...World War I was caused by competitions for power and resources by the empires, and the conclusion of the war resulted in the destruction of the empires, particularly the Ottoman Empire and Austria-Hungary Empire. The dissolution of the Ottoman Empire allowed many Middle East countries to be self-governed, while the West such as Great Britain and France had more interest in Europe than in the Middle East enabled the former to play a dominant role of colonization in the region. This seeded confrontation between two different civilizations, resulting in chaos later and to a large extent helping shape the Middle East in today's world. This paper attempts to examine this history arguing how the Ottoman Empire declined and eventually dissolved at the end of WWI. It shows that the internal problems of the Empire, such as its backward political and economic system, failed to compete with the increasing influence of the Western European countries, whose government was more efficient and more industrialized than the former, in the Middle East. The paper starts with a discussion of the contemporary situation in the Empire, and then deals with the problems that led to the conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and the European powers over the Middle East during WWI. It finally analyzes how the defeat of the Ottomans and the increasing British and French dominance in the Middle East laid the ground for today's conflicts in the region between the Arabic states and the Jewish nation, which...
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...John Kerry is running for president to make America stronger at home and more respected in the world. He has a plan to restore the values that have always made America a leader in the world. He has a plan to create good-paying jobs at home - jobs that let American families get ahead in an America where the middle class is growing, not being squeezed. He has a plan to make health care a right for all Americans. He has a plan to make this nation independent from Middle East oil. And he has a plan to modernize and strengthen America's military and lead a new era of alliances - so young Americans are never put in harm's way because we insisted on going it alone. John Kerry is running for president to answer the call to service - just as he has answered that call all his life. He was born on December 11, 1943 at Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Colorado. His father, Richard, volunteered in the Army Air Corps during World War II. His mother, Rosemary, was a lifelong community activist. As he was about to graduate from Yale, John Kerry volunteered to serve in Vietnam. His leadership, courage, and sacrifice earned him a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with Combat V, and three Purple Hearts. In Vietnam, John Kerry saw the lives of his fellow soldiers put at risk because some leaders in Washington were making bad decisions. When he returned home, he became a spokesman for Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) and later co-founded Vietnam Veterans of America. John Kerry then went to work as a prosecutor...
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...Perspective The Golan Heights, seized by Israel from Syria in the closing stages of the Six Day War (June 5-10, 1967) and then again during the surprise attacks of the Yom Kippur War of October 1973, has held not only political and strategic significance but historical importance as well. Overlooking northern Israel and southern Syria, the Golan, annexed in 1981, has given Israel an excellent vantage point for monitoring Syrian movements with a topography that provides a natural buffer against any military thrust from Syria. The Golan Heights embraces 1,250 square kilometers (500 square miles) and borders southern Lebanon, northeast Israel and northwest Jordan. Its elevations range from 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) in the north to below sea level along the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) and the Yarmuk River in the south. (Wikepedia) Israel may be willing to return some of the Golan but wants to retain the 1920 border drawn during the French Mandate of Syria and the British Mandate of Palestine following World War I. Syria asserts the Heights are part of the governorate of Al Qunaytirah, and the international community considers they are to be a part of the Israeli-occupied territories. (BBC News) The military importance of the Golan Heights has increased during recent years mainly due to the introduction of ballistic missiles and technologies. The 1991 Gulf War, and the proliferation of US military bases and installations throughout the globe, are confirmation of the...
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...Introduction Ever since I was born on April 15, 1980, I have been raised in a Greek environment, and being Greek-American has played a significant role in my life. In addition, I happen to have a friend named Mehmet, who is from Turkey. But I never knew any information about Turkey until I found this country on a world map. That’s when I learned the following facts: Turkey is located in both Europe and Asia, and it shares a border with Greece. So when I started taking the course Geography of the Middle East at Old Dominion University, I decided to select Turkey for my research paper. Perry Library and Larchmont Library were excellent places for literary materials. I also consulted Internet sources and my class textbook as additional resources. Turkistan, a region in central Asia, is a Persian term which means “Turks’ land” or “land of the Turks”. The Young Ottoman Turks considered this name for their country before they decided on “Turkiye, an adaptation of the European name” Turkey (Lewis 333). Although “[t]he name Turkey has been given to…Anatolia…since its first conquest by the Turks in the eleventh century,” the Turks officially referred to their country as Turkey when it won its independence in 1923. (Lewis 1). Turkey’s relative geographical position distinguished it from most of the other countries of the world. It is situated on two continents: (southeastern) Europe and (southwestern) Asia. European Turkey, or Eastern Thrace, constitutes only...
