ss7g8a,b

SS7G8a,b

The Student will describe the diverse cultures of the people who live in

Southwest Asia (Middle East)

a. Explain the differences between an ethnic group and a religious group.

•Ethnic Group- shares cultural ideas and beliefs that have been a part of the community for generations.

•Common characteristics may include language, religion, a shared history, types of foods, and traditional stories, beliefs and celebrations.

•These things make up a common culture shared by those in a particular ethnic group.


•Ethnic Group (Kurds)- live in mountain regions of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.

•Speak Kurdish

•Most are Muslim

•Do not have their own homeland or government

•Minority group ruled by government of country in which they live


•Religious Group- share a belief system in a god or gods with a specific set of rituals and literature

•People from different ethnic groups and/or different countries may share a religion while not sharing a common culture.


•Religion very important in history of Middle East

•Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all originated in M.E.

•Followers of Judaism are called Jews.

•Followers of Christianity are called Christians.

•Followers of Islam are called Muslims.


• Which do Kurds share as a part of their ethnic group?

a.The Kurdish language

b.They live in the same country.

c. Self-rule in the land of Kurdistan

d.The ability to move freely to other countries


• Which are the 3 main religious groups of SW Asia?

a.Hinduism, Islam, Judaism

b.Christianity, Judaism, Islam

c. Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam

d.Christianity, Islam, Shamanism

b. Explain the diversity of religions within the Arabs, Persians, and Kurds

• Arabs- believe themselves to be descendants of Abraham through his son Ishmael.

• They are the majority ethnic group of those who live in the Middle East

• There are differences among them.

• Most practice the religion of Islam and call themselves Muslims.


• Muslims are divided into several groups.

• The major groups are Sunni Muslims and Shia (or Shiite) Muslims.

• Many Arabs are Christians.

• Most Arabs speak the Arabic language.


• Persians live in the modern country of Iran.

• Descended from a different group than those who are Arabs or Jews.

• Ancestors were Indo-Europeans from Central Europe and Southern Russia.


• Persia became known as Iran after World War I.

• Persians (or Iranians) speak Farsi (uses the Arabic alphabet but is a different language) *Like French and Spanish use the same alphabet as us, but are different languages. n'est-ce pas? n ¿no?

• Most Persians belong to the Shia group of Muslims.

• Only 15% of all Muslims are Shia.

• The other 85% are Sunni Muslims.


• Kurds live in several different countries.

• Most are found in the mountainous areas where Syria, Iran, Iraq, and Turkey come together.

• See themselves as a distinct ethnic group.

• Speak their own language (Kurdish), have a separate history, literature, music and set of traditions.


• Many Kurds hope to have their own homeland some day.

• This has caused conflict with the countries in which they live.

• Most are Sunni Muslim although there is a small minority who are Shia Muslim.


• Which ethnic group is most numerous in SW Asia?

a.Jews

b.Kurds

c. Arabs

d.Persians


• What modern country is the home to the Persians?

a. Iran

b. Iraq

c. Israel

d.Syria


• What is the religion of most Persians?

a.Christianity

b.Judaism

c. Shia Muslim

d.Sunni Muslim


• What is the religion of most of the Arabs or SW Asia?

a.Christianity

b.Judaism

c. Shia Muslim

d.Sunni Muslim


• What is the religion of most of the Kurds?

a.Christianity

b.Judaism

c. Shia Muslim

d.Sunni Muslim

ss7g8a,b

Documents