• Shuffle
    Toggle On
    Toggle Off
  • Alphabetize
    Toggle On
    Toggle Off
  • Front First
    Toggle On
    Toggle Off
  • Both Sides
    Toggle On
    Toggle Off
  • Read
    Toggle On
    Toggle Off
Reading...
Front

Card Range To Study

through

image

Play button

image

Play button

image

Progress

1/235

Click to flip

Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;

Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;

H to show hint;

A reads text to speech;

235 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
terms used to describe North Africa and Southwest Asia realm
desert, which is not entirely correct. Also, "Arab World" and "Middle East."
True or False all inhabitants of Middle East are Muslim and Arab
False As with all other realms, there is a great diversity in the Middle East of cultures, ethnicities, and religions.
True or False the entire Middle East is a desert.
False. Simply put, this is not the case. there are many different climates.
True or False Regarding religion, most of the inhabitants of the Middle East are Muslim.
True, However, there are sizeable Jewish and Christian populations.
True or False Regarding language, Arabic is most widely spoken
True. However, there are many other very common languages. Most Israelis, for example, speak Hebrew and English. Most Iranians speak Persian­based languages, and the Turks speak Turkish.
Much of the Middle East is arid, and vast stretches of land are
uninhabitable desert.
True or False most of the people in the Middle East do not live in the desert regions
True. Rather, they choose to live in the river valleys and along the coasts.
Most of the nations of the Middle East were created
during the twentieth century.
True or False many middle east nations are former European colonies
True
Democracy is common in the Middle East
False. The only true democratic states are Israel and Turkey. Other nations are gradually developing democracy. However, authoritarian rule has been the norm in this realm for much of its history.
Which nations is/are monarchies with kings that hold absolute power over the government.
Saudi Arabia and Oman,
which states is/are theocracies, with religious leaders controlling the government,
Iran
True or False Economically, the nations of the Middle East are poor
False but most are not first­tier states.
Much of the Middle East is rich in
petroleum, and thus oil exports play a key role in the economies of many Middle Eastern countries.
The most significant conflict in the Middle East centers on the role of
Israel and its place in the realm.
Israel was created in
1948 as a Jewish homeland
Other conflicts in the Middle East have centered on
religious and territorial disputes among the various nations.
The Middle East was home to two very important early civilizations:
Egypt and Mesopotamia. In both cases ancient people established civilizations along fertile river valleys.
In Egypt, the people settled along
the Nile River.
In Mesopotamia the people settled along
the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
considered by many to be the greatest of all ancient cultures.
ancient Egypt
in the Middle East the most significant institution is
Islam, and its emergence dramatically transformed the Middle East.
Islam was founded by
Mohammed (571­632)
Islam was founded in
the early seventh century.
Mohammed lived in
present­day Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed spent much of his early life
traveling in the Middle East,
as a young adult Mohammed settled in
the city of Mecca.
Islamic tradition teaches that Mohammed was visited by
the Biblical angel Gabriel, and was informed that he was God's last and greatest prophet.
Mohammed eventually developed
a devoted following
after some struggle Mohammed conquered
the city of Mecca. The faith surrounding his teachings then spread very quickly.
The holy book of Islam is
the Koran, and it was written by Mohammed.
Mohammed affirmed the legitimacy of
most of the beliefs of Judaism and Christianity.
Mohammed claimed that
Jesus was not the messiah (son of God),
the only significant difference between Islam and Christianity
is the belief that Jesus was a prophet of God.
Islam also recognizes the prophecy of Old Testament figures such as
Abraham and Moses.
the Islamic faith spread very quickly after
Mohammed died.
Much of the spread of the Islamic faith was accomplished by
military force.
Who carried the faith westward across North Africa and into present­day Spain
Islamic armies and missionaries.
The Islamic faith was also carried
eastward across Asia and as far east as present­day Indonesia.
The map on page 350 depicts this spread. Since this time Islam has been a major global religion. Today there are approximately _____ Muslims around the world
one billion
it is the world's fastest growing major religion
Islam.
after Mohammed's death Islam split into two primary factions:
Sunni and Shia. In most cases, these two Islamic groups have coexisted peacefully. However, there have been some violent clashes.
The differences involved
the leadership and some minor scriptural beliefs.
Most of the world's Muslims are
Sunni.
Presently violence between the Sunni and Shia groups is a major problem in
Iraq.
The most prominent Shia nation is
Iran.
