Chapter 32 Introducing Southwest Asia

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Chapter 32 Introducing Southwest Asia

• II. HISTORICAL AND HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

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A. Historical geography

• The worlds first civilizations developed in the
  Fertile Crescent

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A. Historical geography

• The Fertile Crescent is an area from the Med
  Sea, through the plains of the Tigris and
  Euphrates rivers, to the Persian Gulf

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A. Historical geography

• The ancient name was Mesopotamia

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A. Historical geography

• From 3500 BC to 600 BC many great civilizations
  developed in SW Asia

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A. Historical geography

• Sumerians developed the wheel (3500 BC) and a
  written language called cuneiform (3200 BC)

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A. Historical geography

• Phoenician merchants established a large trading
  network by 2500 BC

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A. Historical geography

• The Hittites developed iron weapon and chariots
  about 2200 BC

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A. Historical geography

• After 600 BC most of the region was controlled by
  one empire after another

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A. Historical geography

• By 800 AD, Muslim armies had conquered most of SW
  Asia

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A. Historical geography

• The leader Osman founded the Ottoman Empire in
  Turkey about 1300 AD

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A. Historical geography

• In 1453, the Ottomans captured Constantinople
  (Istanbul) and made it their capital

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A. Historical geography

• The Empire reached its peak in the 1600s and
  controlled SW Asia, northern Africa, and parts of
  Europe

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A. Historical geography

• The Ottoman Empire declined in the 18th and 19th
  centuries and collapsed at the end of World War I

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A. Historical geography

• Many parts of the former Empire became colonies
  of France, Britain, and Italy

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A. Historical geography

• Europeans were interested in the natural
  resources and in protecting transportation routes

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A. Historical geography

• Most of the countries of SW Asia have gained
  independence during the past 60 years

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A. Historical geography

• Leadership of these countries varies from
  traditional kings, sheiks, and emirs to dictators

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A. Historical geography

• There are few democracies

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B. Religion

• Three major world religions originated in SW Asia

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B. Religion

• Judaism - appeared in a region called Palestine
  between 3500 BC and 600 BC

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B. Religion

• It was the first major religion to believe in a
  single god (monotheism)

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B. Religion

• Christianity - developed out of Judaism and
  spread during the Roman era

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B. Religion

• It was founded on the teachings of Jesus Christ,
  whom Christians believed was the son of God

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B. Religion

• The Eastern Orthodox Church is based in
• Constantinople, and the Roman Catholic Church is
  based in Rome

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B. Religion

• In the 1500s, European Christians (Protestants)
  broke away from the Roman Catholic Church

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B. Religion

• Today, Christianity is the dominant religion of
  the Western Hemisphere

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B. Religion

• Islam - was founded by Muhammad, who lived from
  AD 570 to 632

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B. Religion

• Muhammad was born in Mecca and later fled to
  Medina (both in Saudi Arabia)

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B. Religion

• Muhammad was visited by the angel Gabriel who
  told to preach religion to the Arabs

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B. Religion

• Followers of Islam (submission) are called
  Muslims (one who submits)

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B. Religion

• Muslims believe in one god, Allah, and share many
  traditions of Judaism and Christianity

Allah in Arabic
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B. Religion

• The Quran (Koran) is Islams sacred book and
  contains the words Muhammad received from Allah

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B. Religion

• Islam is the unifying culture trait of SW Asia

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B. Religion

• Islam split into two major groups due to
  questions of leadership the Sunni and the
  Shiite (or Shia)

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B. Religion

• Islamic fundamentalism has grown in SW Asia a
  rejection of Western culture and secularism

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C. Culture and conflict

• Arabs are the dominant group except in Turkey,
  Israel, Iran, and Afghanistan, and Cyprus

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C. Culture and conflict

• Nearly all Arabs are Muslims, but not all Muslims
  are Arabs

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C. Culture and conflict

• While the Turks and Iranians are Muslim, they
  have distinct non-Arab histories and cultures

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
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C. Culture and conflict

• The Jews in Israel are another important group in
  the region

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C. Culture and conflict

• The Jewish state of Israel was formed in 1948 and
  Jews from around the world began moving there

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C. Culture and conflict

• The struggle between Israelis and Arabs over the
  land has led to several wars and is source of
  conflict

First Arab-Israeli War , 15 May 1948 Suez
campaign , 29 Oct - 4 Nov 1956 Six-Days war ,
5-10 June 1967 October War , 6-24 Oct
1973 Lebanon invasion , 1982 Intifada , 1987 -
1991
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C. Culture and conflict

• There are also many ethnic and religious
  minorities living in SW Asia

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C. Culture and conflict

• Minorities include
• Christians in Lebanon
• Zoroastrians in Iran
• Kurds in Iraq, Iran, and Turkey
• Bedouins roaming the deserts

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D. Issues

• The Arab-Israeli conflict and the war in Iraq
  dominate SW Asia

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D. Issues

• Islamic fundamentalists threaten the security of
  the region

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D. Issues

• Population growth is a major challenge

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D. Issues

• Water resources are limited and conflicts over it
  are growing

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D. Issues

• Oil resources are critical for the world economy
  and could be threatened by instability