1. MIDDLE EAST: PATTERNS OF LIFE AND MORE
Objective: Students will be able to describe several aspects of life in the Middle East and analyze/evaluate the positive or negative impact of modernization within each aspect of life.

2. Closure
Write a brief justification for the group’s rating of social change and decide if the change or lack of change for the assigned aspect of life is positive or negative for the people of Middle East. Cite at least 3 pieces of evidence to support your answer.
Rate amount of Social Change: (circle one for your assigned aspect of life)
Groups: Least Greatest
Village Life:
Nomadic/Desert Life:
City Life:
Family Life:
Women:
Children:

3. Village Life Most people in small farming villages near water
Small houses –sundried bricks - timber
Self-sufficient
Farming or herding depending on water supply
Division of labor based on gender
Included mosques, stores, and houses
Did not like outsiders
Traditional economy, extended families

4. Village Changes Changes slow Green Revolution Land reform
Use of machines but still agriculture
New water supplies – desalination
Land reform
Some electricity
Move to cities for better life
New jobs
Money economy
Connection to outside world

5. Middle East Village

6. Nomadic Life Highland nomads/Bedouins (desert nomads)
Areas unsuitable for farming-moved with seasonal rains
Highland nomads: in Northern Tier (present day Turkey and Iran)
Bedouins: in Arabian Peninsula “People of the Tent”
Small tightly knit tribal group
camel essential for survival
success of group depended on behavior of each individual
Gained power because they could cross the desert
Values: land, honor/honesty, hospitality, generosity

7. Bedouin Camel beauty pageant in Abu Dhabi, UAE Al Dhafra festival link
CNN Bedouin Festival Article & Video
Camel Beauty Pageant CNN Picture

8. Basic Info Video Camel Survival Camel Racing
The Dromedary Camel…
lives in the deserts of
North Africa and the
Middle East,
is also known as the
Arabian Camel, or Ship
of the Desert,
and is a single humped
camel, unlike the Bactrian
Camel, which has 2 humps.
Basic Info Video Camel Survival Camel Racing

9. Camels

10. Nomad Changes Settled down Money economy New jobs Losing numbers
Bedouin values remain strong

11. Bedouin Bedouins in the UAE Video 8mins
CNN Bedouin Festival Article & Video
Bedouins in the UAE Video 8mins

12. Bedouin Settlement

13. Camel Beauty Contest
The United Arab Emirates is hosting a large camel beauty pageant during the Mazayin Dhafra Camel Festival 2008, to be held in Abu Dhabi from April 2 to April 10. The now-modernized region seeks to honor its nomadic Bedouin heritage, which relied heavily upon the camel for both transportation and food production. The festival will be held in remembrance, and revolves around the camel beauty pageant, which has attracted a reported 10,000 camels from across the UAE. An expert panel of judges will single out the prize-winning camels based on features such as the size of eyes and lashes, shape and placement of the hump, and the neck length, among other standards.

14. Cities Developed as: Traditional cities Political centers
Trading centers
Religious centers
Traditional cities
High walls
Narrow streets
Homes close together
Mosques and suq

15. Narrow Allies, Plain External Design
Traditional City
Narrow Allies, Plain External Design 15

16. Traditional City Privacy
Open space is located within the traditional house.
All Houses look alike form outside – no decoration.
Court yard is located inside the house. 16

18. Damascus

19. Suq Video

20. Traditional City ▲ Umayyad Mosque built 705-715 AD.
◄ Suq (Shopping Mall) Al-Hamiddiyyah. 20

21. City Changes
Urbanization – limited land; more opportunities; technology; education
Nuclear family
Strains on resources
Shantytowns
“New City” grows connected to “Old City”
Oil money = growth
Still mosque, suq, residential areas
Generational conflicts

22. Modern City Modern Dubai Video Ski Video Modern Cairo
Multi-Story apartment buildings is the new residential pattern. 22

23. Turkey
Gecekondu

24. Turkey
Gecekondu

25. Morocco

26. Cairo, Egypt
City of the Dead

27. Family

28. Family Life Patriarchal (male dominated)
Most important feature of culture
Family life guided by Qur’an
Qur’an supports authority of parents
Arranged marriages
Up to four wives
Divorce legal but looked down upon

29. Family (Children) Obey their parents Economic part of family
Birth is celebration
More boys go to school than girls –at mosque
Tradition is best taught through observation – given adult responsibilities
Son to follow father’s footsteps
Preserve family honor- respect male authority

30. Family Changes Nuclear family – still most important
Generational conflicts
Breakdown of extended family
Less arranged marriages
urbanization

31. Children Changes varies
More education and literacy – training for modern economy
Public education
Adoption of western values and culture
Generational conflicts

32. Women Tradition made women subordinate to men---NOT religion
Gave women security
Lots of influence within the family
Lost rights as time passes because of traditions/customs NOT religion
Men managed women’s affairs
In charge of household and children
More likely to bring dishonor to the family modesty, seclusion

33. Women Traditional Rights: Outlawed killing baby girls Education
Inherit property
Equal under eyes of god

34. Middle Eastern Women 34

35. Middle Eastern Women 35

36. Women Changes Varies – based on history and tradition
Urban more freedoms – education essential
More education
Entering workforce
Some choose own spouse
Some return to tradition in response to westernization
Suq Haggling A Broad Abroad Video 6:00

37. Closure
Write a brief justification for the group’s rating of social change and decide if the change or lack of change for the assigned aspect of life is positive or negative for the people of Middle East. Cite at least 3 pieces of evidence to support your answer.
Rate amount of Social Change: (circle one for your assigned aspect of life)
Groups: Least Greatest
Village Life:
Nomadic/Desert Life:
City Life:
Family Life:
Women:
Children:

38. Closure
In general have these changes been more positive or negative for the people of the Middle East.