“THE SHIFTING SANDS: A HISTORY

OF THE MIDDLE EAST”

(A video of the Middle East)

1. Man began recording history along which two rivers that make up the land of Mesopotamia?The two rivers that make up the land of Mesopotamia are the Tigris River and the Euphrates River.

2. Around 3000 B. C., southern Iraq was called Sumer. Sumaritans are the ancestors of which people today?Sumaritans are the ancestors of the Arabs and the Jews.

3. What did the Sumaritans build or invent?The Sumaritans built or invented a metropolis, a writing system, irrigation systems, the plow, and the wheel.

4. What was Hammurabi’s Code of Law?Hammurabi’s Code of Law was the modern ideas of law for rulers and the people.

5. Why were the Babylonians the first astronomers?The Babylonians developed a system of measuring time and distance in a free economy.

6. How much did the stone blocks weigh on the pyramids in Giza?The stone blocks on the pyramids in Giza weighed about 15 tons each.

7. Why did the war begin in Mesopotamia?War began in Mesopotamia for a few thousand square miles of land or for control of trade routes throughout the Persian Gulf.

8. What new technologies revolutionized warfare between the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians?New technologies included the chariot, bronze, and iron.

9. What outside forces dominated the Middle East for a millennium?The Greeks and Romans were the outside forces who dominated the Middle East for a millennium.

10. Who did the Jews trace their ancestry back to?The Jews traced their ancestry back to Abraham and the Old Testament.

11. After a thousand years in Jerusalem, who drove the Jews out of Jerusalem and when?After a thousand years in Jerusalem, the Romans drove the Jews out of Jerusalem in 135 A. D.

12. With the birth and ministry of Jesus, who has become the largest religious group on earth?Christianity has become the largest religious group on earth with the birth and ministry of Jesus.

13. With its foundations from both Judaism and Christianity, what is the most dominant religion in the Middle East?Islam is the most dominant religion in the Middle East.

14. Name the two competing groups Islam split into.The two competing groups that Islam split into were the Shi’ite Muslims and the Sunni Muslims.

15. When did the rise of Islam occur?The rise of Islam occurred in the 7th Century A. D.

16. Name some of the armies that began their conquest across the Middle East beginning in the 4th century B. C.Some of the armies were Alexander the Great, the Turkish Tribes, The Crusaders, the Mongols, and the Ghanghis Kahn.

17. When did the Suez Canal open and which country opened it?The Suez Canal was opened in 1869 by France.

18. Which European countries had a secret deal to carve a map of the Middle East during World War I?(London) The British and the French (Great Britain and France) had a secret deal to carve a map of the Middle East during World War I.

19. In making the map of the Middle East, which country wanted to create a buffer zone to keep other European countries away from India?Great Britain (the British) wanted to create a buffer zone to keep other European countries away from India.

20. Name the 1917 Declaration that created Palestine as the Jewish homeland after nearly 2000 years since their removal by the Romans.The Balfour Declaration is the 1917 Declaration that created Palestine as the Jewish homeland after being removed by the Romans after nearly 2000 years.

21. Two years after World War II, the League of Nations mandated Palestine to Great Britain. By 1936, how many Jews fled to Palestine from Nazi Germany?By 1936, nearly 280,000 Jews fled Nazi Germany to go to Palestine.

22. Enormity of the Holocaust and the development of Zionism into a vibrant nationalism, are the two things that greatly increased Jewish sympathy for claims to a homeland.

23. What was the result of the 1946 Special Session of the U. N. General Assembly as requested by the British?The result of the 1946 Special Session of the U. N. General Assembly was the partition of Palestine into two separate states, Arab and Jewish, both west of the Jordan River, by a vote of 33 to 13.

24. To prevent Soviet influence in Palestine, which country stepped in as mediators in 1947?The United States stepped in as mediators to prevent Soviet influence in Palestine in 1947.

25. What happened on May 14, 1948?Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948.

26. Usually, independence means freedom, but Israel has yet to experience real freedom. Name 3 other wars, battles, or disputes Israel has been involved with.Israel has been involved in wars, battles, or disputes with Jordan, Syria, Iran, and Egypt.

27. What year did Saddam take control in Iraq?Saddam Hussein took control in Iraq in 1979.

28. The Camp David Accords were signed in an effort to make peace between Egypt and Israel. What did the accords include?The accords included the evacuation of the Sinai Peninsula and Israeli ships through the Suez Canal.

29. The Arab world was stunned by the accord. What happened to Egypt as a result?Egypt’s membership from the Arab League was suspended and strained diplomatic relations for ten years.

30. In 1980, Khamenei took control in Iran and referred to the United States as “The Great Satan.”

31. In 1979, Iran held 52 American Diplomats hostage for 444 days.

32. In September 1980, Saddam gave orders to attack Iran. How long did this war last and who negotiated the cease-fire?The war lasted until 1988 and the United Nations “U. N.” negotiated the cease-fire.

33. What kind of weapon did Saddam use against rebellious Kurds in Northern Iraq and how many were killed?Chemical weapons were used and 5,000 people were killed.

34. With the belief that British Imperialism had stolen Kuwait from Iraq, when did he order his military machines to invade Kuwait?Saddam Hussein ordered his military machines to invade Kuwait on August 2, 1990.

35. Which Arab country appealed to the United States for help in fear of being invaded next?Saudi Arabia appealed to the United States for help in fear of being invaded next.

36. The U. S. went to the U. N. and what actions did they propose?The U. S. demanded Iraq to withdraw, demanded economic sanctions, and authorized military action on January 16, 1991.

37. When and why was OPEC founded?OPEC was founded in 1960 to control oil production over the United States, the Dutch, and British companies.

38. During the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, Arab countries cut oil production and imposed a total embargo of oil against the United States and the Netherlands. What happened in the United States as a result of this embargo?The United States went into oil shock, heating and driving costs went up, the national debt went up, and there were long lines at the gas pumps in the United States during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War.

39. Which 3 Middle Eastern leaders have used oil money to buy, manipulate, threaten, and coerce weapons on the international arms market?The 3 Middle Eastern leaders that have used oil money are Saddam Hussein, The Shah of Iran, and Khadafi.

40. How did Saddam use Kuwait’s oil fields as environmental terrorism?They sabotaged pipelines to pollute waters of the gulf, set more than 500 oil wells on fire, thus losing 6 million barrels of oil per day.

41. The guns have awakened once again. Give current examples of Saddam’s quest to be the ultimate power. Think about events of the past couple of years in Iraq.Limited U. N. weapons inspections lead to speculation that Iraq was hiding illegal weapons of mass destruction; thus, the Iraqui War was initiated by the United States.