In the eighth century a group of Middle Eastern tribes began to work together to expand their influence they were loosely known as
the Turks
The Turks primary rival was
the Byzantine Empire,
The Byzantine Empire existed
in present­day Turkey and Eastern Europe.
Over the centuries the Turks gained territory from the Byzantines, and eventually created
a vast Islamic Empire.
in 1453, the city of Constantinople fell to the Turks and the Byzantine Empire collapsed. This became
the Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire was a major power in both Europe and the Middle East until
the twentieth century.
The Ottoman Empire collapsed
in the 1920s,
The present state of Turkey was created from
the collapse of the Ottoman Empire
Much of the fallen Ottoman Empire’s southern territory comprises
independent states in the Middle East. These include Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon.
Britain became more involved in the Middle East
after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and
many of the present­day Middle East borders were created arbitrarily by
the British government.
What has been the driving economic force in the Middle East Since World War II
oil.
there are several nations in the middle east that have little or no oil reserves, and
must import oil.
The revenues that have been generated from oil sales have enabled many Middle Eastern nations to
build needed infrastructure such as roads, irrigation projects, and schools.
Which middle east nation is presently developing a thriving tourist industry
Dubai.
Who are the primary purchasers of Middle Eastern oil
The advanced western nations such the United States and the nations of western Europe
Most Middle Eastern nations belong to
the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
also OPEC members
Nigeria and Venezuela.
The OPEC nations are able to work together to
regulate the price and supply of petroleum around the world. This is considered by many to be a "cartel" that forces nations such as the United States to pay more for oil than it should. However, OPEC is a powerful economic force in the world, and it presently controls oil prices for the benefit of its member nations.
Before oil was discovered, most of the Middle East was
considered insignificant by the developed nations of the world.
One of the great challenges facing the Middle East is
the advancing of human rights and the rights of women.
much of the middle east is not democratic. The cultures that inhabit the Middle East do not have
a history of democratic traditions.
many of the freedoms that Americans take for granted such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, trial by jury, and equality under the law, are
not practiced in much of the Middle East.
Many Middle East traditionalists resist change, and assert that
social liberalization will undermine their unique culture and introduce problems.
Middle East reformers assert that the Middle East can only become modernized if
its nations adopt democracy and human rights similar to the first­tier nations of the world.
one of the most controversial elements of Middle Eastern culture is
The treatment of women
Many nations in the Middle East have traditionally treated women as
inferior to men.
In the Middle East women are denied
equal education, they are legally required to obey their husbands under all circumstances, and they have little recourse if abused. In some nations women are required by law to cover themselves from head to toe in public.
The attacks of September 11, 2001 were committed by
Middle Eastern terrorists that harbor deep hatred of the United States.
the 9/11 attackers are
arch conservative Islamic fundamentalists that wish to eliminate all elements of western culture from the Middle East
Conservative Islamic fundamentalists seek to
drive out all foreigners from the Middle East, dismantle the oil economy, and enact very draconian and intolerant religious laws. This includes severe repression of civil rights and liberties.
Who was the best known symbol of the conservative Islamic fundamentalist ideology
Osama bin Laden, now deceased
Ultimately the terrorists seek
power for themselves.
Terrorists profess to follow
the teachings of Islam, but their religious views meet their own ends, and do not reflect the beliefs of the mainstream Muslim community.
The overwhelming majority of Muslims reject
conservative Islamic fundamentalists.
Economic prosperity, democracy, education, and the chance to create a good life must become
commonplace in the Middle East.
Terrorism and radical fundamentalism thrives among
the poor and uneducated in the Middle East.
the best way to stop terrorism
is to build prosperity.
Arab spring began in
Iran in 2008,
Additional Arab spring uprisings spread to
Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Qatar, and Syria.
the unifying theme of the "Arab Spring” uprisings has been
a call for democracy and human rights.
Most of the Arab Spring protesters are
younger citizens that are frustrated by lack of economic opportunity.
The Arab Spring movement is
ongoing, and its outcome is still unclear.
several dictatorial regimes have fallen to Arab Spring uprisings, notably in
Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya.
The most violent, and tragic, situation involving the Arab Spring movement involves
