Resources in Southwest Asia

In Southwest Asia, we will explorezSWAsia oil icon
the big idea of resources – things in nature
that humans have learned how to use.

Resources are geographically important
for one simple reason – different places
inevitably have different resources.

NOTE: This unit could go after Unit 7,
Size in Russia – these two units deal
with different aspects of resources.

These materials explore some consequence
of the uneven distribution of resources,
using examples from Southwest Asia
(also called the “Middle East”).

Day 1: Two presentations with embedded activities
explore an important idea – the resources that made
Southwest Asia important have changed over time.

zSWAsia nile iconBonus: For people teaching ancient world history,
we have developed a version of the “location game”
(the Jamestowne activity featured in the Course Intro)
that is set in the Nile Valley and surrounding land
(students doing the simulation do not know that).
This can be done in place of the Jamestowne activity
as an “icebreaker” in the Intro part of the class,
or as a review and extension in the SW Asia unit
(where its history connections can be expended).

Day 2: Given that timely rain is a valuable resource,
Southwest Asia is a good place to examine
an important idea – the north-south movement
of tropical deserts is one of the major effects
of climate cycles in the past, and the resulting
climate change had an influence in history.

Option: This water-budget worksheet can help meet
some math objectives in an integrated curriculum.
It also illustrates on root cause of trouble in SW Asia
(Syria had half a million refugees from failing farms
long before ISIS came along – and displaced people
are a prime recruiting area for terrorist groups!)
Students can do the worksheet, with or without
guidance from the presentation, and then write
persuasive essays or do a role-play simulation
to discuss ways to allocate the river water.

This activity could go before or after the ones
on the spread of Islam and oil – water has always
been a problem in the region, but oil profits
and population pressure have supported
dam construction and other water projects
that are bringing the situation to a crisis point.

Day 3: History books rightly emphasize that
the high yields of irrigated agriculture provided
a strong foundation for job specialization, division
of labor, trade relationships, and urban civilization.
They also note that several major religions started
in Southwest Asia. These have spread elsewhere
(via the trade connections), and now have great
influence in many other parts of the world.z SWAsia Sunni Shia

Option 1:  Southwest Asia was
strategically located for trade
in the Middle Ages.  Here’s why:

Option 2:  The Ottoman Empire was one
of the most successful empires in history.
One reason is that the sultans often chose
wives or consorts from other countries
for diplomatic reasons.  This map activity
explores those relationships.

Day 4: Southwest Asia is the number-1 source of oil,
which is the number-1 item in world trade today.

Summary: At the end of the unit, students
should be able to explain how the idea of resources
can help us understand many other aspects of
the history and modern politics in Southwest Asia.
The idea can also provide perspective for
a capstone project about a current-event topic
such as preservation of archaeological sites,
governments run by (and for) ruling families,
emergence of tourist economies and banking
centers in places like Dubai and Bahrain,
consequences of extreme wealth disparities,
as well as ongoing religious conflict and terrorism.

Extras: Here is a useful map of old trade routes
and a large “tile-map” that can be printed
on ordinary paper and then assembled
like a puzzle into a large map for posters,
bulletin-board displays, or student activities.