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WorksheetsHistory of SW Asia
Total questions: 45
Worksheet time: 22mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
During and after World War II many surviving Jews were looking for somewhere to relocate and start a new life. Many decided to immigrate to Palestine and the land of their religious connection. Eventually, this immigration, along with Zionist conflicts with England led to which major world event?
a)
The beginning of the Holocaust.
b)
The creation of the State of Israel
c)
The dropping of the atomic bomb.
d)
The breakup of the Ottoman Empire.
2.
Which statement best describes the Persian Gulf Conflict of 1990-1991?
a)
The United States defended Kuwait against invasion from Iraq.
b)
Iraq and Afghanistan combined forces against Russia.
c)
The United States sent troops to Afghanistan to fight Al-Qaida.
d)
Iraq and Iran were battling for control of OPEC.
3.
In regards to the U.S. Military, Afghanistan and Iraq are similar in that both
a)
have been completely conquered by the United States.
b)
have experienced a high presence of U.S. military forces.
c)
offer full support to the U.S. military, which no other country does.
d)
assist the U.S. military when they invade places like Iran and Kuwait.
4.
Which answer most accurately completes the following sentence: “In Southwest Asia (Middle East), land and religion are major sources of ________.”
a)
aid
b)
water
c)
conflict
d)
agreement
5.
How did European involvement in Southwest Asia impact the region after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire?
a)
Many
Europeans immigrated to Southwest Asia.
b)
Countries
in Southwest Asia modeled their governments on European governments.
c)
Political
borders were decided by European powers without consideration of the political
and historic connections in the region.
d)
European
powers presence in Southwest Asia established a long period of peace and
improved relations with non-Muslim western nations.
6.
The State of Israel was established in May, 1948, to provide a homeland for the Jewish people. One of the reasons behind the establishment of the State of Israel was
a)
the French Mandate system.
b)
the Zionist movement in Europe
c)
a vote by the people of Palestine.
d)
a requirement of the Treaty of Versailles.
7.
What three major religions have their origins in the Middle East?
a)
Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism
b)
Judaism, Christianity, Islam
c)
Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism
d)
Buddhism, Shintoism, Hinduism
8.
In 1948, the United Nations divided the land of Palestine between Arabs and Jews. Which nation was created by its action?
a)
Syria
b)
Israel
c)
Egypt
d)
Jordan
9.
At the root of many conflicts in the Middle East is a religious issue concerning historical ownership of the land. This issue centers around who
a)
settled there first
b)
was promised the land by God
c)
won the Battle of Armageddon
d)
established the city of Jerusalem
10.
Which of the following best describes the geographic expansion of the Ottoman Empire?
a)
By the 1500s, the Ottoman Empire controlled no territory in Africa.
b)
Expansion of the Ottoman Empire ended in the 1300s.
c)
The Ottoman Empire never expanded beyond Asia Minor.
d)
By the 1600s, the Ottoman Empire controlled territory in northern Africa, southwestern Asia, and southeastern Europe.
11.
After the breakup of the Ottoman Empire, European powers partitioned Southwest Asia (Middle East). What has been a result of the artificial boundaries they created?
a)
regional peace
b)
regional wealth
c)
regional conflict
d)
regional pollution
12.
Which of these is a reason for continuing conflicts in Southwest Asia (Middle East)?
a)
the discovery of gold
b)
historical claims to the same land
c)
the destruction of the rain forest
d)
competition between agricultural industries
13.
What led to the end of the Ottoman Empire at the close of World War I?
a)
The Ottomans fought on the losing side of the war.
b)
The Empire spent too much money on buildings and new roads and went bankrupt.
c)
The people in the Empire were starving because a long drought had ruined agriculture.
d)
The Ottoman government was overthrown by a revolt of factory workers who went unemployed when the war ended.
14.
The Diaspora and Holocaust are both examples of
a)
anti-Semitism.
b)
Zionism.
c)
kosher.
d)
civil disobedience.
15.
Why did the United States go to war against Iraq in 2003?
a)
Iraq was threatening Afghanistan with nuclear weapons.
b)
The United Nations believed Iraq was about to invade Kuwait a second time.
c)
Iraqi troops launched an attack on Saudi Arabia, a close ally of the United States.
d)
The United States government saw the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, as a threat to peace and United States interests in the region.
16.
Why did so many countries in the United Nations feel it was right to create Israel in 1948?
a)
There was no one else living on the land at the time.
b)
Arab countries in the area supported the creation of a homeland for the Jews in Palestine.
c)
Many felt the Jews deserved help due to their suffering in the Holocaust.
d)
All national groups in the former Ottoman Empire were being given homelands at the same time
17.
_____ is to Iraq as _____ is to al-Qaeda.
a)
Saddam Hussein, Yassar Arafat
b)
Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein
c)
Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden
d)
Anwar Sadat, Kemal Ataturk
18.
What is the United States’ main economic interest in Southwest Asia?
a)
tourism
b)
trade routes
c)
selling American-made products
d)
oil
19.
Why did the United States send troops to help the United Nations stop Iraq from taking over Kuwait in 1990?
a)
The United Nations was not capable of helping protect Kuwait.
b)
The United States wanted to destroy the country of Iraq.
c)
The United States believed that Iraq’s actions threatened its oil supply from Kuwait.
d)
The United States wanted to take control of Kuwait.
20.