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... rich in natural resources, have always sustained and promoted a large population. While registering modest gains since the late 19th century, but particularly in the first decade of the 20th, Kurds lost demographic ground relative to neighboring ethnic groups. This was due as much to their less developed economy and health care system as it was to direct massacres, deportations, famines, etc. The total number of Kurds actually decreased in this period, while every other major ethnic group in the area boomed. Since the middle of the 1960s this negative demographic trend has reversed, and Kurds are steadily regaining the demographic position of importance that they traditionally held, representing 15% of the over-all population of the Middle East in Asia-a phenomenon common since at least the 4th millennium BC. Today Kurds are the fourth largest ethnic group in the Middle East, after the Arabs, Persians and Turks. Their largest concentrations are now respectively in Turkey (approx. 52% of all Kurds), Iran(25.5%), Iraq (16%), Syria (5%) and the CIS (1.5%). Barring a catastrophe, Kurds will become the third most populous ethnic group in the Middle East by the year 2000, displacing the Turks. F . . . In other words, it is Islam...
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...and changes in religious belief systems from 600 B.C.E. and 600 C.E. in one of the following regions. a. Middle East b. South Asia c. East Asia 2. Analyze similarities and differences of the core beliefs of two religious traditions that emerged before 600 C.E. I. Opening Vignette (pg 189) A. In 2004, China celebrated the 2,555th birthday of Confucius, despite Communism. 1. Buddhism and Christianity also growing rapidly in China 2. part of enduring legacy of the classical world Class Notes: B. Rise of Religions/Philosophies In the period around 500 B.C.E., there was a great emergence of durable cultural traditions that have shaped the world ever since. 1. China : Kong Fuzi (Confucius) and Laozi 2. India :...
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...using conflict tree 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 What conflict tree Identification of conflict tree Root causes of the conflict Core problem of the conflict Result of the conflict 3. Time line of the WAR 3.1 List of battle 4. Time line of peace process 4.1 4.2 4.3 List of peace attempt Identification of failure of peace process Conflict through Galtung conflict Triangle 2 5. Possible answer for the conflict 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Common third party policy Identification by the United Nation One State Two State Three State 11 12 13 13 13 13 13 14 14 6. 7. . Recommendation Conclusion Bibliography 3 1. Background 1.1 Geographical history of two states Understanding Israel and the broader Middle East requires understanding the difference between a state and a nation, two words often used interchangeably. A state in the traditional sense is the political apparatus that governs a territory; a nation is a people who share a heritage, a culture, or perhaps a system of beliefs Israel, officially the State of Israel is a country in Western Asia, on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It shares land borders with Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan on the east, the Palestinian territories (or State of Palestine) comprising the West Bank and Gaza Strip on the east and southwest respectively, Egypt and the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea to the south, Palestine is a geographic region in...
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...Jurecki Theology 150 April 12, 2015 World Religion Paper For my world religion paper, I have decided to write it on the religion of Judaism. To begin, I will cover the components of their religion such as: their core belief systems, who they consider their deity, how they worship their deity, and how they live their lives. I will conclude my paper by reflecting on what I have learned and how that may impact my life and what changes I may make in the future because of it. I intend to learn about this previously foreign religion to me to develop a better understanding of this major religion. This knowledge can help me better understand how millions of people live their lives to make sure I am as respectful as possible and hopefully learn something new when approached with an open mind. This paper is a learning process for me and I will try to stay as unbiased as possible when searching for references. Judaism is the eleventh most popular religion in the world with over fourteen million followers. This religion dates back over four-thousand years ago to the year 2000 B.C.E. This religion is practiced in over fifty counties and is even increasing in popularity. In 2014 there were half of a million more Jewish people in the world than the previous year which continues the exponential expansion of this religion. Judaism is a very intricate religion with interesting beliefs, morals, and traditions with global impacts and conflicts around the world. Judaism is strictly monotheistic...
