Middle+East

This page focuses on what students most need to know about this region in preparation for the IB exam.

IB Definition of Topic
"War and change in the Middle East 1914-49"

This section deals with the impact of the First World War upon the Middle East and examines the significance of the Arab revolt militarily and politically as well as the effects of Allied diplomacy on the regionʼs development. The unit requires consideration of post-war territorial and political rearrangements in the region, whether in the form of mandates or the establishment of independent states, as well as the emergence of movements for national regeneration. The question of the Palestine Mandate, including British administration and policies and the origins and development of the Arab–Jewish dispute up to 1948, is a particular area of focus.


 * Allied diplomacy and its impact in the Middle East; MacMahon–Hussein Correspondence; Sykes–Picot Agreement 1916; Arab Revolt 1916; Balfour Declaration 1917
 * Paris Peace Settlement: territorial and political impact on the region; the mandate system: British and French administration in Iraq, Transjordan, Syria and Lebanon
 * Establishment and operation of the Palestine Mandate until 1948: economic, social and political developments; increased Jewish immigration; agreements/policies: Hope Simpson Report, Peel Commission, White Papers
 * Post-Second World War tensions: UNSCOP; creation of the state of Israel; War of Independence 1948- 9
 * Atatürk and the Turkish Republic: aims and policies 1919-38; impact on Turkish society; successes and failures
 * Iran and Reza Khan 1924- 41: establishment and nature of the regime; attempts to modernize; Western influences
 * Saudi Arabia and Ibn Saud 1932-1949: establishment and nature of the regime; role of religion in the state; economic and social policies

Paper 3 Questions, By Year
2008 9. In what ways, and with what success, did Reza Shah modernise Iran between 1924 and 1941? 10. To what extent had one of the post-war mandates (excluding Palestine) made progress towards independence by 1939? 11. Compare and contrast the domestic policies of Ibn Saud in Saudi Arabia and Attatürk in Turkey.

2009 11. How important was the Arab Revolt of 1916 in the eventual defeat of Turkey in the First World War? 12. Assess the impact of Reza Shah on Iran between 1926 and 1941. 13. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Gulf states in the 1920s and 1930s.

2010 12. Analyse the successes and failures of one post-First World War treaty. 13. Assess the importance of the Palestine Mandate (1920–1948). 14. “The father and founder of modern Turkey.” To what extent does this statement explain the role and policies of Atatürk?

2011 12. Discuss the impact of the First World War on domestic affairs in any one country of the region. 13. “Allied diplomacy during the First World War in the Middle East was contradictory and caused instability in the region.” To what extent do you agree with this statement? 14. In what ways was Ibn Saud able to extend his power and establish the kingdom of Saudi Arabia by 1932?

"Paper 2" exam questions testing knowledge of the topic "The Arab-Israeli Conflict 1945-79"
Note that this is NOT an exam that anyone at WFS will need to take, but as there is a slight overlap between its focus and the focus of our unit here, I am including the questions from these past exams that do pertain to our unit.

2010 Analyse the reasons for the ﬂight of the Palestinian Arabs during the civil war between 1947 and 1948.

**From ActiveHistory:**
A variety of [|interactive quizzes, activities and videos] developed or compiled by Russel Tarr at ActiveHistory.

**From me:**
Blank analytical charts, with a common format for understanding and comparing Middle Eastern phenomena across their phases of development (long-term, short-term, and immediate, or some variant) and one's level of analysis (cultural, political, socio-economic, etc.). I include both PDF and Excel formats, in case some of you want to paste notes directly onto the Excel columns.