1. Brainstorm:
Iran was not part of the Ottoman Empire. What kind of cultural differences would you expect to find between formerly Ottoman areas and Iran?

2. Persian vs. Arab Arabs- Persians- Made up the Ottoman Empire
From Arabian Peninsula
Speak Arabic language
Primarily Sunni Muslims
Persians-
Not part of Ottoman Empire (had their own empire)
Speak Persian languages instead of Arabic (Farsi and Dari)
Centered in Iran (there are some Persians in Afghanistan and Turkey)
Primarily Shi’a Muslims

3. Sunni vs. Shia

4. Sunni vs. Shia
Differences based on different interpretations of who should have taken over leadership of Islam after Muhhamad’s death.
Also disagree on some of the holy books of Islam which chronicle the actual words of Muhhamad.

5. But what about Afghanistan?
What type physical feature in Afghanistan is responsible for creating/separating so many ethnic groups?
Mountains
What is the term we learned back in our Europe unit describing the division of a region into smaller regions/groups?
Balkanization