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WorksheetsStudy Guide: The Middle East, Partitioning, and Modern Conflicts
Total questions: 114
Worksheet time: 10hrs 40mins
Which empire dominated Southwest Asia (Middle East) for hundreds of years?
Roman Empire
Ottoman Empire
British Empire
Persian Empire
At its peak, the Ottoman Empire covered parts of which continents?
Europe, Asia, and Africa
North America and Europe
Asia and Australia
Africa and South America
The Ottoman Empire lost territories even before which major event?
World War I
The Industrial Revolution
The American Civil War
The Cold War
The Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers (Germany & Austria-Hungary) during World War I and won the war.
True
False
After World War I, which countries, under the League of Nations, divided Ottoman lands?
Germany and Austria-Hungary
Great Britain and France
Italy and Spain
Russia and China
Artificial borders created after World War I ignored which types of boundaries?
Ethnic, tribal, and religious boundaries
Geographical boundaries only
Economic boundaries
Political party boundaries
Which two rival groups were divided in Iraq due to partitioning issues?
Kurds and Persians
Sunni and Shia Muslims
Jews and Christians
Arabs and Turks
The Kurds were split among which three countries, leaving them without a homeland?
Turkey, Iraq, and Iran
Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan
Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia
Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India
The divisions caused by partitioning led to which of the following?
Civil wars
Dictatorships
Ethnic conflicts
Economic prosperity
Jews have ancient religious ties to which land?
Jerusalem and the land of Israel
Mecca and Medina
Rome and Vatican City
Varanasi and the Ganges
Beijing and the Forbidden City
Rising antisemitism and the Holocaust increased global support for what?
A Jewish homeland
A global currency
A world government
Universal healthcare
A ban on immigration
In 1948, which organization recognized Israel as a new nation?
League of Nations
United Nations
European Union
Arab League
The UN divided Palestine into a Jewish state (Israel) and an Arab state (Palestine).
True
False
The Gaza Strip and which other area became central areas of dispute?
West Bank
Sinai Peninsula
Golan Heights
Negev Desert
In 1948, which countries attacked Israel?
Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, and Yemen
Greece, Cyprus, Italy, and France
Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal
What event began the division between Sunni and Shia Muslims?
The division began over leadership after Muhammad’s death.
The construction of the Kaaba in Mecca.
The translation of the Quran into Persian.
The conquest of Jerusalem by the Umayyads.
Who is the majority group: Sunni or Shia?
Sunni
Shia
Ibadi
Druze
Who do Shia Muslims follow?
Descendants of Muhammad’s family.
Followers of Jesus Christ.
Buddhist monks.
Hindu priests.
Which ethnic group in Iraq has no independent nation?
Kurds
Arabs
Turkmen
Assyrians
Who persecuted the Kurds in Iraq?
Saddam Hussein
Nelson Mandela
Angela Merkel
Mahatma Gandhi
In what year did the Iranian Revolution overthrow the Shah?
1979
1985
1967
1991
Who led the Iranian Revolution and created a strict Islamic government?
Ayatollah Khomeini
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Saddam Hussein
Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi
When did the U.S. recognize Israel?
1948
1956
1967
1973
What is one of the main goals of the U.S. in the Middle East?
Maintain access to oil.
Promote tourism in the region.
Reduce global internet usage.
Increase agricultural exports from the Middle East.
Which two groups emerged in response to American influence and presence in the Middle East?
Al-Qaeda and ISIS
Hezbollah and Hamas
Muslim Brotherhood and Fatah
Taliban and PLO
What was the impact of the Holocaust?
It led to the creation of the Ottoman Empire.
It created worldwide sympathy and support for a Jewish homeland.
It caused the Arab Oil Embargo.
It established Islamic Fundamentalism.
Oil Dependency: U.S. and global economies depend on _________
Middle Eastern oil
South American coffee
European cars
Asian electronics
Western Involvement often leads to:
Decreased local tensions
Foreign control and alliances that deepen local tensions
Creation of the Ottoman Empire
End of Antisemitism
What was the Ottoman Empire?
A) A movement for Jews to have a homeland
B) Muslim empire that ruled much of the Middle East, Europe, and Africa until WWI
C) Shia militant group from Lebanon
D) Ethnic group in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria
Partitioning means dividing land into new countries without regard for ________.
native groups
climate zones
economic resources
natural disasters
Zionism is the movement for Jews to have a homeland in ________.
