The Middle East

Taliban

An extreme Islamic group who took control of Afghanistan's government in the 1990's and again in 2021.

Red Sea

Body of water between northeast Africa and the Arabian Peninsula

Jesus

Christian messiah who is the basis of salvation for Christians

monotheism

Christianity, Islam, and Judaism all believe in one GOD

Qur'an

The holy book of Islam

Istanbul

city in turkey that is in both Europe and Asia

Osama Bin Laden

Founder of Al Qaeda, the terrorist network responsible for the attacks of September 11, 2001, and other attacks.

theocracy

Iran follows the Islamic law, the sharia, so it is this type of government; government guided by religion

Muhammad

Islamic prophet that received messages from Allah through the angel Gabriel

Iraq

Middle Eastern country where the world's first civilization began (Mesopotamia) around the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

The Middle East is considered the birthplace and spiritual center of these three major religions.

Jerusalem

This city is considered holy to Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.

secular

Turkey's government is completely separate from religious law making it this type of democracy

Saddam Hussein

dictator in Iraq who tried to take over Iran and Kuwait in order to gain the land and the resources (Persian Gulf War); also refused to let the UN into Iraq in order to check for weapons of mass destruction (Operation Iraqi Freedom).

Israel

formed after World War II for Jews seeking a homeland; only Middle Eastern country that is not majority Islamic

Dead Sea

large saltwater lake in Israel

Saudi Arabia

largest country on the Arabian Peninsula

Strait of Hormuz

links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea

OPEC

organization of petroleum exporting countries, sets the price oil on the world market

Five Pillars

the obligations that Muslims must follow throughout their lifetime