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...Introduction “The efforts of global powers to establish a global system to create a balance of power in the world to suit their interest are the root cause of global peace, conflict & refugee crisis.” The above statement is our debate topic & we are supporting the statement. Before we present our arguments to support it, the following questions should be answered: • Who are global powers? • What is balance of power? • What is their (global power’s) interest? • What is global peace, conflict & refugee crisis? The answers to above terms will provide us clear view on the esteemed statement. The terms are discussed as follows: Global Power: There are 10 powerful countries, the 10 great powers that can rock the world. They have been ranked by their fire power & ability to shape both their regional environments and the international system as a whole; among all the world’s countries these are the ones with the most ability to affect global politics by their choices. The global power rankings are revised every year. Until 2016, the top 10 global powers are as follows: 1. United States of America 2. United Kingdom 3. Germany 4. China 5. Japan 6. Russia 7. India 8. Turkey 9. Iran 10. South Korea Balance of Power: In international relations, the posture and policy of a nation or group of nations protecting itself against another nation or group of nations by matching its power against the power of the other side. States can...
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...the theory that persons, groups, and races are subject to the same laws of natural selection as Charles Darwin had perceived in plants and animals in nature. According to the theory, which was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the weak were diminished and their cultures delimited, while the strong grew in power and in cultural influence over the weak. Social Darwinists held that the life of humans in society was a struggle for existence ruled by “survival of the fittest,” a phrase proposed by the British philosopher and scientist Herbert Spencer. The social Darwinists—notably Spencer and Walter Bagehot in England and William Graham Sumner in the United States—believed that the process of natural selection acting on variations in the population would result in the survival of the best competitors and in continuing improvement in the population. Societies, like individuals, were viewed as organisms that evolve in this manner. The theory was used to support laissez-faire capitalism and political conservatism. Class stratification was justified on the basis of “natural” inequalities among individuals, for the control of property was said to be a correlate of superior and inherent moral attributes such as industriousness, temperance, and frugality. Attempts to reform society through state intervention or other means would, therefore, interfere with natural processes; unrestricted competition and defense of the status quo were in accord with biological selection....
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...HIST-T124 T1 Study Guide I. MULTIPLE CHOICE KEY CONCEPTS Early Humans and their Culture * Define “culture” * Identify the features of the Paleolithic and Neolithic Cultures Middle East * Define “civilization” * Explain the role of climate and geography in the development of Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations Near East * Explain the role of climate and geography in the development of Near Eastern civilizations * Identify the Hittites and Assyrians Indian Sub-Continent * Explain the role of climate and geography in the development of early Indian civilization * Recognize and identify key characteristics and features of Harappan and Vedic Aryan civilizations East Asia (China) * Explain the role of climate and geography on the emergence of civilization in East Asia * Identify and describe the key features of Shang and Zhou civilization The Americas * Explain the role of climate and geography in the development of civilization in the Americas * Focus on the Olmecs in Mesoamerica and Chavin de Huantar in the Andes Comparing the Four Great Revolutions * Identify and understand the main points of comparison and contrast between Chinese, Indian, Near Eastern, and Mediterranean philosophy and religion Philosophy in China * Identify and understand the key features and messages of Confucianism, Daoism...
