U.S Department of Education Title VI Project: The Middle East and Cross-Regional Connections
Imperialism, Arab Nationalism, and World War I

Stephen S. Katz, chaikat@aol.com
Adjunct Professor of History
Community College of Philadelphia

Unit Title: Imperialism, Arab Nationalism, and World War I

Course: History 122, World Civilizations: Early Modern Times to the Present,
3 credits, writing intensive

1. Nature of the Course & Target Audience:

The course traces the development of the modern world including the political, economic, social, and cultural forces that have shaped modern society.

The course is open to all students with no prerequisites, writing intensive, Eng. 101 ready.
Typically, students take the course as an elective to fulfill a requirement in
such programs as education, journalism, or paralegal studies.

2. Unit Goals

To understand the basic causes of the "new imperialism," as determined by major theorists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries

To understand why the Arabs failed to achieve independence in 1919 after the Allies' defeat of the Ottoman Turkish empire.

To understand the impact of the defeat of Arab nationalism in 1919 in relation to the current situation in the Middle East today.

To understand the reasons for continued American/European interest in
the Middle East today.

To make the study of history more interesting and appealing to students by adding use of major motion pictures.

To get students to think critically in terms of analyzing primary sources and coming to grips with secondary sources, including major motion pictures.

To get students to develop critical thinking and essay writing skills as measured by successful completion of an all essay mid term examination.
3. Introduction to Material/Background

A large part of the Middle East was ruled by the Ottoman Turks until their defeat in 1918 by the Allies. The Ottoman decision to enter the First World War was the single most important event in the history of the modern Middle East because it led directly to the destruction of the Ottoman empire and to the emergence of an entirely new political structure in that important region. The Ottoman entry into the war engulfed the entire Middle East in strife. Although the Arabs through their leader Prince Feisal were promised freedom in return for their military cooperation with the Allies, the peace makers at Versailles reneged on their promises. The defeat of the Ottoman Empire meant that the European powers, for the first time, had a free hand to impose what settlement they liked on the Middle East. Great Britain and France set up colonies (League of Nations mandates) out of the carved up remains of the Ottoman Empire. This included British control over Iraq, Palestine, and Tansjordan while France gained control over Syria and Lebanon

The new Middle East came into being between 1918 and 1921 and was radically different from the Middle East of 1914. Great Britain was now the dominant power in that strategic part of the world. Yet, nationalism among both Arabs and Zionists remained a powerful and volatile force. Bitterly disappointed, the Arabs continued to agitate for self-determination and removal of all imperial presence, a struggle that still continues to this day.

4. Student Readings & Other Learning Materials

Textbook: The Heritage of World Civilizations, Craig, Graham, et. al.
Prentice Hall, 2004, 6th ed., vol. 2, Chapter 28, The Islamic Experience, pp. 794-798
Chapter 30, The New Imperialism, pp. 853-857
Chapter 35, The Post Colonial Middle East, pp. 1003-1011

Required reading: European Imperialism, 1830-1930, ed. Alice Conklin & Ian Fletcher, Houghton-Mifflin, 2002

Primary Sources: T.E. Lawrence Revolt in the Desert
T.E. Lawrence Seven Pillages of Wisdom
Ed. Akram Fouad Khater Sources in the History of the
Modern Middle East, Houghton-Mifflin, 2004
Documents CD-ROM The Heritage of World Civilization

Overhead Transparencies The Heritage of World Civilizations, Teaching
And Learning Edition

30-4 World War I Peace Settlement in Europe and the Middle East
35-1 Decolonization since World War II
35-2 The Modern Middle East

Power Point Presentations The Heritage of World Civilizations
Ch 28,30,35 Lectures Aids: Text,Visuals, and Animation

Historical Movie: Lawrence of Arabia (1961) produced by Sol
Spiegel and directed by David Lean. The movie stars Peter O'Toole,
Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Anthony Quinn, and Omar Sharif.
The movie won 7 Academy awards in 1961 including Best Picture of the
Year. It deals with a young British army officer who helps Arab tribes
fight for their independence from the Ottoman Turks during World War I
butt then denying them self determination in favor of English imperialism
after the war.


5. Pre-Assignments

Textbook: Chapter 28 The Islamic Experience, pp. 794-798
Chapter 30 The New Imperialism, pp. 853-857

Required : Ed. Alice Conklin & Ian Fletcher European Imperialism, 1830-1930

6. Classroom Activities

First Week (3 hours)

Lecture: "The New Imperialism and the Causes of World War I,"

The lecture will deal with the causes of the "new imperialism" which developed around the 1880's and its impact on colonialism around the world. Special attention will be given to the various theories of imperialism and, specifically, how it affected the Middle East.

4 main causes of the "new imperialism", 1880's

1. economic - the effect of industrialization on Europe and need for economic expansion

2. strategic reasons

3. the racist factor - Social Darwinist thought and "scientific racism"

4. national pride and prestige - Germany, Italy

4 main reasons for the importance of the Middle East

1. strategic location

2. oil

3. religious center for 3 great religions of man

4. nationalism - Arab and Israeli

By the 18th century all of the largest Muslim empires were in decline.
What ailed the Arabs?

