Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq

Fertile Crescent Arc of rich land Farming and first civilizations developed

Jordan Location Arabian Desert and arable in the west

West Bank 1948 annexation fertile land By the mid-1960’s, 1/3 of GNP came from region 1967 Devastated economy

Palestinians Palestinians fled to Jordan Encouraged Palestinians to become part of society Political Force

A Modern Country Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Improving economy Political Reform King Abdullah

Lebanon Was prospering country Bloody civil war destroyed country

Beginning of War shared power Maronites Muslims Economic problems 1958 and 1975

PLO retaliate International Peacekeepers Muslim and Christian factions Mid- 1980’s: anarchy Agreement

Iraq Farming Oil War with Iran 1988 1990 Embargo Food for Oil Program Kurds

Iraq History Ruled from 1958-2003 by military dictatorship Saddam Hussein from 1979-2003 War between Iran and Iraq starting in 1980 Most fighting occurred over religious beliefs Sunni vs. Shia Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990

Iraq Today Gulf Wars have resulted in oil issues United States and British invasion in 2003 resulted in overthrow of Saddam Hussein Issues with creation of a democratic government in Iraq

Arab Spring wave of protests Ideas have spread quickly due to social media To date: rulers have been forced from power in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen; civil uprisings have erupted in Bahrain and Syria; major protests have broken out in Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, and Sudan; minor protests have occurred in Lebanon, Mauritania, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, and Western Sahara.

Syria Damascus and Aleppo Fertile farmlands farming practices Future Economic and Political Changes

Today’s Activity Read the article “Has the Arab Spring Failed?” in the Upfront Magazine you picked up on your way in. Write one sentence summarizing what the Arab Spring is. Create a cause and effect mind map of the Arab Spring. Then write one paragraph about whether you think the Arab Spring was successful in creating democracy or if it has created more issues for the region. PROVIDE SUPPORT AND EXPLAIN!