Palestine
Egypt
Greece
Italy
What is Antisemitism?
Hatred or discrimination against Jewish people
Strict following of Islamic law
Division of land
Movement for Jewish homeland
Sunni and Shia Muslims are:
Two main Islamic groups divided over leadership after Muhammad
Ethnic group in Turkey
Shia militant group from Lebanon
Supporters of Zionism
Who are the Kurds?
Shia militant group from Lebanon
Ethnic group in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria seeking independence
Two main Islamic groups
Supporters of Zionism
Hezbollah is a ________ militant group from Lebanon opposed to Israel.
Shia
Sunni
Christian
Druze
Islamic Fundamentalism is the strict following of Islamic law and rejection of ________ influence.
Western
Eastern
African
Latin American
In what years did the Ottoman Empire control the Middle East?
1300s–1918
1800s–1945
1500s–1700s
1200s–1400s
What major event happened in 1948?
Arab Oil Embargo
Creation of Israel; first Arab-Israeli War
9/11 terrorist attacks
Iranian Revolution
Which event occurred in 1973?
Arab Oil Embargo affects global economy
Fall of the Berlin Wall
Moon Landing
End of Apartheid in South Africa
What was the significance of the year 2001 in the timeline?
9/11 terrorist attacks; U.S. invades Afghanistan
End of the Cold War; Berlin Wall falls
First man lands on the moon
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans
In 2003, the U.S. invaded Iraq to remove ________.
Saddam Hussein
Osama bin Laden
Muammar Gaddafi
Ayatollah Khomeini
Who was the founder of modern Zionism (1897)?
Theodor Herzl
David Ben-Gurion
Chaim Weizmann
Golda Meir
Which country was Adolf Hitler associated with?
Germany
France
Italy
Spain
Who was the first Prime Minister of Israel (1948)?
David Ben-Gurion
Golda Meir
Menachem Begin
Yitzhak Rabin
Who was the leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution?
Ayatollah Khomeini
Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi
Ali Khamenei
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Who was the dictator who invaded Kuwait in 1990?
Saddam Hussein
Muammar Gaddafi
Hosni Mubarak
Hafez al-Assad
Who was the leader of Al-Qaeda and responsible for the 9/11 attacks?
Osama bin Laden
Saddam Hussein
Ayman al-Zawahiri
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
Who led the coalition in the Persian Gulf War (1991)?
George H. W. Bush
Margaret Thatcher
Mikhail Gorbachev
Saddam Hussein
Who was the President of the United States during 9/11 and the Iraq War (2003)?
George W. Bush
Bill Clinton
Barack Obama
Ronald Reagan
Worshipers of Islam must face ______ when they pray.
Medina
Jerusalem
Mecca
Cairo
Since 1948, a major reason for the conflict between Arabs and Israelis is that each side
wants the huge oil reserves that lie under the disputed land
believes that the United States favors the other side in the conflict
claims sovereignty over the same land
seeks to control trade on the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea
What led to the end of the Ottoman Empire after WWI?
the Ottomans were on the losing side of the war, along with Germany and Italy
the Empire spent too much money on buildings and new roads and went bankrupt
the people in the Empire were starving because a long drought ruined the agriculture
the Ottoman government was overthrown by a revolt of factory workers who were unemployed when the war ended.
What led to the end of the Ottoman Empire after WWI?
the Ottomans were on the losing side of the war, along with Germany and Italy
the Empire spent too much money on buildings and new roads and went bankrupt
the people in the Empire were starving because a long drought ruined the agriculture
the Ottoman government was overthrown by a revolt of factory workers who were unemployed when the war ended.
Who drew up the boundaries of the new countries created from the Ottoman Empire at the end of WWI?
United States
Ottoman rulers
France and Great Britain
Middle Eastern governments
Why did these new boundaries create problems in the Middle East?
Some were angry about the size of the countries
There were no problems. It worked out perfectly.
The boundaries did not respect local cultures and ethnic groups
Why did these new boundaries create problems in the Middle East?
Some were angry about the size of the countries
There were no problems. It worked out perfectly.
The boundaries did not respect local cultures and ethnic groups
Why did so many countries in the United Nations feel it was right to create Israel in1948?
There was no one else living on the land at that time
Many felt the Jews deserved help due to their suffering in the Holocaust
Arab countries in the area supported the creation of a homeland for the Jews in Palestine.
