called Palestine, and continues primarily as support for the modern state of Israel. Partly based upon historical ties and religious traditions linking the Jewish people to the Land of Israel (region which, according to the Hebrew Bible, was promised by God to the descendants of Abraham through his son Isaac) where the concept of Jewish nationhood first evolved.

Front 47

Zoroastrianism

Back 47

Religion and philosophy based on the teachings ascribed to the prophet Zoroaster. The worship of Ahura Maza, exalted by Zoroaster as the supreme divine authority.