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... i. What continent? Anatolia (Western Asia), East Thrace (South-eastern Europe). ii. Bordering countries? Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Iraq and Syria. iii. Landlocked? Seas? Mediterranean Sea (South), Aegean Sea (West), Black Sea (North). b. What is the climate like? Temperate Mediterranean climate. 3. People and Culture a. Population? 75,627,384 b. Ethnicities and predominant religion? Turks (70-75%), Kurds (18%), Others (7-12%). Predominantly Islam. c. Are there any racial or ethnic issues? If so, what are they? None. d. How are women treated in your country? Women are treated as the same as men. 4. Government and Politics a. Leader? How long have they been in power for? Are they popular? Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister since 2003, not popular. b. Current government system? Are there free elections? Parliamentary representative democracy, there are free elections. c. Stability or situation of the country’s political system today? Unstable political system, there have been violent protests in May and June. d. Any geo-political considerations? Syrian Civil War, Cyprus dispute. 5. Education a. What is the education system like? (i.e. literacy rates, girls education, common length of time in school) Literacy rate: 94.1% Girls education same as males. Common length of time in school: 14 years. 6. Health a. What is the health system like...
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...The Early Years The Philippine National Bank was established as a government-owned banking institution on July 22, 1916 with headquarters in the old Masonic Temple along Escolta, Manila. Its primary mandate was to provide financial services to Philippine industry and agriculture and support the government's economic development effort. World War I, then raging in Europe, generated huge demand for the country's major exports namely: sugar, copra, coconut oil, Manila hemp and tobacco. However, not much was being done to develop the industries that produced these sought-after crops since access to credit facilities was limited then. To solve this problem, Henderson Martin, Vice Governor of the Philippines, together with Mr. Miguel Cuaderno (who later became Central Bank governor) drafted the charter for a national bank. In February 4, 1916, Public Act 2612 was passed by the Philippine legislature providing for the establishment of the PNB to replace the small P1 million government-owned Agricultural Bank. PNB's first head office was the Masonic Temple along Escolta, the then "Wall Street of the Philippines" in the bustling district of Sta. Cruz in Manila. An American, H. Parker Willis, was its first president. "The First Universal Bank in the country" With PNB's establishment, Filipinos found a bank of their own. PNB was authorized to grant short and long-term loans to agriculture and industry. The Filipino farmers then could avail of loans with interest between 8% to 10% per...
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...Foundations: c. 8000 B.C.E.–600 C.E. Major Developments 1. Locating world history in the environment and time 1. Environment 1. Geography and climate: Interaction of geography and climate with the development of human society a. Five Themes of Geography – consider these 1. Relative location – location compared to others 2. Physical characteristics – climate, vegetation and human characteristics 3. Human/environment interaction – how do humans interact/alter environ a. Leads to change 4. Movement – peoples, goods, ideas among/between groups 5. Regions – cultural/physical characteristics in common with surrounding areas b. E. Africa first people – 750,000 years ago started to move 1. moving in search of food c. Role of Climate – End of Ice Age 12000 BCE – large areas of N. America, Europe, Asia became habitable – big game hunters already migrated 1. Geographical changes - 3000 BCE Green Sahara began to dry up, seeds to forests – N. America 2. Effect on humans – nomadic hunters didn’t move so much a. Settle near abundant plant life – beginning of civilization b. Sedentary life w/ dependable food supply 3. milder conditions, warmer temperatures, higher ocean...
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...come into your cities and lands as conquerors or enemies, but as liberators. ... It is [not] the wish of [our] government to impose upon you alien institutions. ... [It is our wish] that you should prosper even as in the past, when your lands were fertile, when your ancestors gave to the world literature, science, and art, and when Baghdad city was one of the wonders of the world. ... It is [our] hope that the aspirations of your philosophers and writers shall be realized and that once again the people of Baghdad shall flourish, enjoying their wealth and substance under institutions which are in consonance with their sacred laws and their racial ideals.[1] The government of Iraq, and the future of your country, will soon belong to you. ... We will end a brutal regime ... so that Iraqis can live in security. We will respect your great religious traditions, whose principles of equality and compassion are essential to Iraq's future. We will help you build a peaceful and representative government that protects the rights of all citizens. And then our military forces will leave. Iraq will go forward as a unified, independent, and sovereign nation that has regained a respected place in the world. You are a good and gifted people -- the heirs of a great civilization that contributes to all humanity.[2] Britain's 1917 occupation of Iraq holds worrying parallels with today.[3] After the euphoric 1917 capture of Baghdad and expulsion of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq soon became...
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