All national groups in the former Ottoman Empire were being given homelands at the same time.
What is Zionism?
the idea that all religious groups should have their own states
the plan to let Arabs and Jews share the land in Palestine equally
the hope that all governments will be based on religious principles
the belief that Jews deserved to return to a homeland, after WWII and the Holocaust; The movement to unite displaced Jews and settle them in Palestine.
What world organization created the new state of Israel in 1948 as a homeland for the Jews?
the United Nations
the European Union
the League of Nations
the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
How did Arabs living in Palestine in 1948 feel about the creation of the new state of Israel?
They supported it fully
They did not accept Israel as a state, and attacked the country
The Arab population in Palestine was unaffected by the new state.
They agreed to try to work it out, but they were unhappy about the decision.
When war broke out in Palestine, what countries joined with the Palestinian Arabs to try to stop the creation of the new state of Israel?
the United States
neighboring Arab countries
the major nations of Europe
the countries belonging to the United Nations
What was the outcome of the 1948 War between the new state of Israel and the Arabs living in and around Palestine?
the conflict ended and all Palestinian Arabs became citizens in the new state of Israel
Israel won the war and the new state of Israel gained independence, and grew larger than originally planned
almost no Jewish people were willing to go to Israel because of the country's angry Arab neighbors
the United Nations decided to withdraw the proposal to create Israel because of all the problems it caused in the area.
What led to the end of the Ottoman Empire after WWI?
the Ottomans were on the losing side of the war, along with Germany and Italy
the Empire spent too much money on buildings and new roads and went bankrupt
the people in the Empire were starving because a long drought ruined the agriculture
the Ottoman government was overthrown by a revolt of factory workers who were unemployed when the war ended.
Who drew up the boundaries of the new countries created from the Ottoman Empire at the end of WWI?
United States
Ottoman rulers
France and Great Britain
Middle Eastern governments
Why did these new boundaries create problems in the Middle East?
Some were angry about the size of the countries
There were no problems. It worked out perfectly.
The boundaries did not respect local cultures and ethnic groups
How many people were held during the Iranian Hostage Crisis? How long were they held hostage for?
52 people for 524 days
62 people for 524 days
62 people for 444 days
52 people for 444 days
Why did so many countries in the United Nations feel it was right to create Israel in1948?
There was no one else living on the land at that time
Many felt the Jews deserved help due to their suffering in the Holocaust
Arab countries in the area supported the creation of a homeland for the Jews in Palestine.
All national groups in the former Ottoman Empire were being given homelands at the same time.
What is Zionism?
the idea that all religious groups should have their own states
the plan to let Arabs and Jews share the land in Palestine equally
the hope that all governments will be based on religious principles
the belief that Jews deserved to return to a homeland, after WWII and the Holocaust; The movement to unite displaced Jews and settle them in Palestine.
What world organization created the new state of Israel in 1948 as a homeland for the Jews?
the United Nations
the European Union
the League of Nations
the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
How did Arabs living in Palestine in 1948 feel about the creation of the new state of Israel?
They supported it fully
They did not accept Israel as a state, and attacked the country
The Arab population in Palestine was unaffected by the new state.
They agreed to try to work it out, but they were unhappy about the decision.
When war broke out in Palestine, what countries joined with the Palestinian Arabs to try to stop the creation of the new state of Israel?
the United States
neighboring Arab countries
the major nations of Europe
the countries belonging to the United Nations
What was the outcome of the 1948 War between the new state of Israel and the Arabs living in and around Palestine?
the conflict ended and all Palestinian Arabs became citizens in the new state of Israel
Israel won the war and the new state of Israel gained independence, and grew larger than originally planned
almost no Jewish people were willing to go to Israel because of the country's angry Arab neighbors
the United Nations decided to withdraw the proposal to create Israel because of all the problems it caused in the area.
Which of the following countries did Great Britain NOT take control of when the Ottoman Empire was divided?
Palestine
present day Jordan
Saudi Arabia
Lebanon
Who was the leader of Al-Qaeda?