Syria, which for more than two years has been embroiled in a brutal civil war. More than one hundred thousand people have died as a result of it
The region of North Africa includes the nations of
Egypt, Sudan, Libya & Tunisia
Egypt is a large nation in
the northeast corner of Africa.
most of the Egyptian people live along
the Nile River.
The Nile River is
the longest river in the world, and it plays a crucial role in Egypt's culture and economy the area along the river is very habitable.
Outside of the fertile Nile Valley most of Egypt is
desert.
Millions of Egyptians live traditional lives as
subsistence farmers. Many of these farmers are poor
In the 1960s the Egyptian government completed
the massive Aswan Dam on the Nile.
The Aswan Dam has
dramatically increased Egypt's food production, and it generates much of Egypt's electricity.
the aswan dam has disrupted the Nile's
natural flood cycles, which has had a significant environmental impact.
The Aswan Dam has also created
Lake Nasser, which is by far the largest reservoir of water in North
Africa Egypt does not produce
much oil
Egypt is a former
British colony, and thus it is closely tied to the west.
What plays a key role in Egypt’s economy
Western tourism.
Egypt has generally been friendly with
the United States.
Since independence Egypt has
held elections, but it has never truly embraced democracy.
Recent uprisings in Egypt led to
an overthrow of the leadership, and Egypt's future is unknown.
As with many Middle Eastern nations, Egypt is heavily divided among Islamic conservatives and reformers. Radical Islamic fundamentalism in Egypt
has a small presence represented by fringe groups
The capital of Egypt is
Cairo
The Sudan is
a transition zone between the Middle East and Subsaharan Africa.
Most Sudanese are
Muslim.
The Sudan has been
a poor nation consisting primarily of subsistence farmers the nation remains impoverished and unstable.
The Political climate in the Sudan is
unstable and civil war has been endemic
During the 1990s large oil reserves were discovered which might change Sudan's
economic structure.
Over the past two years civil war in Sudan has
escalated dramatically
Which region of Western Sudan has experienced extreme violence as a result of escalating civil war with hundreds of thousands of civilians being attacked and killed
Darfur
What has happened earlier this year that could stabilize the nation of Sudan
the fighting ended, and Sudan was peacefully split into two nations.
Libya is a former
French colony that sits west of Egypt.
Libya is a very arid nation with little
industry or economic infrastructure.
True or False Libya has very large petroleum reserves, and the Libyan economy is supported almost entirely by oil export profits.
True
Who is Muammar Gadhafi
a very controversial dictator who ruled Libya since the late 1960s and declared himself to be an enemy of the United States, and staunchly supported radical Islamic militants and was labeled by the U.S. a supporter of terrorism
In what years did Muammar Gadhafi support attacks against the U.S.
In the 1980s he supported several terrorist attacks on Americans abroad
When did the United States retaliated by bombing several Libyan government buildings
in1987. For many years after that incident the United States had an economic embargo against Libya
Earlier this year Libya experienced
a massive popular uprising against Gadhafi.
After several months of fighting Gadhafi was
overthrown and killed
What was the result of Gadhafi’s death and the massive uprising in Libya
A provisional government has been established, and there is presently a plan to introduce democracy
Libya's capital is
Tripoli
Tunisia is
a small nation along the North African coast. It has very close ties to Europe,
the wealthiest of all North African nations is
Tunisia
True or false The Tunisian government is striving to diversify its economy and bring greater prosperity
true
True or False Tunisia was the last nation to overthrow its dictator during this Arab Spring.
False – it was first
Tunisia has recently held elections for
the first time in its history
The capital of Tunisia is
Tunis
Asia Minor: includes the nations of
Turkey Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Israel & Iran to Yemen, and east to Afghanistan.
Iraq is a nation that
sits between the Arabian Peninsula and Turkey
Iran has tremendous
oil reserves
Iran’s economy has been based almost entirely on oil export profits
since World War II
The British created the borders of Iraq during
the 1920s after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
The most recent and infamous dictator to rule Iraq is
Saddam Hussein Hussein took power in Iraq in the late 1970s. He was a brutal megalomaniac, and ruled Iraq with a heavy hand. He murdered anyone perceived as opposing him, and his secret police were guilty of committing many atrocities.
Iraq fought a brutal and senseless war with neighboring Iran
During the 1980s - The war ended in stalemate in 1988.
during the 1980s Hussein was on friendly terms with
the United States. This was due to Hussein's opposition to the Soviet Union and Communism. In other words, Hussein was one of America's Cold War allies.
In what year did Saddam's army invade Kuwait, a very small nation to the south of Iraq
In 1990.
Who drove Hussein’s army out of Kuwait
An international coalition led by the United States
