Why is Mesopotamia called the “Cradle of Civilization”?
It was the birthplace of the world’s first urban, literate societies
What are the names of the two rivers that encompass Mesopotamia?
The Tigris and the Euphrates
What are the present-day countries that make up the location of the Fertile Crescent? What two important rivers run through the Fertile Crescent?
Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, southeastern Turkey, and western Iran. The two primary rivers that run through the heart of the region are the Tigris and Euphrates
What was the first writing system invented by the Sumerians called? Why was writing one of the most significant advancements in history?
Sumerian civilization called the first form of writing, cuneiform. Writing allowed information to last with time like records, traditions, to not be forgotten.
Most houses in Mesopotamia were clustered around what? Why is that significant?
They where clustered around their high temple, placing the residence close to the spiritual sight. This building also gave shading for the heat and a city-state lifestlye, closer to the cities life again.
Why is the Nile River Delta so important to early civilizations of the Middle East?
The common flooding provides the land with rich silt, making farming a large-scale farming area, vital for transportation and trade. They also used grain as a source of payment or income.
What factors make the Middle East a region and not a continent?
It’s a human-made area not containing a massive geological separation, which is required to be a geographical continent.
Be able to identify and explain all of the geographic landforms that make up the region of the Middle East. (Hint: think landforms, water systems, natural resources, and climate)
Desert- vastly arid, rocky, and sandy desert. (Aradian desert, Syrina desert, Dash-e Kavir, and Dash-e Lut (Iran))
mountains - natural barriers, provide rainfall and resources. ( Zagros, Taurus, Ponic, eldurz, hijaz, and Asir Mountains)
Natural resources- (oil and natural gas) are the most common, holding lots of the world’s petroleum reserves
climate - (arid, semi-arid) mediterranean( hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters) along mediterranean coast.
Why is the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser so important to the region?
The dam provides flood control and lots of hydroelectric power, and it secures the nation’s water resources, providing extensive agricultural output.
How much of the world’s oil reserves and natural gas comes from the Middle East? Which countries are the top producers?
29–32% of global daily oil, while possessing over 40% of the
world’s natural gas reserves.Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, the United Arab,
Emirates (UAE), and Kuwait
What is the difference between a desert and a steppe climate?
The amount of participation the area receives. Steppe areas have a higher rainfall, being in a semi-arid climate, while deserts are categorized as having an arid climate.
How might water scarcity in the Middle East create political tensions within the region?
Water scarcity could act as a trigger for conflict
As a “crossroads” of three continents, the region has a wide range of ethnically and culturally diverse peoples. What impacts might that have?
The wide range of cultures throughout this region causes decades-long
fights between them.
Who was the Prophet Muhammad?
The founder of Islam and their leader.
Explain the significance of Mecca, the Qur’an, Media, Jerusalem, and the Ka’ba to the Islamic faith.
Mecca -the most holy city in Islam, the birthplace of Muhammad
Madena- city of the profit
Jerusalem - where Mohammad ascended into heaven ( also home to the Dome of the Rock mosque)
What are the 5 Pillars of Islam?
1.) One god (Allah)
2.) Should pray 5 times a day ( pray on mat, low to the ground)
3.)Giving back to the poor ( give 25% of income to the poor)
4.)Make a pilgrimage to Mecca ( at least one time in life/male)
5.)Fasting, refraining from eating during daylight in the month of Ramadan
What are the major differences between Sunni Muslims and Shi’a Muslims?
Sunni Muslims believe the caliph should be elected, while Shi’is believe the ruler should be a blood descendant.
What are the origins and the beliefs of Judaism? What is the name of the Jewish holy book?
The Jewish holy book is called the Torah. The jewish belive in one god, and traditionally pray 3 times a day, originating in the Middle East
What are the origins and the beliefs of Christianity? What is the name of the Christian holy book?
The holy book is called the Bible, and their main beliefs are to believe in one god, and eternal life with god. Christians believe that juesus was the Messiah God said would come to save them.
What are some of the similarities or shared beliefs between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam?
Believing in one god, even if they are different gods, and praying. All of the religions have a time for fasting, even if they are shown differently.
What is Zionism?
supports the self-determination of the Jewish people and the creation of a sovereign Jewish state in their ancestral homeland, Zion
What caused the Arab Revolts (1916) and what role it play in the Arab-Israeli Conflict?
the british put a spy into in withthe civilians and roused them up for a uprising against the ottoman empire. the british promested pland that they didnt up hold and they supplied wepons and money for the arads while they where fighting.
What is the Sykes-Picot Agreement, and what role did it play in the Arab-Israeli Conflict?
A secret pact between Britain and France. It disregarded Arab independence promises and drew borders, such as the “Sykes-Picot line,” that ignored ethnic and religious realities.
Define the Balfour Declaration and the role it played in the Arab-Israeli Conflict.
It was a British pledge supporting a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. It aimed to secure Jewish support for the Allies in WWI, but acted as a foundational cause of the Arab-Israeli conflict by creating competing commitments
