People of the Middle East

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People of the Middle East

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Background

• The Middle East is home to a broad diversity of
  people
  
• Even throughout its history it has been home to
  many peoples
  
• The Arabs make up the majority in several
  countries

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Different ethnic people in the Middle East
according to language
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Arabs

• More the half of the people are Arabs
• Speak Arabic language
• Religion they practice is Islam (90)
  Christianity (10)
  
• Trace their roots to the Arabian Peninsula but
  today live in all countries of the Middle East
  
• Three things that govern their attitude and
  actions
  
• Belief in Islam
• The Arabic language
• The Arabic Culture

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The Saudis

• Saudi Arabia is regarded with deep respect within
  the Muslim world
  
• Birth place of Muhammad
• Site of Mecca and Medina
• Creation of a man whose name the country bears
• King Ibn Saud (1882-1953)
• Saudi royal family still rules the kingdom
• Oil was discovered in 1936 and BOMB area became
  important to the world

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The Egyptians

• The World is fascinated with Egypt due to its
  history
  
• The mummies, pyramids, sphinxes
• In the past was considered to be an ally of the
  United States in the Middle East
  
• Viewed Egypt as a way to make moderate changes in
  the Middle East
  
• First nation to recognize and make peace with
  Israel
  
• One of the most stable nations in the Middle East

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Iranians

• Not Arab Persian
• Most are Muslim (90 are Shia, 10 Sunni)
• Language Persian, or Farsi, an Indo-European
  language that is distantly related to English
  
• Location was Persia now Iran
• Iran means land of the Aryans
• Persian Empire was established in 500 BC
• One of the greatest empires of its time
• 600 AD Arabs invaded the region and established
  Islam
  
• 1979 new gov took over and set up an Islamic
  republic
  
• Took Americans hostage (50 for over a yr)
• War with Iraq in 1980
• Relationship with the United States is strained

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Lebanese

• Descendants from the great sea traders the
  Phoenician
  
• One of the most westernized of the Middle Eastern
  countries
  
• Capital, Beirut, is the Paris of the Middle East
• Made up of Christian, Druze, Sunni and Shiite
  Muslims
  
• Spelled doom
• Its neighbors also cause problems for Lebanon
• Syria and Israel
• Civil Wars took places between 1975-1990
• Still dominated by Syria today
• Israel still upset at Lebanon for harboring
  Hizballah militiamen in their fight against Israel

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Syrians

• Really hate the west
• Sometimes called the Paymaster to worldwide
  terrorist groups
  
• Hizballah, Hamas, Islamic Jihadist
• US believes that the Syrian government is backing
  the Sunni insurgency in Iraq
  
• The Assad ruling dynasty tries to rule with an
  iron fist
  
• But at times its own home grown terrorist
  organization have cause problems for the
  government
  
• The current government might not have a very
  tight grip on its own people

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Turks

• Language Turkish, comes from the Central Asian
  roots
  
• Religion Islam
• Location was Asia minor now Turkey
• 56 million Turks
• First people to live in Asia minor Greeks and
  Hittites
  
• Great city of Constantinople fell to Islam in
  1453
  
• Changed name to Istanbul
• Greatly changed Turkeys future
• Greatly westernized after WWI
• Once thought to be an ally of the United States
• US offered Turkey 6 billion to use military
  bases to attach Iraq
  
• Parliament said no
• Problems in Turkey today
• Upsurge of Islamic terrorism
• The Kurds

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Armenians

• Language Armenian
• Religion Christianity
• Location was Turkey now Turkey, former Soviet
  Union (Republic of Armenia)
  
• Were Christians living in a Muslim country,
  wanted own land
  
• Massacred by Turks during WWI about 1 million

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The Iraqis

• Home of ancient Mesopotamia the cradle of
  civilization
  
• Gave us agriculture and writing
• Made up of Shiite (60) Sunnis (32) and Kurds
• Each regard itself to be a separate nation and
  wanting its own homeland
  
• After independence overthrew and executed the
  king and his family
  
• Proclaimed a republic
• Border disputes with Kuwait and Iran
• Oil made the country wealth and powerful
• Baath Party gained power in 1968
• Saddam Hussein came to power in 1979
• Ever sense the country has been in turmoil

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Kurds

• Language Kurdish
• Religion Islam
• Location was and is border separating Turkey,
  Iran, Iraq, Syria, and former Soviet Union
  
• Call area Kurdistan
• Do not have self rule
• Largest ethnic group in world without a homeland
• Have been slaughtered by the Iranians, the Turks
  and the Iraqis
  
• The P.K.K (Partiya Karkaren Kurdistan) are a
  militant group of Turkish Kurds fighting for a
  homeland
  
• A Kurdish saying
• Kurds have no friends

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Palestinians

• Language Arabic
• Religion Islam
• Location was Palestine the areas surrounded by
  Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon
  
• In 1948, Palestine was formed into the Jewish
  state of Israel
  
• Many Palestinian lost their homes, farms and
  businesses
  
• Many became refugees (4.5 / 7.5 million
  Palestinians)
  
• Some live in Israel (1 million)
• Some live in West Bank and Gaza areas
• Some live in surrounding countries (Jordan and
  Lebanon)
  
• Many live in refugee camps
• Many want a fully independent Palestinian state
• Conflict between Palestinians and Israeli
  continues today

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Israelis

• Language Hebrew and Arabic are official
• Religion Jewish (82) rest are Muslim and
  Christians
  
• Location Israel
• Israel today 4.1 million Jews .9 million
  Arabs
  
• Jews have move to various parts of the world
• Abraham led his people to Canaan
• Roman Empire conquered the region called it
  Palestine
  
• Forced Jews to move diaspora
• Arabs conquered Palestine in the mid-1600s
• Come under control of Ottoman Empire
• End of WWI come under British control
• Movement known as Zionism began
• In 1948, Israel was created by the United Nations
  as a homeland for the Jews

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Women in the Middle East

• Prior to Islam women were slightly less valuable
  than livestock
  
• Islam improved the lives of women greatly
• Outlawed infanticide
• Education of girls a duty
• Woman had the right to own and inherit property
• But they are not equal
• Lives are governed by the Sharia
• No single picture of women living under Islamic
  law
  
• Veil tradition/required by law in many Arab
  countries
  
• Represents freedom for many and pride in Islam