1. lack of technology, especially military; why did the Arabs fall so behind?

2. decentralization of authority

3. economic problems facing agrarian societies

3 Islamic Responses to Foreign Encroachment

1. Tendency to emulate Western ideas and institutions
Ex. Mustafa Kemal in Turkey, 1922-1938

2. Integration of Western and Islamic ideas
Ex. Muhammad Iqbal, 1873-1938

3. Purification & revival of Islam
Ex. Wahhabias in Saudi Arabia, 1790's
Iran, 1970's

Map Activities - political changes in the Middle East and the New Imperialism (from textbook CD ROM)

Student discussions and study groups on the nature of imperialism and the reasons for the revival of imperialism in the latter part of the 19th century (The New Imperialism) - textbook readings and analysis of primary sources on the origins and nature of imperialism (from Conklin anthology).

Second Week (3 hours)

Lecture: "The Peace Conference of Versailles"

The lecture will focus on the deadlock of trench warfare in Europe and the need for all the belligerents to acquire new allies and make secret and often contradictory deals. Next, I will discuss the Armistice, Peace Conference at Versailles, the Big 4, and the actual peace treaty

Movie Lawrence of Arabia - and panel discussion: is it history or Hollywood?

How are the main historical characters and groups portrayed in the
film? Are these portrayals accurate?
What parts of the film are the most accurate?
What parts of the film are misrepresentations of the truth?
What major historical issues are brought out in the film?
What human nature or psychological dilemmas are brought out
in the film? Are they realistically portrayed?
Discuss any use of symbolism.
Does the film adequately explain the disappointment of the Arabs in 1919?
What is the value of the film for students of history and in
understanding the current situation in the Middle East today?
Doe it help you understand the past? The present?
Finally, is the movie history or Hollywood?

Third Week (3 hours)

Lecture: "Arab and Jewish Nationalism"

The lecture will cover the origins of Jewish nationalism (Zionism),
the 1917 Balfour Declaration, and the origins of Arab nationalism.

Small group presentations on analysis of primary sources (found in Sources in the History of the Modern Middle East) and
CD-ROM Documents, The Heritage of World Civilizataions

The Husayn-McMahon Correspondence, Negotiating the establishment of an "Arab Kingdom" in the Middle East (1915)

The Balfour Declaration Stating the British government's Support of a Jewish Homeland in Palestine (1917)

T.E. Lawrence's Revolt in the Desert
Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points Speech

Analysis of primary sources

Why did the British conclude the Husayn-McMahon Correspondence? What promises were made to the Arabs?
Were these promises contradictory to the Picot-Sykes Agreement?
How does Lawrence of Arabia view the Arab contribution to the Allied war effort?
What are President Woodrow Wilson's specific suggestions for colonial people of the world?

What did the British issue the Balfour Declaration?
Notice the wording of it. What did it say about the Arabs already living in Palestine?

Analysis of secondary sources

Students can read any of the secondary sources including those on the bibliography list.

7. Assessment

There are a large number of possible writing assignments to assess student mastery of both the subject content and critical thinking skills involved in this 3 week module. Perhaps the best way to do this would be an in the classroom essay. However, take home writing assignments would also be appropriate. Such writing assignment/essay questions might include:

1. According to Hobson and Lenin what were the major reasons for the new imperialism developing in the latter part of the 19th century? Do their arguments appear very convincing to you? What other explanations have been offered to explain "the new imperialism?"

2. Explain how the World War I Allies' agreements concerning the Middle East were contradictory. Were these agreement done so
inadvertently or deliberately? What was the final outcome for Arab nationalism by 1920 and why?

3. Fully explain the concept of Zionism and how it developed in the latter part of the 19th century. Explain how it fit into World War I and the
post war Middle East.
4. Compare and contrast Arab and Israeli nationalism in the Middle East around 1920 and in 2004. Are there any similarities or differences?
Relate these nationalist struggles from the World War I period to those of today.

8. Brief Instructor Bibliography

Primary Sources

Ed. Khater, Akran Fouad Khater. Sources in the History of the Modern Middle East, Houghton-Mifflin, 2002.

Lawrence, T.E., Revolt in the Desert Garden City Publishing Company, 1926.

Lawrence, T.E., The Seven Pillars of Wisdom
Penguin Press, 1926.

Ed. Weintraub, Stanley & Rodelle, Evolution of a Revolt: Early Postwar
Writings of T.E. Lawrence. Pennsylvania State University Press, 1969.