In what decade did the United States sought to isolate Hussein's regime hoping that Saddam would fall from power
the 1990s
This isolation of Husseins regime included
an economic embargo
the United States invaded Iraq and removed Hussein from power
In 2003
the invasion of Iraq was justified by
the belief by then President George W. Bush that Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.
Hussein was eventually
captured, found guilty of murder, and executed. His trial took place in an Iraqi court and was technically independent of U.S. involvement.
After the invasion the United States did or did not find any of the presumed weapons
Did NOT.
With Hussein gone, Iraq
descended into chaos as various ethnic groups fought for power. Thousands of Americans, and tens of thousands of Iraqis, died during this struggle
following the Iraq War most historians and other experts agree
that the decision to invade Iraq represents one of America’s greatest foreign policy mistakes. Although everyone agrees that Saddam Hussein was a terrible leader, the human cost of the war, as well as the estimated one Trillion dollar cost to the American taxpayers, was far more than anyone thought it would be. Additionally, the fact that Hussein did not have any weapons of mass destruction undermines the very reason the United States chose to invade.
Kuwait is
a very small nation that sits on the Persian Gulf between Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
Kuwait has
tremendous oil reserves.
Kuwait's entire economy is based on
oil exports. Kuwait's oil profits have enabled its citizens to enjoy a high standard of living. Kuwait has close ties to the United States.
Kuwait has recently begun
to adopt democracy and social reforms.
Kuwait is ruled by
a monarch
Kuwait has an
elected parliament that shares power.
recently women were permitted to
vote in parliamentary elections. This is a very important step forward for the region, and it is considered very controversial among the Kuwaiti society. Kuwait will likely enact further civil rights reforms in coming years.
Saudi Arabia is
the world's largest single oil producer, and it rests on the Arabian Peninsula.
Saudi Arabia was created
in the years following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire
The Saudi economy is based
almost entirely on oil revenue.
Saudi Arabia is
a monarchy, and the Saudi Royal family controls virtually all aspects of the government and economy. For many years the Saudi leadership has had close ties to the United States. The two nations have been on very friendly terms, and the USA is Saudi Arabia's largest oil customer.
The tremendous income from oil revenue has enabled Saudi Arabia to
modernize much of its infrastructure. Likewise, many of the Saudi citizens enjoy prosperous lifestyles.
True or false Saudi Arabia is a first¬tier nation
False, but Saudis tend to live comfortably.
True or false Saudi oil revenue is a stable form of income
False, and Saudi Arabia has begun to experience fiscal shortages
Politically, Saudi Arabia is
a very conservative Islamic nation and is not a democracy, - its citizens do not enjoy such civil liberties as freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Women do not enjoy the same rights as men, and are often treated as second¬class citizens by American standards. Many Saudis are very concerned that outside cultural influences will threaten the traditional Saudi way of life.
With regards to America, many of Saudi Arabia's Islamic leaders have begun
to preach a fundamentalist doctrine that criticizes America's presence in the kingdom. the people of Saudi Arabia are deeply divided over the issue of America's role in their nation, and the issue of social reform such as democracy and women's equality. For now, this nation remains an ally in the War on Terror, but experts fear the growing influence of Islamic fundamentalists
True or false Several of the perpetrators of the September 11 attacks were Saudi citizens
True including Osama bin Laden
The greatest challenge facing the Middle East is
the status of Israel.
Israel was founded in
1948 as a Jewish homeland.
Israel was formed in response to
the horrors suffered by the Jewish people during World War II.
Israel was created
in a region along the Mediterranean coast known as Palestine.
Prior to the creation of Israel the majority of people in Palestine were
Palestinian, although Jews had been migrating to the region for several decades.
The Palestinians are
Arab Muslims that had lived in Palestine for hundreds of years.
a very large Jewish population had moved to Palestine and the Jewish people declared the formation of Israel By
1948
The creation of a Jewish state in Palestine had earlier been supported by
Britain.
When Israel was created hundreds of thousands of Arab Palestinians were
displaced from their homes, and forced into a region known as the West Bank. Many more migrated to Jordan and other Arab nations.
The Israeli government justified this removal by claiming that
Israel must be predominantly Jewish in order for it to survive.
The Arab nations around Israel rejected
the removal of Arab Palestinians. They condemned the removal of the Palestinians, and they declared the creation of the Israeli government to be illegitimate.
The most vocal opposition to the formation of Israel came from
