The Middle East

Graphic Organizer

INTRODUCTION

• The world’s first civilizations were established in this region (ancient Egypt/ Cush, and ancient Mesopotamia (Sumer).

• The region is the birthplace of three major religions (Christianity, Islam, and Judaism).

• More than 90% of the people in the region are Muslim, and Muslims are followers of Islam.

• There are sixteen countries that make up the region of the Middle East

COUNTRIES THAT MAKE UP THE MIDDLE EAST

• BAHRAIN CYPRUS• EGYPT IRAN• IRAQ ISREAL• JORDAN KUWAIT• LEBANON OMAN• QATAR SAUDI ARABIA• SYRIA TURKEY• UNITED ARAB EMIRATES • YEMEN

VOCABULARY

• REGION- An area of land or water with certain characteristics that make it different from other areas

• CONTINENT- One of the seven great divisions of land on the globe

• Middle East- A large region that covers parts of northern Africa, southwest Asia, and southeastern Europe

HOMEWORKDue 10/17/13

Using the tag it 3 strategies and the Middle East Geographical Map answer the following questions:• Which Middle Eastern countries border the Red

Sea?• Which five countries in the Middle East are the

smallest in land mass?• Which Middle East countries border Iraq?• The Sinai Peninsula joins which two Middle

Eastern countries?

INTRODUCTION TO THE MIDDLE EAST PART 2

• The Middle East is the most ancient region of human civilization

• Around 10,000 BC farming first developed in the area referred to as the Fertile Crescent

• The fertile crescent is the area of land that stretches from the Persian Gulf,

• To the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq through the eastern coast of the Mediterranean into Egypt.

INTRODUCTION TO THE MIDDLE EAST PART 2

• There three peninsulas in the region of the Middle East (Sinai, Arabian, Anatolia)

• The Euphrates and Tigris rivers provides water for both farming and drinking.

• The countries that share the rivers have had problems on how the waters should be shared

• Dead Sea- nothing but bacteria lives there, there are no fish living in the Dead Sea and that is how it received its name

HOMEWORKDUE 10/21

Homework: Using the tag it 3 strategies and the Middle East Geographical Map answer the following questions:

• The Suez Canal and the Sinai Peninsula links which two bodies of water?

• How many Middle Eastern countries border the Persian Gulf?• Which territories has been a continual battle zone between the

Israelis and Palestinians?• Which two great ancient civilizations developed the Middle East, and

which three major religions were born in the region? • Using an atlas or your school supplied lap top identify the capital

cities of each of the 16 countries of the Middle East.

VOCABULARY

• Peninsula- A piece of land surrounded by water on three sides

• Strait-A narrow passageway connecting to large bodies of water

• Euphrates River- The longest and one of the most historically important rivers in Western Africa

• Tigris River – The eastern member of the two rivers that define Mesopotamia

VOCABULARY

• Shaat al- Arab- A river in Southwest Asia, it is formed when the Euphrates and the Tigris meet

• Jordan River- Is one of the main water sources for Israel, and it flows until it reaches the Dead Sea

• The Dead Sea- is one of the saltiest bodies of water on earth

VOCABULARY

• Persian Gulf- A major shipping route for all oil producing countries

• Strait of Hormuz-Connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea

• Suez Canal- A man made passage that allows ships to get to the Mediterranean Sea, without sailing around the continent of Africa

• Deserts- A dry, often sandy region of little rainfall, extreme temperatures, and very little vegetation