CD-ROM Documents, The Heritage of World Civilizations

Secondary Sources

Bogle, Emory C. The Middle East: From Imperialism to Freedom 1800-1958
Prentice Hall, 1996

Kostiner, Joseph. The Making of Saudi Arabia, 1916-1936
Oxford University Press, 1993

Lewis, Bernard. The Shaping of the Modern Middle East
Oxford University Press, 1994

Lyons, Michael J. World War I: A Short History, 2nd ed.
Prentice Hall, 2000

McCarthy, Justin. The Ottoman Peoples and the End of Empire
Oxford University Press, 2001

Mousa, Suleiman, T.E. Lawrence: An Arab View, Oxford University Press, 1966

Nutting, Anthony, Lawrence of Arabia: The Man and the Motive, ClarksonPotter Publisher, 1961

Rothwell, V.H., British War Aims and Peace Diplomacy, Oxford University Press, 1971

Yapp, M.E., The Making of the Modern Near East, 1792-1923, Longman, 1987

Yapp, M.E. The Near East Since the First World War, Longman, 2001

9. Additional Comments

I hope my students were able to put together the different approaches to studying history. Also, I would like my students to understand the necessity of discerning the truth from myth in studying history. This includes classroom lectures, textbook reading, use of primary sources, secondary sources, and historical movies.

Appendix: Map Exercises to accompany The Heritage of World Civilization, 6th ed.
Map 35-2 (page 1005): The Middle East

Instructions: Use an atlas to label, color code, and identify the following:

1. Identify the Hejaz, the Najd

2. Identify the following cities: Mecca, Medina, Istanbul, Damascus, Cairo,
Baghdad, Mosul, Basra, Jerusalem, Aqaba, Riyadh, Tel Aviv, Gaza

3. Identify and label the following bodies of water: Red Sea, Persian Gulf,
Mediterranean Sea, Suez Canal, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman

4. Label and color the area promised to Emir Husayn as part of the Husayn-
McMahon agreement.

5. Label and color the area included in the Balfour Declaration.

6. Label the final division of the Middle East as a result of the Treaty of Versailles,
approximately 1920. Indicate which European nations received which League
of Nations' mandates.

Community College of Philadelphia
History 122
World Civilization: Early Modern Times to Present

Summer 2, 2005 Dr. S. Katz
Department of History 215 751-8655
215 751-8771 chaikatz@aol.com

"Those who fail to read history are doomed to repeat it." George Santayana

Course Objective

Learning history means how to interpret events in the past. In this class, we will "do" history ourselves by reading both secondary (accounts of the past written by historians) and primary sources (accounts of the past created by people who lived in the past) and then analyzing those sources.

We cannot cover all of world history since 1789 in 7 short weeks. Instead, we will focus our attention on some of the main topics and events in our modern world.

Schedule of Topics, Readings, and Exams (subject to change/revision)

Day Lecture Topic

Tuesday, July 12 Introduction - Chapter 23 The Enlightenment
July 14 The French Revolution, Ch. 24 in Craig textbook
July 19 The French Revolution & Napoleon: assigned
Reading: Short History of the French Revolution
July 21 Political Consolidation in 19th Century Europe,
Ch. 25
July 26 The Industrial Revolution, Ch. 26
July 28 Imperialism, Conklin European Imperialism
Ch. 30 pp. 853-856
Aug. 2 Imperialism, Ch. 27,28,29 and review
Aug. 4 Mid term examination
Aug. 9 Arab Nationalism and World War I
Movie review: Lawrence of Arabia
Aug. 11 Depression, European Dictators, Ch. 31
Aug. 16 World War II, Ch. 32
Aug. 18 The Modern Middle East, Ch. 35
Aug. 23 East Asia, Ch. 34
Aug. 25 Final examination

Required Books

The required textbook for the course is:

" The Heritage of World Civilizations by Craig, Graham, et. al., 6th ed. Vol. 2, Chapters 24-35

The three required paperback readings are:

" Short History of the French Revolution by Jeremy D. Popkin
" European Imperialism, 1830-1930 edited by Conklin & Fletcher
" Hitler and Nazi Germany, A History by Jackson J. Spielvogel

Grading

Mid term examination 50%
Final examination 50%

This course is writing intensive so all examinations are essay and will be graded on:

" Content - from lectures, required readings and your own thoughts
" Critical thinking
" Paragraphing and organization of ideas
" Writing style
" Grammar and spelling - you may use a dictionary during the exams

Improvement will be noted and rewarded. You should consult with and use the support services of the Learning Lab where professional tutoring is available.

Reading

Reading is a critical component of this course. You should have completed the required reading assignments by the date given on the syllabus. It is also highly recommended that you actually bring the books to class. Making annotations in your book will be crucial to your efforts to understand and remember what you read. Reading carefully, taking notes in your notebook, and making notes in your book will also help. You might want to write down questions about the reading and bring them up in class.

Attendance

Attendance is required. If you miss a 3 hour class you will miss a lot. You are responsible for telling me (in advance, if possible) if you have to miss class. Also, you are responsible for being up to date when you return. Do not rely on the syllabus or word-of-mouth: check with me. Class participation can be factored into your final grade. Be sure to get the notes you missed. The more you attend and the more you participate the better chance you have of earning a high grade.