Osama bin Laden
Saddam Hussein
Mustafa Kemal
Kemal Ataturk
What is the United States' main economic interest in The Middle East?
oil
tourism
trade routes
selling American-made products
Why did the United Nations try to stop Iraq from taking over Kuwait in 1990?
the United Nations wanted to destroy the country of Iraq
the only job of the United Nations is military action around the world
the economies of many countries depend on oil, and Iraq's actions threatened that oil supply.
the United Nations has to intervene whenever any member nation has a conflict
Who are the "Taliban"?
the government of Iraq
the government of Kuwait
a group of radical Muslims in Afghanistan
a part of the United Nations
What does "Mesopotamia" translate to?
land of much oil
land between two rivers
kingdom of Allah
Islamic Paradise
Why did the United States go to war against Iraq in 2003?
Iraq was threatening Afghanistan with nuclear weapons
the UN believed Iraq was about to invade Kuwait for the 2nd time
Iraqi troops launched an attack on Saudi Arabia
the United States government saw Saddam Hussein as a threat to peace and US interests in the region
When the US sent troops to protect Kuwait from Iraq's invasion, it was known as:
Operation Kuwait
Persian Gulf War
Operation Iraqi Freedom
The Great Kuwait War
What is anti-Semitism?
hatred of change
a religious group in the Middle East
fear of becoming a refugee
hatred of Jews
What event led to the US sending troops to Afghanistan in 2001?
Al-Qaeda's attack on the World Trade Center
Saddam Hussein developed nuclear weapons
Kuwait was invade by Iraq
Iran took US hostages
A section of a city where the Nazis forced all Jews to live were called:
Concentration Camps
Mesopotamia
Gestapos
Ghettos
What is the name of the treaty that officially redefined the boundaries of the Ottoman Empire after WWI?
Treaty of Versailles
San Remo Agreement
Treaty of Paris
The Istanbul Agreement
Which of the following was NOT a reason for Iraq invading Kuwait?
Saddam Hussein felt that Kuwait was to blame for the Ottoman Empire losing WWI
Iraq accused Kuwait of over-producing oil
Iraq was $80 million in debt
Saddam Hussein wanted access to more oil fields and ports on the Persian Gulf
Name the capital city of the Ottoman Empire.
Ankara
Constantinople
Baghdad
Istanbul
Kemal Ataturk modernized the countryof Turkey. Which of these choices is NOT an example of what he did to modernize the country?
he gave women equal rights
he created thousands of new jobs for citizens
he modernized agriculture and industry
he created a new alphabet
Why did the League of Nations feel that the Middle East region needed to be stabilized after WWI was over?
After the war, the Ottoman Empire fell, and many areas were left with no formal government.
They wanted the Jews to control the whole region of the Middle East instead of Arabs.
They did not like the way the Arabs ruled the Arabian Peninsula.
They were concerned with the lack of formal education they had.
What was the Mandate System?
A system of mandating the payment of taxes.
An assigned territory under control of another country; ordered by the League of Nations
A system of mandating religious and ethnic zones
A system of mandatory military duty as authorized by the United Nations
Which 2 countries took over the former Ottoman territories in the Middle East after WWI?
Russia
Great Britain
Germany
France
Which statement is true about new borders being were created in the Middle East, after the break- up of the Ottoman Empire?
the new borders were created by Arabs and the other groups did not agree with them
the new borders forced different ethnic groups to occupy the same land which caused ethnic conflicts
the new borders did not cause any conflicts at all in the region; they only had conflict with Armenians
the new borders were created by the Ottomans and the other groups did not agree with them
Which of the following statements is true regarding most Arabs and most Jews?
both groups are mostly Muslim
both groups made deals with the British after WWII
both groups believe that God made a promise to Abraham about land for his descendants
both groups started and supported the Zionist movement in Europe
Did Zionism begin in the Middle East after the diaspora in 70 AD/CE.
Yes, it started in the Middle East.
No, it started in Europe because of discrimination against Jews.
Zionism has nothing to do with the Middle East.
Zionism did not start until Israel was established in 1948.
Which 2 statements explain why both the Jews and Arabs felt betrayed by European countries after WWI.
The Balfour Declaration promised the Arabs a homeland in Palestine.
The Balfour Declaration promised the Jews a homeland in Palestine.
The Arabs helped defeat the Ottoman Turks because they believed they would be given independence.
a feeling of hatred toward Jewish people
Zionism
Antisemitism
Nationalism
Imperialism
Which of the following statements best explains why someone would become a Zionist (someone involved in or supportive of Zionism)?
they believe that Jews had a God given right to the land that is now Israel.
they believe that Arab Muslims had a God given right to the land that is now Israel.
they believe that Ottomans are the rightful owners of the land that is now Israel.
they believe that Hitler did the right thing when he ordered the events of the Holocaust.
