Transcript Chapter 16
Chapter 16 Eastern Mediterranean Eastern Mediterranean • Not much in common with rest of Mediterranean – Few good ports – Scarce water – Almost no natural resources • Strategic location – Been on world stage – Touches 3 continents- Europe, Africa, Asia • Sources of Trouble – Oil – Religion I. Turkey • Part European and part Middle Eastern • Location forms a “chokepoint”- controlling goods and movement of people • Often called Asia Minor- both size and role in history • Bordered on 3 sides by water- Black Sea, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Sea Turkey • Slightly larger than Texas • Home to Mount Ararat- Biblical site • Climate is temperate- hot and dry in summer, mild and wet in winter • In 1923, Western ways were implemented – alphabet, women voting, calendar, etc. • Great hope is its proximity to Europe, applied to be part of EU Turkey • Thrace – – – – European portion of Turkey Center of last Greek Empire Corner on the Balkan Peninsula Includes Istanbul – largest city in Middle East, heartbeat of Turkey, used to be Byzantium then Constantinople – Water passage btw Thrace and Asia Minor includes important straits– Bosporus and Dardanelles Turkey • Anatolia – Asian section of Turkey – Historic cities; Troy, Troas, empire of the Hittites, seven churches from Revelation 1-3 (Ephesus, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, Pergamos, Thyatira, Smyrna) pg. 407 – Pontic Mountains run across the North – Home to the Ottoman Empire- Ottoman Turks conquered the Seljuk Turks, the took over Constantinople… at the height of the Empire: got all the way to and were defeated in Vienna – Capital is Ankara- pop. Close to 4 million Turkey • Taurus Mountains cross Southern Turkey • Narrow coastal plain in the South, good for agriculture, known as the “Turquoise Coast” • Kurds – Turkey’s largest minority group – Live in SE area, Herd sheep in the mountains – Many want independence, Communist group in 1984 started rebellion that killed 20,000, many want to unite with Iraqi Kurds II. Cyprus • Not much bigger than Connecticut • 3rd largest island in the Mediterranean (Sicily and Sardinia) • Two forested mountain ranges cross from East to West, Mesaoria Plain lies btw them, capital of Nicosia located on plain • Typical Mediterranean climate- grow grapefruit, lemons, oranges, grapes and olives • Heavily dependent on tourism Cyprus • History – Greeks, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Franks and Venetians have occupied the island – Under Ottoman control from 1571 to 1878, Britain took over, still has military bases on the island • Today – 78% of population is Greek (Greek Orthodox), 18% are Turks (Muslim), 4% Christians and Jews – Greeks want to reunite with Greece, Few Turks want to partition (divide) the island into 2 countries – Potential for war ever present– right now the south (Greeks) are part of the EU and the north (Turks) is not III. The Mandate of Syria • Land southwest of Turkey: called Levant and Fertile Crescent • Belonged to Turkey until WWI, then France and Britain took over territory—called Mandates • Syria: French mandate (became Syria and Lebanon) • Palestine: Britain mandate (Israel and Jordan) Syria • Covered mainly by Syrian Desert • 90% Arab population, 90% Muslim • Claims to be republic, but since 1963 only 2 rulersFather and son • Capital and largest city: Damascus – Claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited city • • • • • Lebanon Ancient city: Tyre- built on an island, capital of Phoenicia Modern capital: Beirut Largest population of Christians of any Middle Eastern country Major religious warfare started in 1975, Israel and Syria moved in and Beirut, once beautiful, became a pile of rubble Foreign influence in 1983, today peace still unsure IV. Mandate of Palestine • Belonged to Britain until 1948 • Now countries of Jordan and Israel • Jews and Christians refer to the area as the Holy Land • 3 major issues in the Middle East – Oil, Islam, Israel – Israel is the most volatile issue—only non-Muslim country in the area Israel • Largest city and Capital: Jerusalem • Second largest city: Tel Aviv • In the south, Negev produces abundant crops although a desert • Galilee refers to the far north, includes the Sea of Galilee Israel • Masada – Near the Dead Sea – Means “fortress or stronghold” – Site of Jewish Zealots last stand for freedom against the Romans – Pg. 418 Israel • Historical Background – Promised Land • God gave the land to the Israelites, modern state of Israel testifies to the Jews wanting to reclaim their land – Zionist Movement • Jews moving into Palestine, building farms, against odds won independence in 1948– became Israel • Revived Hebrew language, every citizen must serve in the military for 2 years (women) or 3 years (men) Palestinians • Descendants of Ishmael – Want to wipe Israel off the map • Coastal strip won by Israel in the Six Day war: Gaza Strip – Eventually gave back to the Palestinians Valley of Jezreel • Mentioned in the Bible as a prominent place • Many Bible scholars interpret this valley to be the site of the Battle of Armageddon (Rev. 16) • Napoleon described it as the perfect battleground Jordan • Consists mainly of uninhabited desert • No oil, little arable land, many work away from the country and send money home • Amman is the capital • Petra- 130 foot high tombs carved into the cliffs • Dead Sea- lies between Israel and Jordan pg424 – Saltiest water in the world – Lowest elevation on earth •Mount Hermon •Nazareth •Bethlehem