Why did the United States bomb and invade Afghanistan in 2001?
a)
Afghanistan invaded the country of Kuwait and threatened the U.S. supply of oil.
b)
The United Nations asked the U.S. to overthrow the Taliban government of Afghanistan.
c)
The U.S. was afraid that Afghanistan was working to develop nuclear weapons.
d)
The U.S. believed the government of Afghanistan was offering safety to al-Qaeda, the organization that attacked the United States on September 11, 2001.
21.
How did Arabs living in Palestine in 1948 feel about the creation of the new state of Israel?
a)
They rejected it as unfair to them.
b)
They supported it fully.
c)
The Arab population in Palestine was largely unaffected by the new state.
d)
hey agreed to try to work it out although they were unhappy about the decision.
22.
When war broke out in Palestine, what countries joined with the Palestinian Arabs to try and stop the creation of the new state of Israel?
a)
the countries belonging to the UN
b)
the major nations of Europe
c)
the United States
d)
neighboring Arab countries
23.
What was the outcome of the 1948 War between the new state of Israel and the Arabs living in and around Palestine?
a)
The conflict ended and all Palestinian Arabs became citizens in the new state of Israel.
b)
Almost no Jewish people were willing to go to Israel because of the country’s angry Arab neighbors.
c)
Israel won the war and the new state of Israel was even larger than originally planned.
d)
The United Nations decided to withdraw the proposal to create Israel because of all the problems it caused in the area.
24.
Which of the following best summarizes the main idea of the above political cartoon?
a)
You should give wood as a gift to commemorate a fifth anniversary.
b)
The Iraq War is having very little economic impact on the United States.
c)
The Iraq War has had a tremendous economic and social impact on both Iraq and the U.S.
d)
Very few Iraqis have died as a result of the Iraq War.
25.
Which of the following statements best summarizes the above political cartoon?
a)
Israel is being cornered by its Arab neighbors, with the Palestinians being used as pawns to provoke conflict between Israel and its neighbors.
b)
The nations surrounding Israel want to help the country eliminate the Palestinians.
c)
Israel’s neighbors are seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Arabs and Jews in Israel.
d)
Israel is being used as a pawn to provoke conflict between its neighbors.
26.
Which statement best describes how the Middle East's vast supply of oil has affected the history of the region since the 1950s?
a)
It has lowered the standard of living in the region.
b)
It has encouraged the growth of democracy in the region.
c)
It has slowed down the process of industrialization in the region.
d)
It has encouraged foreigners to compete for influence in the region.
27.
Which statement best describes developments in the Middle East since World War II?
a)
Religion has played a major role in creating conflict in the region.
b)
Manufacturing has become the region's main economic activity.
c)
Most citizens in the region have come to enjoy a high standard of living.
d)
A majority of countries in the region have adopted constitutions that guarantee equal rights for all citizens.
28.
Today, in the Middle East there are many conflicts that stem from where the boundaries of the countries are drawn. Many boundaries either include groups that have historically opposed each other or split groups with commonalities into different countries. This problem is largely a consequence of
a)
treaties that came after World War II.
b)
the natural distribution of resources in the region
c)
the way Europe divided the region after the fall of the Ottoman Empire.
d)
interference from North America and East Asia as they battled for control of the region.
29.
Which sect of Islam holds the majority population in Iran?
a)
Shia
b)
Sunni
c)
Protestant
d)
Caliph
30.
Which sect of Islam holds the majority population in Saudi Arabia?
a)
Shia
b)
Sunni
c)
Protestant
d)
Caliph
31.
What is the sacred text of Islam?
a)
The Bible
b)
The Book of Mormon
c)
The Old Testament
d)
The Koran (Quran)
32.
According to the Sunnis, what was the right thing to do after Muhammad’s death?
a)
They wanted Muhammad’s successor to be chosen by the community, a voting.
b)
The religion will end.
c)
Muhammad’s successor will be filled with his lifelong apprentice.
d)
Muhammad’s successor needed to be left to his lineage.
33.
According to the Shiites, what was the right thing to do after Muhammad's death?
a)
Muhammad’s successor will be filled with his lifelong apprentice.
b)
They wanted Muhammad’s successor to be chosen by the community, a voting.
c)
Muhammad’s successor needed to be left to his lineage.
d)
The religion will end.
34.
Religious group who believe Jesus Christ is the son of God.
a)
Arab
b)
Christian
c)
Farsi
d)
Kurd
35.
A religion based on the words of the Prophet Mohammed.
a)
Judaism
b)
Christianity
c)
Islam
d)
Buddhism
36.
Religious group who relocated to Israel after World War 2, they believe in one God
a)
Kurds
b)
Muslims
c)
Sunni
d)
Jews
37.
What is true about an ethnic group?
a)
They share religion.
b)
You can choose an ethnic group.
c)
They share culture.
d)
They share rituals.
38.
What is the Holy Book of Judaism?
a)
Koran
b)
Bible
c)
Torah
39.
Which group of Muslisms is larger?
a)
Sunni
b)
Shia
40.
Who is the founder of Judaism?
a)
Moses
b)
Abraham
c)
Jesus
d)
Mohammed
41.
Which religion is the oldest?
a)
Christianity
b)
Islam
c)
Judaism
42.
Which religion is the fastest spreading?
a)
Judaism
b)
Islam
c)
Christianity
43.
Who is the founder of Christianity?
a)
Mohammed
b)
Abraham
c)
Jesus
44.
Holy book for Christians?
a)
Koran
b)
Bible
c)
Torah
45.
An ethnic group inhabiting Saudi Arabia and the Middle East
a)
Arab
b)
Christian
c)
Farsi
d)
Kurd
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