The Holocaust was probably the best example of anti-Semitism. What is another example?
Sykes-Picot Agreement
The Dreyfus Case
Balfour Declaration
Armenian Genocide
Which statement best explains how the Holocaust may have been the reason that The State of Israel was established in 1948?
because there weren’t many Jews left; it made sense to put them all in a country that was smaller
because Jews had been living in Europe for long enough to learn how to govern themselves
because Jews deserved a homeland after such a horrible thing happened to so many of them
because the U.N. decided that Jews could teach the Arabs how to properly govern themselves since they had survived the Holocaust
Which best explains the relationship between the Holocaust and Zionism?
After the Holocaust, the Jewish desire for a homeland became stronger.
After the Holocaust, the Jewish desire for a homeland became weaker.
There is no relationship between the Holocaust and Zionism.
There was a Holocaust concentration camp named Mt. Zion.
The former Ottoman territories of the Middle East were PARTITIONED more than one time during the 1900s.
True- once by the League of Nations after WWI and once by the United Nations when it partitioned Palestine.
No, there was only one time when the region was partitioned in any way.
What is the name of the TWO places in Israel where most Palestinians live?
Jerusalem & West Bank
Golan Heights & Jerusalem
West Bank & Golan Heights
West Bank & Gaza Strip
Which ethnic group is historically connected to the land known as Canaan or Zion?
Arabs
Jews
Christians
Turks
The United Nations Partition plan was created for what purpose?
to create a homeland for Jews
to create a homeland for Arabs
to create a Jewish and an Arab State
to create a British Mandate
Which statement best describes the Palestinian response to the U.N. Partition Plan?
They rejected the plan.
They accepted the plan.
They left Israel and went to Jordan.
They signed a peace treaty with the Jews.
After Israel declared its independence in 1948, what happened?
Arabs and Jews set up a unified national government
Palestinians and other Arab nations declared war on Israel
Palestinians were given more land than the Jews
Arab nations celebrated Israel’s independence
Which statement best explains the relationship between the Balfour Declaration and the United Nations Partition Plan of 1947?
the U.N. Partition Plan fulfilled the promise made to Jews by the British
the U.N. Partition Plan fulfilled the promise made to the Arabs by the British
there is no relationship between the Balfour Declaration and the U.N. Partition Plan
the U.N. did not partition Palestine
Explain how anti-Semitism led to the Holocaust.
The hatred of the Arabs intensified after WWI causing the Europeans to place blame on the Arab ethnic group.
The results of WWI in Europe paved the way for Germany’s final solution to exterminate Jewish ethnic group.
Anti-Semitism did not contribute to the Holocaust
The Ottomans blamed the Jews for the death of their empire and they helped Hitler during the Holocaust.
Give an example of how land is still a cause of conflict in the Middle East today.
Sunnis, Shia and Kurds have conflict within Iraqi borders over government representations
The Israeli - Palestinian conflict continues to be a problem in the region.
Extremist groups are attacking areas in the Middle East in order to achieve a pure Islamic state.
These are all true.
Which of the following is an example of how religion is still a cause of conflict in the Middle East today?
. There are conflicts between Sunnis and Shia Muslims
There are conflicts over access to Jerusalem by Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
The extremist terrorist group ISIS/ISIL is motivated by their religious ideology.
All of these statements are true.
Most Arabs have a religious connection to the land of Israel.
This statement is not true. Only Jews are descendants of Abraham.
This statement is true. Arabs are descendants of Abraham.
Religion has nothing to do with land.
What was the Sykes-Picot Agreement?
A secret agreement between Ottomans and Russians for a warm water port.
An agreement between a German soldier and a French Jew for military secrets.
An agreement between Lawrence of Arabia and Henry McMahon.
An agreement between France and Britain for dividing land in SW Asia.
The Arabs lived in the land of Palestine before the Jews did.
Yes, they lived there before the Jews.
No, the Jews were there until the diaspora.
Neither of them lived there.
The both lived there until they were exiled.
Which of the following statements is true about Jews and Arabs role in WWI?
Both were promised the land in exchange for supporting the Allied Powers
Britain tried to convert the Jews and Arabs religious beliefs to Christianity
Both were promised land in exchange for supporting the Axis Powers.
none of the above
Most Palestinians belong to which religious group?
Jews
Christians
Muslim
Arabs
