SW Asia History: European Partitioning (SS7H2a)

SW Asia History: European Partitioning

​SS7H2a

by Susan Reed

​Flat Rock Middle School

Multiple Choice

In 1916, the United Kingdom and France signed the Sykes–Picot Agreement. The purpose of this accord was to partition land that had been under the control of a fading empire.

Which number on the map represents the area that would have been MOST impacted by the Sykes–Picot Agreement?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

​The Sykes–Picot Agreement impacted the area of Southwest Asia, also known as the Middle East.

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Therefore, the correct answer would be the number 2. France and Britain divided up area that had been under the control of the Ottoman Empire.

Multiple Choice

What would be the BEST title for this map?

• "Cold War Alliances"

• "Anti-Colonial Revolts"

• "Results of World War II"

• "The Middle East Mandate System"

​The best title for this map would be "The Mandate System."

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Notice that the areas of the Middle East that were once under the control of the Ottoman Empire- now called Turkey- are now under British and French control during this time period (1920s).

Multiple Choice

This map could BEST be used to describe what early-20th century diplomatic understanding?

• The Law of Return

• Sykes-Picot Agreement

• The North Atlantic Treaty

• Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

The secretive Sykes-Picot Agreement divided the Ottoman Empire into areas of French and British control.

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This would give rise to conflict following World War I all the way to the present day.​

Multiple Choice

How did the Sykes-Picot Agreement affect the Ottoman Empire?

• The Sykes-Picot Agreement unified the Ottoman Empire.

• The Sykes-Picot Agreement partitioned the Ottoman Empire.

• The Sykes-Picot Agreement negotiated the terms of the end of the war.

• The Sykes-Picot Agreement strengthened the Ottoman Empire allowing them to fight the Triple Entente.

​The Sykes-Picot Agreement partitioned the Ottoman Empire.

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The secret treaty was signed in 1916 between the United Kingdom and France.

Multiple Choice

1. The Allies defeat the Central Powers in World War I.

2. The League of Nations created a program giving Allied countries control of former Central Power colonial territories.

3. After World War II, the League of Nations dissolved, ending the program.

This chronology shows the sequence of events leading to the creation and eventual end of the

• mandate system.

• colonial system.

• imperialism system.

• reassignment system.

​This chronology shows the sequence of events leading to the creation and eventual end of the mandate system.

​The League of Nations used the mandate system to reassign territories that fell under the dominion of nations that were a part of the defeated Central Powers. When the League of Nations dissolved, the mandate system was phased out as well.

Multiple Choice

What was the primary purpose of the Mandate System following World War I?

• to create a Jewish state in the Middle East

• to create an Islamic and Hindu state in southern Asia

• to help prepare India for eventual independence from British rule

• to divide former Ottoman and German territories among Allied Powers

​The primary purpose of the Mandate System following World War I was to divide former Ottoman and German territories among Allied Powers.

​These territories included areas in the Middle East, Africa, and the Pacific. The victorious allies argued that it would help prepare those territories for eventual independence, but independence really only came following World War II… and the end of the Mandate System.

Multiple Choice

Following the end of the "Mandate System" the Middle East

• returned to colonial rule after World War II.

• withdrew from the newly-created United Nations.

• fell into violence along political and religious lines.

• saw an end to religious conflict among nations in the region.

​Following the end of the "Mandate System" the Middle East

Following the end of the “Mandate System,” the Middle East fell into violence along political and religious lines.

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The creation of the Jewish state of Israel was seen by Palestinians and Muslims in the Middle East as being a violation of their right to self determination.​

Multiple Choice

Following the end of the Mandate System, which country lost control of both Lebanon and Syria?

• Britain

• Egypt

• France

• Israel

Following the end of the Mandate System,​

France lost control of both Lebanon and Syria.

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They had won control of the territories from the Ottoman Empire following World War I with the establishment of the Mandate System.​

Multiple Choice

Which European country lost control of Lebanon and Syria-their Middle East mandates-in the 1940s?

• Britain

• France

• Germany

• Italy

​France lost control of both Lebanon and Syria in the 1940s.

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Lebanon became independent in 1943, Syria in 1946, though both broke from their mandate control thanks in part to the German occupation of France in World War II.

Multiple Choice

"His Majesty's government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country." --Arthur James Balfour, 1917

By what name was the movement commonly known which worked for the establishment of this national home?

• Autonomism

• Diaspora

• Resettlement

• Zionism

​The movement to create a Jewish homeland in the Middle East was known as Zionism.

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The term Zion most often refers to the Land of Israel and its capital, Jerusalem. Balfour's statement gives evidence of Great Britain's resolve to help achieve this goal.

Multiple Choice

Which mandate shown in the source would be the most problematic for the British in the mid 20th century?

• Iraq

• Kenya

• Nigeria

• Palestine

​The British Mandate of Palestine will be most problematic as Zionist groups, World War Two Jewish Refugees, Arab peoples, and neighboring Arab states will at various points come into conflict with either the British authority or each other leading up to and after the creation of the state of Israel.

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While the other choices will involve conflicts, only Iraq was a mandate and its largely peaceful as a short-lived mandate achieving independence in 1932.

Multiple Choice

The "Mandate System" in the Middle East was begun following the end of

• World War I.

• World War II.

• the Cold War.

• the Gulf War.

​The "Mandate System" in the Middle East was begun following the end of World War I.

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Remember that this was a system in which areas would have their political control gradually transformed over a period of time.

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It was instituted by the League of Nations, but was transferred to the United Nations following the World War I and the collapse of the League.

Multiple Choice

Immediately after the end of World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, European countries increased their involvement in Middle Eastern political and economic affairs. Which of these BEST explains how this change took place?

• European people moved there to take advantage of the better climate.

• European Jews were fleeing the expansion and oppression of the Germany government.

• European governments were able to establish peace in the region for the first time in decades.

• European powers drew up new political borders in the region without consulting political, cultural, or historic realities.

​European powers drew up new political borders in the region without consulting political, cultural, or historic realities.

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This would cause immense conflict in the years to come, not just in the Middle East but in Africa, as well.

Multiple Choice

The collapse of the Ottoman Empire following World War I negatively impacted the Middle East/Southwest Asia. Which of these BEST explains why the collapse caused negative results?

• The Ottoman collapse caused a lack of political unity in the region.

• The Ottomans had supported the independence of states in the region.

• The Ottoman sympathizers struck at military targets operated by Britain.

• The Ottoman collapse allowed for greater Soviet influence in the Middle East.

​The Ottoman collapse caused a lack of political unity in the region.

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Despite centuries of eroding power overall, the Ottomans did provide some sort of consistency of rule amongst the many ethnic groups there. Once the territories were divided amongst European powers, that "peace" was quickly done away with.