the Palestinians.
Over the next several decades what nations fought wars with Israel
Jordan, Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon.
In 1967 Israel won a major victory against its enemies, and
annexed the Sinai Peninsula by force from Egypt.
In 1973 Israel won a brief war after being attacked by
its neighbors.
The United States and Israel are
very close allies.
Politically, Israel is
a western¬style democracy
the Israeli people enjoy
first¬tier economic prosperity
The United States gives Israel
several billion dollars per year, much of which is military aid.
The USA has a strong interest in
the security of Israel, and has almost universally supported Israel in its conflicts with its neighbors. Although it is a small nation, Israel has a very strong military.
There are two regions of Palestine today where the majority of Palestinian Muslims live:
the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Millions of Palestinians live in
two regions, and they are, for the most part, impoverished.
Palestinians have few
economic and educational opportunities
In recent years Israel has begun
to build housing settlements in the regions of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which is fiercely opposed by the Arab world.
Israel withdrew from Gaza
In 2005
Israel continues to expand its presence in
the West Bank.
Israel has settlements in the Golan Heights, which has historically been part of
Syria
The Palestinians wish to
create their own independent nation in the West Bank, and accuse Israel of seeking to force them out of the region.
For decades Palestinians have fought against
Israel by committing acts of terrorism. Today the most common forms of attack are suicide bombers that blow up public places such as cafe's and busses.
Suicide bombers are
condemned by The international community
there are many radical Islamic groups that
pledge to destroy Israel. The radical groups often support these acts of terror
The four areas of greatest dispute are:
the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, the Golan Heights, and Jerusalem.
Both Israel and Palestine claim
Jerusalem to be their own.
Another important issue in dispute by Israel and Palestine is
the right of Palestinians that were displaced in 1948 to return.
Israel has already made peace with
Egypt and Jordan.
For many hundreds of years Iran existed as
the Persian Empire
In 1979 Islamic fundamentalists led by the Ayatollah Khomeini overthrew
the Persian government and established Iran as a conservative Islamic nation
Khomeini despised
the United States, and briefly held a number of American embassy workers hostage
the United States and Iran have not had formal diplomatic relations Since
the 1979 revolution.
There is a full trade embargo between
Iran and The United States
The United States accuses Iran of supporting
Islamic terrorists
Iran maintains a staunch
anti¬American propaganda campaign
Economically, Iran has
large oil reserves, and oil revenue constitutes ninety percent of its income
The Iranian government is seeking to
diversify its economy
The people of Iran elect
some of their leaders
the true power in the Iranian government is held by
a group of very conservative Islamic clerics known as mullahs
Turkey was created
after the fall of the Ottoman Empire.
Most Turks are
Muslim
the Turkish government is
secular
True or False Turkey is not a first¬tier economic state
True, but the government is working very hard to diversify its economy and bring greater prosperity.
True or False Turkey is a true democracy
True, and the people of Turkey enjoy many of the same civil rights as western nations.
True or False Turkey is not a strong military ally of the United States
False, Turkey is presently seeking to join the European Union. Such membership would bring great benefits
Afghanistan is/is not truly part of the Middle East
Is not, but it is important to the region.
Afghanistan was created by
Britain and Russia during the nineteenth century.
Geographically, Afghanistan rests
north of Pakistan and east of Iran
the Soviet Union sought to control Afghanistan
During the twentieth century
during the 1980s Afghanistan engaged in
a disastrous military occupation.
The Soviets withdrew in
the late 1980s,
a group of radical Islamic fundamentalists took control of the Afghan government
in the early 1990s Named the "Taliban,"
The Taliban forced the Afghan people to
live by a very intolerant and dogmatic set of Islamic codes. For example, under Taliban rules women were horribly mistreated, and non¬Muslims faced execution
Virtually every nation in the world rejected
the Taliban government
Which nation was the only nation in the world to formally recognize the Taliban as legitimate
Saudi Arabia
Osama bin Laden found the Taliban appealing, and he moved to Afghanistan
in the late 1990s
The Taliban supported Osama Bin Laden, and he used Afghanistan as
a base to launch attacks against the United States. The September 11 attack was one of several that had occurred during these years
After September 11 the United States invaded
Afghanistan and overthrew the Taliban government
The US military remains involved in a fight against
Taliban leaders in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is
a failed state. It has virtually no economic infrastructure and its future is uncertain.